Match Report

SUMMARY:

Above: Kick-off at The New Lawn - with Alty in blue.

An Altrincham side lacking nine of the first -team squad, (the injured Coburn, Scott, Band, Talbot, Bushell, Little, Thomson, Bowler and the suspended Owen), staged a fine comeback in the second half after trailing 2-0 at the interval and having manager Graham Heathcote sent off for alleged "sarcasm". After Potts had nearly scored in the first minute, FGR took the lead after 6 minutes when a freekick on the right by Meechan was headed home by Rigoglioso, making his debut on loan from Morecambe. Clist made it two-nil when Meechan got past Peyton and, though his cross was palmed away by Acton, making his Conference debut in the Alty goal, Clist was on hand to put the loose ball in the net (35 mins). After the break, two goals in seven minutes saw Alty get level. Firstly, Thornley drove the ball home after Lugsden, also making his first Conference start of the season, had dispossessed the hesitant Edwards (51 mins) and then Lugsden himself scored after good work from Potts and O'Neill (58 mins).

And to round off the evening, there was the welcome sight of Eddie Hussin making his first Conference appearance in the closing stages, having missed a year's football through injury. Indeed, eight of tonight's Alty squad had not made a Conference start this season (Acton, Thornley, Lugsden, Hendley, Hussin, McFadden, Collins and Melling) and three of them (Acton, Hussin and Collins) had never played at this level before so, all in all, it was a great performance tonight to earn Alty's first away point of the season

SCORERS

REFEREE: Mr. Simon Snartt

Since the corresponding fixture last season, FGR had moved to The New Lawn, 300 yards further up the hill from their old ground, which is now being built on. Whilst the main stand and home end of the new stadium are largely complete, the other end is not yet open to spectators, as it still comprises a half-build stand with no roof on - a smaller version of The Shay at Halifax in some respects. The away side is an uncovered, shallow terrace.

FGR started the game bottom of the table and without a win, having recently installed former Morecambe boss Jim Harvey as replacement manager for the sacked Gary Owers.

Altrincham were without nine first-team members (see above) so travelled to Forest Green in hope rather than expectation. As well as the injured Peter Thomson who has yet to figure this season and the apparently unfit Justin Bowler, the injured players comprised goalkeeper Stuart Coburn (groin), left-back Gary Scott (twisted knee), centre-backs Peter Band and Gary Talbot (calf), midfielder Steve Bushell (hamstring) and striker Colin Little. Also sidelined was suspended midfielder, Val Owen.

Into the side came goalkeeper Richard Acton. Richard was Altrincham's regular first-team keeper in 2002-03 but suffered a bad shoulder injury at Harrogate Town in August 2003 and did not play a league game at all for the rest of the season. In the three years or more since his injury, Richard has started one league game, at Runcorn FC Halton in Nationwide North in October 2004, though he made two cup and a number of Reserves' appearances last season. So it was good to see his loyalty rewarded tonight.

Before kick-off Altrincham signed three players on Conference forms. One of these was club captain Eddie Hussin, who now has squad number 23. Eddie was a major factor in the club's promotion to the Conference at the end of 2004-05 but he underwent a cruciate ligament operation that summer and had yet to re-appear in the first team since then. Also signed on Conference forms before the FGR game were young defender George Melling, who only returned to the club recently from Leigh RMI, and former Manchester City reserve, Paul Collins, who is a left-back who has played two recent games for Altrincham Reserves.

Colin Potts was selected for only his second game of the season after an operation for a hernia, whilst Robbie Lawton was named captain for the first time since arriving at Moss Lane in the summer. It was a surprise to see O'Neill deployed on the left flank rather than up front, where Kieran Lugsden and Rod Thornley were the chosen pairing, both starting their first league games of the season.

FGR included former Marine striker Adriano Rigoglioso, signed on loan in the previous 24 hours from Morecambe, the new manager Jim Harvey's former club. Only Alex Meechan remained in the starting line up from that which started against Alty last season, when FGR won 5-0. Alty had three players still in today's side from that game - Aspinall, Thornley and Peyton.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS (Black & white striped shirts, black shorts and socks): 1. Steve WILLIAMS; 2. Alex LAWLESS, 24. Christian EDWARDS, 4. Darren JONES, 3. Kevin NICHOLSON; 16. Alex MEECHAN, 6. Jamie PITMAN,10. Michael BROUGH, 8. Simon CLIST, 9. Allan RUSSELL, 23. Adriano RIGOGLIOSO. Subs: 12. Mark PREECE, 17. Les AFFUL, 19. Paul STONEHOUSE, 20. Ryan HARRISON, 25. Guy IPOUA.

ALTRINCHAM (Pale and dark blue shirts, pale blue shorts and socks.): 13. Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 17. Karl MUNROE, 20. Stephen ROSE, 11. Warren PEYTON; 22. Colin POTTS, 7. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 12. Joe O'NEILL; 10. Rod THORNLEY, 21. Kieran LUGSDEN. Subs: 18. Pat McFADDEN, 19. Lee HENDLEY, 23. Eddie Hussin, 26. Paul COLLINS, 27. George MELLING.

