The coronavirus outbreak may have postponed football matches all around the world on the weekend, but there were still minutes to be played for six of our loanees in non-league over the past week.
Akin Famewo played 90 minutes of St. Mirren’s important 1-0 win at home to Hearts of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday. Jonathan Obika’s goal made the difference as St. Mirren moved up to ninth, two points clear of the danger zone.
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— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) March 12, 2020
In the National League, Hartlepool United continued their assault on the playoffs courtesy of a 1-1 draw at Sutton United, with Timi Odusina playing the full 90. Hartlepool are now ninth and three points behind Stockport County in the playoff places.
The standout performer in the regional National Leagues was Billy Johnson for Braintree Town in the National League South, who saved a penalty and made a number of key saves to win Man of the Match, despite his side losing 1-0 at home to relegation rivals St. Albans City.
Braintree’s official match report describes the “heroics of [the] young Norwich City goalkeeper, [who] pulled off two excellent saves in the first half, repeated it three times in the second and even brilliantly saved a penalty.”
Some good performances despite the result, who gets your vote for MOTM?
— Braintree Town FC (@braintreetownfc) March 14, 2020
However, the defeat leaves Braintree in the relegation zone, seven points from the bottom but one below safety. At the opposite end of the table, Wealdstone FC stayed at the top of the league by three points with a 1-1 draw away to Chippenham Town on Saturday.
Aston Oxborough was between the sticks for Wealdstone, who also have a game in hand on Havant & Waterlooville below them.
There was less to write home about for our two King’s Lynn Town loanees, Simon Power and Alfie Payne. The former started Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Bradford, who are bottom of the table, and came on as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at home to Guiseley.
Payne played 90 minutes of that game on the weekend, which keeps the Linnets second in the National League North and with two games in hand on York City but two points behind.
Image credit: Paul Paxford and Jacques Feeney (Hartlepool United FC), @Smudgerlinnet (King’s Lynn Town FC)