WHITCHURCH will go into the bank-holiday double header at AFC Blackpool (Saturday) and at home to newcomers Abbey Hulton United (Monday, 3pm) sitting proudly at the top of the Hallmark Security League First Division table.

It follows a hectic first week of the season which has seen the Reds win all three of their matches, scoring 10 goals in the process.

A midweek win at Eccleshall put Alport in confident mood ahead of the weekend game at home to Stockport Town. And a 3-0 scoreline against the Lions will improve that confidence still further.

It was a result that would have been the best tonic imaginable for manager Luke Goddard, who had to leave the ground ahead of kick-off with illness.

That led to a shake-up of the side with both Goddard and fellow central defender Joe Minshall both unavailable, with the latter suffering from a broken wrist which will keep him out of the side for around four weeks.

But with vice-captain Elliot Ledwards moving inside from full-back and young Ryan Thomas again giving an assured performance, Alport were defensively tight throughout.

Simon Everall (2) and Ben Mills scored for the Reds on Saturday and player-coach Mills is already loving life at Whitchurch.

“This is a special club and it’s been very easy for me to settle here,” he said.

“The professionalism and dedication of everyone here – the players, the staff, the media and the volunteers – shows everyone at the club is in this together, and I include our supporters in that because they’re something else.”

Mills fired a warning to players who might react badly to missing out on a starting position: “Sometimes you have to make tough decisions and we’ve had to do that again today, and I know that will disappoint some of the lads who think they should be playing.

“But some of them are still learning the game and if they’re prepared to listen to people who’ve been around a bit, they’ll develop into better players.

“You want players to be upset when they’re left out, of course you do, and it happened to me in the FA Cup tie a few weeks ago. I wanted to play but had to be content with a place on the bench.”

For more reaction, see this week’s Herald.