Match Report

SUMMARY:

Above: Alty defend an early corner at The Lawn.

After their two week lay-off, Alty fell to their third 5-0 defeat of the season after a poor performance on a bobbly and worn pitch at The Lawn. Forest Green went ahead after 13 minutes when a free-kick from inside the home half was nodded on leaving both Madjo and Meechan unmarked and the ex-Bristol Rovers man, Madjo made no mistake in beating the exposed Coburn. The same two FGR players were involved in the second goal, Madjo feeding Meechan and from his cross, the unmarked Alsop headed home (19 mins). As half-time approached, Gadsby went down off the ball and Peyton was sent off, having apparently swung round to free himself from the Rovers' man's hold and being adjudged to have used an elbow. He was shown a straight red card and was the midfielder was immediately followed by manager Graham Heathcote, who was escorted from the touchline to the stand for "leaving his technical area".

It was always going to be difficult with ten men but Alty's poor passing and inability to deal with the physically bigger Forest Green side reduced them to just one real shot at goal in the 90 minutes – a good effort from Little just after the hour mark. However, the ten men did not concede again till the 66th minute when the impressive Hayes got up the left and. though Coburn saved well from him, Meechan drove the loose ball into the unguarded net past a despairing lunge by Gary Scott. More poor defending allowed Alsop to get free on the left to set up a tap-in for Madjo (73 mins). When Gadsby's ball into the box went over Aspinall’s head, Rendell volleyed FGR's fifth (88 mins) to give the home side a well deserved win.

SCORERS

REFEREE: Mr. S. J. BRATT

This was only Alty's second visit to The Lawn and was likely to be their last visit as FGR are due to move to a new ground next season. Alty had won the reverse fixture at Moss Lane, back in August but both teams had seen changes of personnel since then. Both sides entered the game unbeaten in at least four games, but both remained too near the relegation zone for comfort. FGR had actually been relegated last season but were reprieved by the goings on at Northwich Victoria.

TEAM NEWS

Chris Adams was fit to resume, but only on the bench, so Gary Scott moved to left-back. James Robinson, normally employed up front, started this game alongside Val Owen in central midfield as Rod Thornley continued to partner Colin Little in attack. Talbot and Munroe remained sidelined by injury. For Forest Green, Mark Beesley was on the bench after a long injury absence but Zema Abbey remained unfit. New men Julian Alsop (ex-Tamworth), Guy Madjo (ex-Bristol Rovers) and Jonny Hayes (on loan from Reading), all started.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS (Black and white striped shirts, black shorts and socks). 1. Ryan CLARKE, 2. Sekani SIMPSON, 3. Damon SEARLE, 4. Matt GADSBY, 6. Jon RICHARDSON (capt), 7. Paul WANLESS, 16. Alex MEECHAN, 17. Luke GRAHAM, 22. Jonny HAYES; 12. Julian ALSOP, 27. Guy MADJO. Subs: 11. Bruno TEIXEIRA, 14. Adam GARNER, 18. Mark BEESLEY, 20. Ryan HARRISON, 25. Scott RENDELL,

ALTRINCHAM (Pale blue shirts, white shorts and socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 4. Mark MADDOX (capt), 15. Peter BAND, 11. Gary SCOTT; 37. Ged MURPHY, 8. Val OWEN, 19. James ROBINSON, 17. Warren PEYTON; 9. Colin LITTLE, 10. Rod THORNLEY. Subs: 3. Chris ADAMS, 7. Colin POTTS, 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 20. Kieran LUGSDEN, 21.Stephen ROSE.

ALTY SUBS:

REPORT

On a very worn and bobbly surface, Alty faced the bright sun in the first half and were soon being put in the shade by their hosts. Nevertheless, Alty won the game's first corner, but this was soon followed by two in succession for FGR. From the first of these, the ball came to Richardson, whose looping header forced Coburn to tip the ball over the bar. From the second, Richardson went even closer, his header beating Coburn but rebounding off the crossbar (6 mins).

Above: Alty peer into the sun at Forest Green.

Forest Green were using their bigger physiques to win most of the aerial balls but when they next threatened, it was due to a misjudgement by Maddox as he peered into the sun. The Alty captain allowed the ball to get past him to Alsop, who should have done better than allow it to run to Coburn (8 mins). Alty's shaky start continued as the ball came off Scott to set Meechan free, right of goal, but he shot badly wide with an effort aimed across goal. Thornley was looking Alty's most lively player and he won a free-kick 30 yards out but Aspinall drove this over the bar (11 mins). In a game broken up by numerous free-kicks, Forest Green won one off Maddox in a seemingly innocuous position, on the right touchline inside their own half. But it produced a goal as Richardson's free-kick was won on the edge of the Alty box by Alsop who knocked it forward to where both Meechan and Madjo were unmarked. The ex-Bristol Rovers man, Madjo made no mistake (13 mins). Alty continued to serve up a below par performance after their fortnight without a game but their vocal fans continued to give their team good support and, soon, Thornley won Alty a corner. This came back to the taker, Peyton, on the right, but his second cross was poor.

Another free-kick, conceded by Robinson, produced FGR's second goal. Madjo was again involved, feeding Meechan, to his right and from his cross, the unmarked Alsop headed home, much to Coburn's annoyance (19 mins). However, Alty responded, winning three corners in the next five minutes but the nearest they came to scoring from any of them came when Simpson headed narrowly wide of his own goal from the second flag-kick. As a spectacle, the game continued to be littered by free-kicks and there was then a stoppage as Band was hurt by Alsop's challenge and needed treatment. But from Coburn's resulting freekick, Thornley was given offside (29 mins). Alty continued to stutter and from a Maddox mis-header, Meechan's shot was deflected for a corner (35 mins). Soon, Alty had another escape when Meechan got the better of Scott on the Green's right and from his cross Madjo had a free shot which was fortunately deflected and ran harmlessly to Coburn.

