Hawks get home draw

Hawks have been drawn at home to upwardly-mobile Altrincham in the fourth round of the FA Trophy.

The Cheshire club are currently fifth in the National League - the top tier of non-league football - after winning five of their last six games.

Promoted from the National League North via the play-offs in the summer, Altrincham won only one of their opening eight league games when the 2020/21 season finally began.

But they have since found their feet, boosted by a succession of away wins.

Four of the club’s six league victories have come away - and all by a 1-0 margin at Dover, Boreham Wood, Wrexham and Dagenham & Redbridge.

Phil Parkinson’s men also won their last four away games in 2019/20 without conceding a goal.

They won regular season games at Blyth (3-0) and Hereford (2-0) before winning 1-0 at York in the play-off semi-final and 2-0 at Boston in the final.

Altrincham have enjoyed a lot of success since Parkinson was appointed shortly after the club’s relegation to the Northern Premier League in April 2017.

He promptly masterminded promotion back to the National League North and, after losing in the play-offs 12 months later, guided the club back to the National League last August.

The Robins will be making their second trip to the Portsmouth area in 14 months.

Last season, they only lost in the second round of the FA Cup at Fratton Park to a last-minute goal from Brett Pitman.

Josh Hancock, pictured - joint top scorer for Alty in the NL this term with three - had cancelled out Ben Close’s opener with an 83rd-minute penalty leveller.

The first ever Hawks v

Altrincham match will be played at Westleigh Park on Saturday, January 16. The winners will receive £5,250 and the losers £1,500.

FA Trophy 4th rd: Kettering v Leamington, Halifax v Southport, Aldershot v Solihull, Weymouth v Darlington, Sutton v Dagenham & R, Stockport v Notts County, Maidstone or Frome v Dorking, Wealdstone v Maldon & Tiptree or Gloucester City, Boreham Wood or Yeovil v Torquay, Hawks v Altrincham, Boston United v Chesterfield, Stamford v Hereford, Bath City v Peterborough Sports, Hornchurch v Alfreton or King's Lynn, Bromley or Hemel Hempstead v Woking, Oxford City or Truro v Haringey Borough.