LEE Sinnott has backed Damian Reeves’ prodigious scoring feats to earn him a fitting reward after the prolific Altrincham striker was shortlisted for Non-League Player of the Year at next month’s Northwest Football Awards ceremony.

Reeves has become an Alty legend, with his remarkable output over the past 12 months or so, and supporters can show their gratitude by voting for him in sufficient numbers to see off competition from fellow-nominees Tom Hannigan, of Vauxhall Motors, and Stockport County skipper Joe Connor.

Though the shortlist for each category was decided by a panel, the winners will be determined solely by votes cast by the public at www.northwestfootballawards.com or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/northwestfootballawards.

The closing date is Monday, October 29 (5pm), and the awards night is at Old Trafford cricket ground on Monday, November 12.

"It would be a big plus for Damian, and for Altrincham Football Club, and I wish him all the best with that," said Alty boss Sinnott.

"You only need to look at his record over the calendar year to see how much he deserves to win it.

"It must be pretty much a goal a game, and to maintain that over the course of a full year is exceptional, quite astounding. It has been well documented what happened in the summer, when we all thought he would get an opportunity in the Football League, and there could easily have been a reaction to that.

"There could have been a bit of a hangover, but, instead, he hit the ground running. The team continued to create chances for him, and he continued to stick them away. You could say he’s had a few penalties, but to be fair, most have come from fouls on him. Credit where it’s due, he has done well and would be a worthy player of the year."

Sinnott refused to bemoan his luck at being handed a third successive away tie in the FA Cup, at Boston United, after a disciplined performance saw off Leek Town on Saturday.

‘You can put yourself in a negative state of mind, if you start wishing you’d had this or that," he said.

"You can get anything in the Cup, and you take what you are given. People might not fancy going to Boston, but I would imagine Boston might not fancy us going to them, either. Whoever you draw, it’s an FA Cup tie, and you get on with it.

"We can’t get ahead of ourselves, anyway. Corby away is next up on Saturday, and it is going to need all the qualities we have shown on the road recently to get something there."

Simon Richman serves a one-match ban on Saturday.