Match Report


ALDERSHOT TOWN (0) 0 ALTRINCHAM (0) 2

Nationwide Conference National Match
played on Saturday, 27 August, 2005 at 3.00p.m.


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  • Match: Hambridge Investments
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    SUMMARY:

    Above: Action from Saturday's win at Aldershot. Peter Band, left, hits the deck, as Chris Adams, arm raised, appeals for a goalkick.

    Two headed goals in a seven minute period in the second half by James Olsen (71 mins) and Colin Little (78 mins), both from Colin Potts crosses, allowed Altrincham to take the points after soaking up plenty of Aldershot Town pressure. In the latter stages, Aldershot hit the bar and the post, but Alty held on to record their first away win of the season.


    SCORERS

  • 71 mins: James OLSEN (Aldershot Town 0 Altrincham 1)
  • 78 mins: Colin LITTLE (Aldershot Town 0 Altrincham 2)


    REFEREE: Mr. M. Bull


    ATTENDANCE: 2,235
    BACKGROUND:

    This was Alty's first league game against The Shots, the last previous encounter being a Trophy game at The Rec. which Alty won in 1999. Segregation meant that the Alty supporters' coach was sent up Redan Hill with the passengers having to make a hike down a steep hill into their allotted part of the ground. Though far outnumbered by the strong home support, the travelling supporters gave Alty good vocal backing.


    TEAM NEWS

    Alty were without ten first-team players, not counting Marcus Hallows, who is recovering from his broken leg. Eddie Hussin, Gary Scott, Steve Aspinall, Lutel James, Kieran Lugsden, Rod Thornley, Richard Norris, Kirk Hilton, and Karl Munroe were all injured or not yet fully fit after injury, whilst Mark Maddox remained suspended. In addition, Gary Talbot was playing with an injury. So, manager Graham Heathcote brought on to the bench last season's youth team leading scorer, Lee Hendley who only signed Conference forms last week.

    The Shots had also got a significant injury list which included Ahmed Deen, Gary Holloway, John Brough, Chris Nurse and Dave Lee. However, their captain Steve Watson was back in the side after his injury absence. Their starters today included loanees Scott Guyett (from Yeovil) and Chris McPhee (from Brighton).


    LINE-UPS

    ALDERSHOT TOWN: (All red, with blue trim): 1. Nikki BULL, 2. Tarkan MUSTAFA, 12. Lewis HAMILTON, 6. Tobi JINADU, 15. Scott GUYETT, 8. Steve WATSON (capt), 20. Nick CRITTENDEN, 26. Matt SOMNER, 27. Bertrand COZIC, 9. Tim SILLS, 16. Chris McPHEE. Subs: 21. Dan WEAIT (gk), 19. Dave WINFIELD, 22. Bertie BRAYLEY, 17. Ryan SCOTT, 14. Hassan SULAIMAN.

    ALTRINCHAM(Pale blue shirts, black shorts and pale blue socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 12 Steve HAWES, 15. Peter BAND, 5. Gary TALBOT, 3. Chris ADAMS; 7. Colin POTTS, 8. Val OWEN, 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 21. Stephen ROSE; 19. Gary WILLIAMS, 9. Colin LITTLE. Subs: 13. Richard ACTON (gk), 16. James OLSEN, 24. George MELLING, 25. Nehru McKENZIE, 26. Lee HENDLEY.


    REPORT

    Alty kicked off, with the sun on their backs, towards the segregated 'away' Redan Hill end, half of which was populated by large numbers of vocal home supporters. Alty had an early chance when Owen set Little free on the right but the striker opted to shoot at the keeper at the near post rather than try to find the incoming Williams in the centre (5 mins). Both sets of fans were giving good vocal support as Sills then headed Crittenden's free-kick over the bar (7 mins) and next, after a loose clearance by Talbot, Crittenden fired over from 20 yards (9 mins). Alty now got forward a couple of times and won three successive throw-ins, all taken by Hawes, rather than long-throw specialist, Lewis Chalmers. A foul on Adams allowed Alty to keep up some pressure but Talbot's header from the resulting free-kick ran to Bull. The Shots soon tested Coburn as a cross from Cozic on the right was relayed by McPhee inside the box to Sills. As he stumbled, Sills nevertheless got in a good header, which Coburn saved well (17 mins).

    Soon afterwards, a Coburn punt set Williams free but he hooked the ball well over from the edge of the box, when he had time to control it (17 mins). Overall, play had been fairly even, so far. Neither side created any clear chances in the next ten minutes, as both defences held firm. But the potentially dangerous Crittenden now switched to the right wing and Aldershot tried to change things further by moving Mustafa and Hamilton further forward up the flanks. However, just after Watson had wasted a promising opening from Sills’s pass, Alty had a good shout for a penalty when, following a throw on the left just inside the Alty half, Potts fed Williams, who appeared to be fouled as he drifted across the box but referee Bull showed no interest (27 mins).

