Match Report

SUMMARY:

Above: No.17, Watson's freekick beats Coburn and the Alty wall.

Emotional scenes greeted the final whistle as Alty players and supporters saluted each other at the end of a season which should have ended in celebration at the magnificent feat of survival as a part-time side with the lowest budget in the Conference. Instead, we have a massive points deduction hanging over us because James Robinson's previous club did not get international clearance for him. As a result, we do not know in which league we will be competing next season.

With the help of two dubious decisions by referee Ward, which gave the Cards a penalty and a freekick, from both of which they scored, Woking took a 3-0 lead. Alty hit the woodwork twice and forced two great saves from the keeper but only had Little's well taken goal after 72 minutes to show for a strong second-half performance. But Woking were deserved winners for their first half performance.

In the first half, just after Potts's fine shot had hit the post, a mix-up between Scott and Talbot, set Murray clear and though Coburn saved well, McAllister netted the rebound (17 mins). Then, when Richards went down in the box, Scott was very harshly judged to have fouled him. Richards netted from the spot (31 mins). McAllister and Munroe then collided just outside the box and Mr Ward awarded a freekick from which Watson scored (40 mins).

SCORERS

REFEREE: Mr. G Ward

Alty arrived with sufficient points to guarantee their Conference survival but with the threat of an 18 points deduction hanging over them from the James Robinson affair. On the contrary, Woking had the FA Trophy final to look forward to.

TEAM NEWS

Alty were again without Val Owen and Stephen Rose as well as long-term absentees Richard Norris and Eddie Hussin. With both Adams and Aspinall on the bench, Munroe started at right -back. Woking gave reserve keeper Davies a start and were without the suspended Ferguson and Hutchinson.

ALTRINCHAM (Pale blue shirts and socks, dark blue shorts.) 1. Stuart COBURN, 17. Karl MUNROE, 4. Mark MADDOX, 5. Gary TALBOT, 11. Gary SCOTT, 7. Colin POTTS, 15. Peter BAND, 37. Ged MURPHY, 12. Warren PEYTON, 9. Colin LITTLE, 10. Rod THORNLEY. SUBS: 2. Steve ASPINALL, 3. Chris ADAMS, 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 18. Blake NORTON, 28. Pat McFADDEN.

WOKING (Red & white shirts, black shorts and socks): 21. Clint DAVIES, 2. Simon JACKSON, 4. Neil SMITH (capt), 6. Gary MacDONALD, 8. Karl MURRAY, 9. Justin RICHARDS, 16. Stephen EDWARDS, 17 Paul WATSON, 18. Craig McALLLISTER, 19. Stuart NETHERCOTT, 24. Shola OYEDELE. Subs: 1. Shwan JALAL, 3. Karim el-SALAH, 10. Lloyd BLACKMAN, 11. Liam COCKERILL, 23. Sam COCKERILL.

REPORT

Alty kicked off into the sun and towards the impressive modern stand at Kingfield which contrasts with the two small, wooden stands alongside the pitch. Alty were slow to start, conceding two early freekicks, the second of which was uncharacteristically dropped by Stuart Coburn, but Gary Scott cleared the danger (4 mins). However, Alty won the first corner, following Potts's throw-in. But overall, Woking had started the better and they soon won a corner themselves. Keeper Davies then had to be alert to come out and kick the ball away before his side almost scored, as Oyedele set Richards free on the left but, from Richards's return pass, Oyedele shot wide from 20 yards (10 mins). Woking soon threatened again as a ball up the middle forced Coburn to rush out and get enough of a touch to force Richards wide, from where he missed the target (12 mins). Alty now improved and, following Peyton's ball from the left, Little fed Potts, who drilled a low shot from the edge of the box past the keeper, only to see the ball hit Davies's right post and go out for a goalkick. This was a turning point as, within a minute, Scott and Talbot went for the same ball, about 30 yards from their own goal in a central position. The loose ball came to Murray and, although Coburn did well to parry his shot, McAllister easily converted the rebound to make it 1-0 (17 mins).

