BLUES SALUTE RETURN OF KING KURT
CHESTER 1 ALTRINCHAM 0
A GOAL midway through the second half from Nathan Woodthorpe brought the curtain down on Chester’s home pre-season friendly campaign, in a match that could have gone either way.
After a two-season absence from the genteel shores of the River Dee, the Chester faithful had turned up in numbers to welcome the return of star striker Kurt Willoughby, who was greeted with all the enthusiasm of Richard the Lionheart returning to his devoted followers from the Crusades.
Willoughby, who sealed a 12-month loan move from Oldham Athletic on Thursday, was a fans’ favourite during his first spell at the Deva Stadium, and his return is thought by many to be the key to a successful campaign for the National League North outfit.
Neither side created a great deal early on, with both keepers virtually unemployed as creativity was at a premium.
The first real chance fell to the visitors, Joe Nuttall unlucky when a 20-yard thunderbolt hit the underside of Chester’s bar before bouncing to safety.
Charlie Caton and Willoughby created the home side’s best chance just before the break, the pair linking well before Willoughby fired just wide of the Alty upright with an angled effort from 15 yards.
Altrincham, who reached the National League play-offs for the first time last season, nearly took the lead nine minutes into the second period, Justin Amaluzor shooting just over from 18 yards.
The only goal of the contest came after 67 minutes. Substitute Declan Weeks and Caton both had shots blocked, the ball fell invitingly to Woodthorpe who swept it home from close range.
Both sides made personnel changes in the dying embers of the game, but neither really created any clear-cut opportunities.
POINTS ALLOCATION, IN ALL TEN LEAGUES LEAGUE & CUP GAMES
Home win = 10pts + goals Away win = 20pts + goals
Home Draw = 2pt + goals Away Draw = 4pts + goals
Home Defeat = -10pts Away defeat = -5pts Every goal scored = 1pt (This counts if your team wins, draws or loses).
Every goal conceded (Win & Defeat only) -1pt. Goal Bonus Points = 5pts (This is awarded if your teams score 4 or more goals). Clean Sheet Bonus = 5pts (This is awarded for both wins and 0-0 draws). Concede 4 goals = -5pts (This does not apply to drawn games). (Two-legged ties count as two separate games. Cup replays that go to penalties. The penalties are only used to decide the winner. No points are awarded for the penalties scored).
BONUS POINTS FOR REACHING VARIOUS ROUNDS IN EACH CUP COMPETITION
For reaching the FA Cup 1st round proper and each round beyond = 25pts.
For reaching the Quarter-finals and each round beyond in all the other cups that are involved in the competition which are listed below = 25pts.
LEAGUE LEADERS & BOTTOM CLUB BONUS
At the end of each month up to and including April 2025 the top three teams leading each of the ten leagues will be awarded 30pts, 15pts & 7pts respectively. The bottom three teams of the ten leagues will be awarded -30pts, -15pts & -7pts respectively. The Mixture bonus points will be allocated based on the top three and worst three teams over the leagues that are included in The Mixture Leagues. (Please remember and this is important these bonus points will only count towards the main FNL season total and not the Manager of the Month points).
MANAGER OF THE MONTH BONUS POINTS
Each month the best and worst team in each of the ten leagues will be awarded 30, 15 & 7pts & -30, -15 & -7pts respectively. (These bonus points only count in the Manager of the Month calculations).
PLAY-OFF GAMES
The actual Play-Off games themselves will be awarded points as if they were league games. The Play-Off Final winners will be awarded 50pts for gaining promotion. (These points will be awarded at the end of the season).
END OF SEASON BONUS POINTS
(These points will be awarded at the end of the FNL Season in May 2025).
All League Champions will receive 250pts for winning their respective leagues. Second place will get 125pts and third place will receive 60pts.
The bottom team in each league at the end of the season’s Fantasy Non-League will be awarded -250pts.
Second from bottom -125pts and third from bottom -60pts.
Cup Winners will receive 250pts for the FA Trophy and 150pts for the other Cups. Play-Off Winners will receive 50pts.
Remember if your FNL Joker team get these bonuses they will be doubled, for example a league champion picked in July 2024 at the start of the FNL Season will win you 500pts. The Mixture Leagues will be awarded the End of Season Bonuses based on the FNL Points scored over the season. However, if any of the other clubs in The Mixture wins their respective league or get relegated, they will receive 150pts or -150pts. This will be halved if you sub the respective teams in the transfer window.
Substituted teams will be awarded half the End of Season bonus points & the full PlayOff Winners bonus.
The following Leagues and Cup competitions will be involved in this season’s Fantasy Non-League
National League - FA Cup and FA Trophy. National North - FA Cup and FA Trophy. National South - FA Cup and FA Trophy. Northern Premier - FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
Isthmian Premier - FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
Southern Premier Central - FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup. Southern Premier South – FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
The Mixture Leagues - FA Cup, FA Trophy, League Cups.
USE OF SUBSTITUTIONS.
As stated above, you can select five substitutes on your FNL 2024/25 Entry Forms and out of those five substitutes you can use all five substitutes. Again, this season there will be only one substitution window and that will be during the month of December 2024 with your selected changes taking effect from January 1, 2025.
Details on how to use your substitutions will be released nearer the time during the month of November. Please also note you can change your FNL Joker teams on January 1, 2025 if you wish, but this will count as one of your substitutions.