PLAYER OF THE SEASON
PLAYER OF THE SEASON Michael Duckworth has shown admirable resilience and strength of character to recover from injury during his Town career and produced another season of consistently superb performances.
Disciplined and reliable in defence, Duckworth’s scurries up the right-flank provide an added dimension to Town’s attacks, offering width and dangerous crosses.
Duckworth also chipped in with three goals this season,
Suddenly, the mood was transformed. Signings were made, positivity radiated from the changing room and the club was galvanized.Not so much a breath of fresh air as a blast.
Wild made an astonishing start in the circumstances, winning his first three and then, after a draw and a defeat, his next four.
Nathan Clarke’s jawdropping goal from inside his own half in the 4-1 opening day win at Ebbsfleet topped a tremendous victory, while supposed big-hitters
Fylde and
Solihull and still impressed when shifted over to the left. were beaten at The Shay, with striker Liam McAlinden proving an astute signing.
Town’s 3-2 win at Chesterfield at the start of September was the season’s high point, a delightful display of confident, attacking football which unfortunately proved impossible to maintain.
Three wins and three defeats after that victory prolonged their impressive
start into October, but suggested the end of the beginning was setting in.
A maddeningly frustrating goalless home draw with Chorley preceded Harrogate ending Halifax’s FA Cup involvement at the first hurdle.
Bromley then hit five without reply against a Town team that was completely unrecognisable from the one that had played with such effervescence earlier in the campaign.
A testing October ended with a hard-fought win at Sutton thanks to Michael Duckworth’s winner, but November was winless as another bleak mid-winter threatened to set in. Town were back to their best at Harrogate on a Tuesday
nightatthebackendofNovember, leading twice but denied a win by two own goals, the second coming in added time.
The long trip to Yeovil at the start of December ended in another 2-0 defeat to the Glovers but Town again roused themselves with a 4-0 win over Wrexham in the FA Trophy.
But after Notts County inflicted the second 4-2 home defeat in as many months, the increasingly unstable wheels fell off spectacularly on Boxing Day.
Town were battered 5-1 at Stockport County in a woeful display, making it just two wins in 13 games. This was a huge test of Wild’s credentials.