Phil Parkinson has challenged his Altrincham players to build on their 5-0 drubbing of AFC Fylde and backed two of his summer recruits to provide the spark that can help the Robins keep climbing the National League table.

Striker Regan Linney stole the headlines with a stunning first-half hat-trick at Fylde, but Parkinson believes all-action midfielder Tom Crawford and pacey winger Kahrel Reddin can prove just as influential in Alty’s quest for more points at Solihull Moors on Saturday.

Crawford has been a revelation since signing from Hartlepool United in the close-season and former Stoke City flyer Reddin has nailed down a starting place with some dazzling displays on the right.

Parkinson said: “It will be another tough, tight encounter at Solihull, but we showed what we are about against Fylde and we will go there looking to come out on top. They have got some excellent ex-EFL players, but you can say the same about us.

“Tom has become a huge player for us, doing exactly what we brought him to the club to do, and he will continue to get better and better.

“He has improved us as a team, and the biggest compliment I can give him is that when he had to serve a one-match suspension, we missed him.

“Hopefully, he can continue in that rich vein of form and help us to have a really strong middle part of the season.

“Kahrel has lots of potential and is starting to show what he is capable of. He has managed to hold down a place in the team, which is the first of many steps he needs to take to become a big player for us in this division.

“What we would like to see from him is more assists and more goals, because when he does that, he’ll not only be holding down a place in our side, he will be a big player in the division. That is the potential he has. We have high hopes for Kahrel, and he is beginning to show why.”