    But in the final 15 minutes of the half, it was Aldershot who gained the upper hand. They won the game's first corner (28 mins) which was half-cleared before a follow-up header dropped into Coburn's arms. Next, Stills fired a low shot narrowly wide but the watching Coburn had it well covered (30 mins). Coburn then saved a deflected shot before the Alty keeper broke up another Town move up the right (33 mins). Alty remained on the back foot as a cross from the left by Sills was met by a flying header across goal by Somner (35 mins). Alty's only threats at this stage came when Williams got free on the right but his cross was cleared (38 mins) and, soon afterwards, when Little set Owen free inside the box but Bull was out smartly to block - and the offside flag went up, anyway.

    As half-time approached, Chalmers tripped Mustafa and was booked (43 mins). Aldershot continued to press and won two more corners before the break. But the final act of the two minutes of added time saw Potts feed Williams, who made space well for a shot, but hit it straight at keeper Bull.


    Half-Time: ALDERSHOT TOWN 0
    ALTRINCHAM 0

    Right: Alty celebrate at the end of the Aldershot match.

    The half started with McPhee getting behind Band but his left-foot shot went straight at Coburn (46 mins). Soon afterwards, Coburn mis-kicked into touch as Alty started nervously. After Adams had been harshly penalised, Somner's effort was sliced over his own bar by Talbot but offside was given in any case. Alty remained on the back foot as Band and Talbot got in a mix-up, leaving Sills in the clear but Coburn did well to close him down (51 mins). There was then a bizarre sequence when a cross by Hamilton, from wide left, drifted past Coburn, who slipped over in the box, but the ball went wide. This prompted chants of 'dodgy keeper' from the massed ranks of home supporters.

    An error by Jinadu almost let in Williams but Bull made it to the ball first. Alty now began to see a bit more of the ball but keeper Coburn was plainly still perturbed by his earlier slip and he soon received pitchside attention to his studs from kitman Charles Heathcote. Alty now won their first corner of the game when Potts and Owen combined and Little won the flag-kick off Somner on the Alty left. As Coburn received further attention to his boots, Alty went forward again. Potts fed Williams but he elected to pass rather than shoot and the opening disappeared (63 mins). The Shots now brought on Brayley for Sills up front (64 mins). Immediately, McPhee fired weakly wide and then an effort from Hamilton rippled the Alty side-netting.

    After 67 minutes, Alty made a double change, McKenzie replacing Rose in central midfield and Olsen coming on for Chalmers on the left. Somner's foul on Williams now gave Adams a free-kick but, after a few passes, as McKenzie advanced dangerously into the box, the whistle went for a free-kick to Aldershot. Following an Alty throw on the right, Williams and Potts got into the corner to the right of the Alty goal and from Potts's excellent cross, Olsen headed firmly past Bull from a central position in the goalmouth to give Alty the lead (71 mins). Moments later, Sulaiman replaced Aldershot defender Hamilton.

    Aldershot responded to falling behind with Crlttenden's low shot, just wide (74 mins). But the Shots were now vulnerable on the break and, following an error by Jinadu, a fine pass from Potts set up Williams for a first-time stab over the bar (73 mins). Olsen was working hard as an auxiliary defender as Alty looked reasonably comfortable with their lead. But they then doubled their advantage as another fine cross from the right by Potts was met by Little's downward header past Bull, from close range in a central position (78 mins).

    The Shots still strove to get back into the game as Crittenden shot wide. Alty now brought on 18 year-old striker Lee Hendley for his first-team debut and he was soon using his pace as the lone striker to harry the Aldershot defenders (79 mins). However, Aldershot won two corners in succession (83 mins). After the second, Guyett headed a cross firmly against the crossbar and two minutes later an Aldershot strike, which some press reports claim came off Hawes, rebounded out off Coburn's left post as Alty's goal led a charmed life (86 mins). As the game entered 3 minutes of added time, Hendley fed McKenzie who got to the by-line left of the Shots’ goal but the ball was cleared. The final whistle soon blew to confirm Alty's win. Aldershot had had 60 percent or more of the play and struck the framework twice but Alty rode their luck and their injury-ravaged, part-time side earned a valuable reward for their hard work against an under-par, full-time outfit.

    Altrincham moved up to joint 9th in the table as Aldershot sank to the bottom. But Alty now face a stern test on Bank Holiday Monday against another full-time outfit, second-placed Morecambe, who were the form team at the end of last season and have started well in this campaign. Alty's team worked hard for each other today and the managerial duo's tactical guile was another important factor. The exultant scenes at the end as the players saluted their supporters underlined that, as manager Graham Heathcote has said on more than one occasion, you can get a long way on team spirit such as we have at the club.


    Full-Time: ALDERSHOT TOWN 0
    ALTRINCHAM 2