ALEX Whittle has moved within two points of fellow full-back Josh Law at the top of The Press Player of the Year leaderboard.

The 24-year-old defender, pictured below, has jumped up the standings after picking up three points as our man of the match during last weekend’s 3-2 FA Cup defeat at South Shields.

Substitutes Louis Almond (two points) and Connor Smith (one) were also recognised as The Press’ second and third-highest performers respectively.

The two bonus Player of the Month bonus points for topping our online man-of-the-math poll went to Whittle as well, meaning he finished second to keeper Jon Worsnop in that contest.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Law 11, Newton 10, Parkin 10, Worsnop 10, Whittle 9, Almond 8, Heslop 6, Parslow 6, Morgan-Smith 5, Bencherif 3, Rankine 3, Moke 2, Smith 1.

The Press Player of the Month standings for September: Worsnop 14, Whittle 11, Law 8, Parkin 8, Almond 5, Heslop 3, Felix 2, Morgan-Smith 2, Parslow 2, Wharton 2, Smith 1.

Goals: Parkin 6, Newton 4, Heslop 3, Morgan-Smith 3, Rankine 2, Almond 1, Felix 1, Law 1, Own Goal 1, Parslow 1.

Assists: Almond 7, Morgan-Smith 4, Newton 3, Parkin 3, Parslow 2, Felix 1, Heslop 1, Whittle 1, Worsnop 1.

Bad boys: Bencherif, Heslop both one red card, one yellow; Worsnop two yellow; Newton, Smith, Wharton all one yellow.