I LOVE hindsight. You can make all kinds of sweeping statements about how things could have been with the benefit of it. With that in mind, I can now categorically say that if a football team actually passes the ball around, shifting their opponents and keeping them on their toes with unpredictable, fluid movement, a good team can easily beat a poor team. It’s not rocket science.

Having laboured horribly against Nuneaton, Bradford Park Avenue and Lancaster City, something clicked at Heritage Park as we swept aside a poor Stalybridge Celtic side that look destined to be battling relegation all season.

Gone were the painfully predictable long balls to Mark Beck; in was the use of quick, accurate passing and making the most of two outstanding wide players in man of the match Stephen Thompson and the wonderful Josh Gillies.

Watching the game, it made me wonder what we’d been playing at in the three previous games. The contrast was stark. My immediate thought was the return of Gillies made a huge difference but in truth, every player seemed to be signed up to a different game plan. It was good to watch.

The Stalybridge goal was yet another example of poor defending. I’m fed up of writing about it now. It’s something Martin Gray needs to sort out. The other disappointing issue was the inconsistency of the referee. I’m in agreement with him that the Leon Scott challenge warranted a red card. However, how he didn’t send off Stalybridge’s Callum Bagshaw for scything through the back of Tom Portas was beyond pretty much everyone in attendance.

Interestingly, I had a really interesting chat with a local referee a few weeks ago. He pointed out that there was a shortage of referees in the National North as the level of qualification the ref’s hold allows them to take the much more lucrative gig of running the lines in the Championship. I don’t know what the difference in fees is but it is clearly enough to drain the league of its better officials.

With our exit from the FA Cup, our players are now getting a little desired but much-needed break from match action. That saw this week’s news focus on off the pitch activity rather than on it. Thursday brought the news that Amar Purewal and Adam Nowakowski have been made available for loan. To be brutally honest, neither surprises me.

Amar Purewal has been a massive part of our journey through the leagues. However, non-league football is a cruel mistress. One serious injury at our level can finish you off. I was really impressed at the back end of last season just how fit Purewal looked, all things considered. However, during pre-season, I thought he looked a couple of yards off pace and it just hasn’t come back to him. If he is to regain fitness and form, it isn’t going to happen coming on for ten minutes off the bench.

Meanwhile, Nowakowski has just been plain unlucky. Injured on the opening day of last season, we’ve never really got to know him. I remember him playing at Nantwich last season and coming away wondering how on earth he wasn’t starting on a regular basis. He was a beast. I assumed he must have run over Martin Gray’s cat or something equally bad to not get a game when at times he looked more capable than others selected ahead of him.

Whether they return or not, I hope both of them go on to have a good season and enjoy some much-deserved game time wherever they find themselves on loan.