But soon, McAllister shot wastefully over before a foul on Band led to Munroe's free-kick which produced an Alty corner on the left. Following this, Little saw his shot saved by the keeper's legs. And then a Little header ended up in Davies's hands (20 mins).

Richards continued to be a handful for the Alty defence but the visitors held firm as Murphy cleared a freekick which he himself had conceded. Next, Peter Band had to go off to change his shirt following a minor blood injury (27 mins). Thornley then shot over the bar from the edge of the box before McAllister headed wide from a cross from the right. Soon afterwards Scott was very harshly judged to have fouled Richards and referee Ward pointed to the spot. Alty protested strongly but referee Ward simply responded by booking Scott and Murphy. Though Coburn guessed correctly, Richards's spot kick beat him, low to his left (31 mins).

Another harsh decision by Mr Ward soon cost Alty another goal. This time, Munroe and an opponent went down, contesting a 50/50 ball 20 yards out in a central position. Again the ref gave the home side the benefit of the doubt, awarding a freekick to Woking. Watson drove this through a gap in the wall, which Oyedele created with a push, and into the net (40 mins). Immediately, Alty went to the other end and Potts headed wide. But Alty now won two corners, from the second of which Thornley had his shot blocked. Woking had the better of the remaining minutes but in added time Band nodded wide.

Alty's fans continued to give their great support, despite trailing by three goals. Soon, Thornley's challenge forced Davies to drop the ball but the keeper was given a freekick (47 mins). An excellent Woking move followed, with McAllister lifting the ball just over the bar at the end of it (50 mins). A clearance from Davies came to Little, 40 yards out, but his ambitious attempt to volley the ball straight back at goal ran comfortably back to the keeper (53 mins). Next a great ball from Potts was volleyed at goal by Little but Davies did brilliantly to tip the ball over for a corner. From Potts's corner Band nudged the ball on to Talbot, who hooked it goalwards, only for Davies to claw the ball away, at full stretch (54 mins). Nethercott now hurt himself in fouling Little and limped off. As Thornley won a corner, el-Salahi replaced Nethercott (56 mins). Following the corner, Talbot's header hit the bar - Alty were having little luck today.

Woking now won two corners, the first coming from a great save by Coburn from Murray's low shot. On the terraces behind the Woking goal, both sets of fans remained in good voice and good nature towards each other. Two more Woking corners came and went (65 mins).With the game in a period of stalemate, Graham Heathcote shook things up with the introduction of Aspinall and Adams for centre-backs Talbot and Maddox (70 mins). This prompted Munroe and Band to move to centre-back, Scott to switch to right-back and Adams to slot in at left-back. The changes almost had a disastrous effect as Adams lost possession in the Woking half but a poor cross saved Alty. But then more positive effects of the substitutions came as Aspinall's cross yielded an Alty corner on the left. From this the ball was diverted to Little beyond the back post and he lobbed the ball over the keeper and defenders into the far corner of the net to record his 17th Conference goal of the season - a great effort (72 mins). Alty now kept the upper hand as Thornley poked the ball wide from Little's feed. At the other end, Band was excelling as each side made another substitution. Chalmers replaced Murphy for Alty and Blackman came on for Woking's McAllister (80 mins).

Alty continued to press forward but could not create an opening before Sam Cockerill replaced Oyedele (88 mins). As the game went into added time, Coburn punched clear from Richards, who needed treatment. The four minutes of added time witnessed the visiting fans singing their hearts out before the whistle went on what could be Alty's last game in the Conference if the appeal against the points deduction is not successful. There were emotional scenes as the Alty players and supporters saluted each other for the massive achievement of finishing 18th in the Conference on a miniscule budget.

Alty had made a spirited response to going three down and with a bit of luck in avoiding the woodwork and better refereeing the score could have been closer. During the second half and after the final whistle, it was good to see both sets of supporters not only saluting their own teams but also engaging in friendly exchanges.