PHIL Parkinson has dipped into the loan market to give Altrincham’s attacking options a timely boost after snapping up versatile forward Nathan Waterston from Barrow for the next month.

The 21-year old Barrow-born frontrunner is eager for game time, following surgery on a shoulder injury, and is in contention for a role in Saturday’s National League North game at Leamington after signing on Tuesday and training with his new team-mates.

Waterston started the season in Barrow’s National League line-up and made seven appearances before his shoulder condition worsened and required an operation at the beginning of October.

He is now fully fit again and raring to go, and the chance to strengthen Alty’s promotion push, and build up his match sharpness in the process, was viewed as the best option all round.

An all-action attacker who can operate in the middle or on the right, Waterston joined his home-town club from Workington last season after scoring 10 goals and being credited with seven assists in 33 appearances for the Reds.

His arrival follows a morale-boosting home win against form team Southport, who had been unbeaten in 12 games, though there was frustration for the Robins on Tuesday night, when their scheduled fixture with Blyth Spartans was postponed, due to the weather.

Reflecting on Saturday’s 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Jake Moult goal, Alty boss Parkinson said: "It’s always a massive result when you beat a full-time team, and that’s six points out of six against Southport this season, so I’m delighted with that.

"People always talk about a reaction after losing like we did at Chorley the previous week, and we certainly got one. I made it clear we wouldn’t just fizzle out.

"I asked the players for a professional performance and a clean sheet, and they delivered both against a very strong, physical side.

"The biggest thing for me was we showed a lot of fight, and that’s probably what we were lacking at Chorley.

"We really controlled the game in the second half and showed we are more than capable of competing with the big boys in this division."