Alty's day got worse with an off the ball incident after 41 minutes when Peyton, in trying to shake off Gadsby, who was holding him, apparently swung his arm round and caught the FGR man, who went down. After consulting his aassistant, the referee Bratt showed Peyton a red card, following which his colleagues and the Alty bench protested. Referee Bratt then sent Alty manager Graham Heathcote to the stand on the opposite side of the pitch for "leaving the technical area'. From the resulting freekick, just outside the Alty box, Coburn produced a fine punch clear (43 mins). Little now dropped to left midfield, leaving Thornley alone up front. As half-time approached, Meechan fired just over the bar but Alty rode out three minutes of added time to reach the interval and reorganise for the second half with only ten men.

Referee Bratt finally restarted the game after an inexplicable 18-minute interval and was soon booking Searle for a foul on Thornley (47 mins). But the referee took no action moments later when Coburn was barged over by the combative Alsop as he came to punch clear. The ball ran loose to a Forest Green player but Scott made an excellent clearance off the line (50 mins). Soon FGR won a corner from which Alsop was yet again penalised - but the big striker remained unbooked. Garner now replaced the injured FGR captain, Richardson as the floodlights came on (55 mins).

Whistle-happy Mr Bratt continued to break up the game as Alty played now with a 4-3-2 formation. From a freekick on the edge of the Alty box, FGR took a quick kick and worked the ball into the net, only for it to be chalked off for offside (58 mins). More pressure followed as a freekick, conceded by Murphy, led to two successive corners for Forest Green. But after this, Alty got in their only worthwhile effort at goal, a well-hit 25-yard volley from Little, which Clarke held well (61 mins). Alty now brought on Lugsden for Thornley (62 mins).

Alty's passing continued to go astray in midfield whilst, at the back, Band appeared to be labouring with an injury, presumably the legacy of Alsop's first-half foul on him. Hayes then got the better of Scott but chose to shoot rather than pass to the unmarked Meechan, to his right. The respite for Alty was short. Aspinall delayed a clearance and saw it charged down by Hayes who advanced up the left. Coburn saved his shot well but the loose ball fell to Meechan in the right-of the penalty box and he fired the ball at the empty net, with Coburn stranded to the left of goal. Gary Scott made a valiant effort to keep the ball out but was unable to do so. So, 3-0 to Forest Green, after 66 minutes.

Alty were still using a 4-3-2 formation at this stage but now changed personnel with Potts coming on to replace Robinson (68 mins). The normally dependable Band was clearly less than fit as Alsop got past him but fired wide (69 mins). Then, Forest Green made a change, Rendell coming on for Reading loanee Hayes, who was surprisingly withdrawn having played well on the left (70 mins). Alty were then almost caught out again when, with Aspinall upfield, Alsop again went forward but the move foundered with a poor first touch in the Alty box by Madjo. But another Alty defensive lapse moments later presented the home side with their fourth goal.

Alsop set Wanless free on the left and, from his low cross, Madjo had a simple task of converting the chance from close range to make it 4-0 (73 mins). FGR were well on top and Madjo soon fed Rendell, who looked offside, but his first shot was blocked and his follow-up went wide (75 mins). After Potts had been lectured by referee Bratt, Forest Green brought on Mark Beesley, returning after a long injury absence, in place of Alsop (77 mins). Alty remained under the cosh as the new man Beesley fired in a good shot from the right from Madjo's feed, but Coburn saved well; the Alty keeper was one of the few Alty men to emerge with much credit today - despite eventually conceding five goals. Potts then fouled Beesley and received a booking which will see him suspended (80 mins).

Alty made a final change after 82 minutes when Murphy was taken off and Chalmers introduced. He soon got in two of his trademark long throws but the Forest Green goal remained unthreatened. As Madjo was deservedly named the home side's Man of the Match, the home side delivered another blow to Altrincham by scoring their fifth goal. It followed a misdirected pass by an out of sorts Val Owen which allowed Beesley to get free on the right.

The ball came to Gadsby and from his diagonal ball forward from the right towards the back post, Aspinall rose to try and head clear but the ball cleared his head and reached Rendell at the back post who lashed a superb volley into the Alty net to make it 5-0 after 88 minutes. Soon after the restart Coburn made a magnificent save from Meechan to concede a corner, from which a second followed for Forest Green. The referee indicated three added minutes to prolong Alty's agony and in that time it took a magnificent tackle in the box by Band to see off Meechan. The final whistle eventually came to confirm Alty's third 5-0 defeat of the season. After an unbeaten run of four games including a fine win over Kidderminster and a well deserved draw with Stevenage, this result was a huge disappointment for Altrincham. It is their only defeat against a team currently lower than them in the league.

The loss of Peyton was and will be a severe blow but in truth Alty never got going today. Whether this had anything to do with not playing or training last week is debatable but hopefully the team will bounce back as they have done previously this season. The loss of Peyton, following the return to Halifax of Bushell is a bad blow, increased by the impending suspension of Potts. But, on the bright side, Alty have now played 14 of their 26 league games away from home and their form at Moss Lane is much better than on the road where they have gained just 8 points and scored only 6 goals this season.