Alty Substituions:

REPORT

After a minute's silence for Matt Gadsby, who had died playing for Hinckley United ten days earlier, the game got under way on an excellent playing surface. Gadsby had played in this fixture last season for FGR. Altrincham almost had a dream start when a back heel from Thornley set up Potts for a well-hit shot which just cleared the bar. But FGR soon won the first corner, off Munroe, on their right wing. FGR began to pass the ball about well but were somewhat fortunate to be given a freekick when Peyton was penalised, 35 yards out on the FGR right. Meechan's curling, left-foot freekick was met by the burly and unmarked Rigoglioso whose header powered past Acton for the opening goal after just six minutes. Though Thornley and Lugsden were looking lively for Altrincham it was FGR, settled by the goal, who had marginally the better of the next few minutes. But Alty won a corner for themselves when Lugsden chased an Aspinall long ball, which went out of play off a defender. As happened several times tonight, both Potts and Peyton went for the corner and executed a short-corner routine but this was cleared.

Referee Snartt was making himself evident as he insisted several times on freekicks being taken from the exact spot of the offence and then he penalised Rose when the defender had no chance of avoiding a ball driven against his arm. The FGR kick from just outside the box tamely hit the foot of the Alty wall. Next, Lawton got in a toe-ender at the FGR goal which went very wide, following a Chalmers throw (16 mins) and then Alty had a minor scare as Acton was unable to hold a Lawless effort but O'Neill cleared the danger. The sides traded attacks in an open game, with the small but vocal Altrincham support helping their makeshift side greatly. The fixture had some potential for ill-feeling given the perceived differences between the clubs over the points deduction applied to Altrincham last season for Accrington's failure to register James Robinson before he moved to Moss Lane. But, thankfully, there was no hint of any clash between the spectators who ribbed each others with chants on the subject. Plenty of stewards had been bussed in, apparently from Swindon Town, but that might be normal for the New Lawn.

Pitman then dived under a challenge from Munroe which the referee did not "buy" before a good Alty move ended with an overplayed final ball from Chalmers, who otherwise was playing well again alongside Lawton in centre midfield. His long throws, once again, were proving useful both in relieving pressure and in keeping the FGR defence on its toes. Altrincham almost levelled the scores after 25 minutes when O'Neill gathered a loose ball and fired a left-foot half-volley only narrowly wide of William's right post from 20 yards. FGR were then awarded a corner off Munroe, despite Russell's catching the Alty defender's heel as he attempted to clear the ball. To add insult to injury, Munroe was lectured for protesting at the decision. But soon afterwards, Alty won a corner themselves when Thornley fed Lugsden and, shooting as he was jostled, Lugsden saw his effort diverted wide of goal (28 mins).

For Alty, the attack-minded Potts was playing fairly deep at this stage and it was FGR who won the game's next corner which came when Edwards's ball forward bounced off Rose's chest on the by-line. Acton caught the ball well from Clist's corner. However, the home side were soon pressing again as Meechan succeeded in giving Peyton the slip about 30 yards out on the FGR right wing. His cross, across the face of goal was palmed away at full stretch by Acton but fell for Clist near the back post and he scored from close range to give his side a two-goal lead and a scent of their first victory of the season (35 mins). Things got worse for Alty soon afterwards when Mr Snartt penalised Aspinall on half way and then strode over to speak to the protesting Alty manager, Graham Heathcote. He seemed to have had his say before returning to send off the Alty boss, for what later emerged was an offence described by the referee as "sarcasm". The Alty boss continued to protest and had to be led away by stewards to watch the rest of the game from the doorway of the changing rooms in the corner of the ground (39 mins). Play restarted and Acton held a snap-shot from Clist before Mr. Snartt stopped play again, this time to book Colin Potts for reasons which were far from clear (41 mins). But, thankfully, Alty recovered their composure before the break and for the last couple of minutes of the half and the three minutes of added time, they dominated proceedings, winning two late corners in the process. Before the corners, some good skill from O'Neill set up a Chalmers shot, which was saved, and then Potts cut in well but saw his effort held, low down, by Williams.

Half-time arrived with Alty looking a long way from securing their first away point of the season as their side, ravaged by injury, trailed by two goals and with their manager unable to direct operations form the sideline. Fortunately, in assistant manager Dalton Steele, Alty had an able and experienced replacement in the dug-out and there had been enough promise in the first half to suggest that Alty might get back into the game.

Alty kicked off the second half, playing towards the home supporters' end and, almost immediately, Aspinall and Lugsden played in Thornley for a well-hit shot which only just went the wrong side of the keeper’s right upright from 20 yards out (46 mins). However, FGR immediately won a corner, from which Edwards rose well to head home, only for the effort to be ruled out for a foul on Acton. That was to be the turning point of the game for, within five minutes, Alty had pulled back a goal. However, before that happened, Lugsden and Jones went up for an aerial ball in the FGR box and the Alty striker emerged with a cut to his head from the defender's elbow. Mr. Snartt and his officials missed the episode and when, eventually, the referee stopped play and went to Lugsden he would not allow treatment on the pitch but shepherded the young striker off to the touchline to have his blood injury staunched. Moments later Lugsden rejoined the game and immediately had an impact. As Edwards dawdled on the ball 25 yards out in a central position, Lugsden dispossessed him and, showing good strength against a physically much bigger opponent, got the ball forward to Thornley who drove it firmly into the net from 15 yards or so, for his first goal of the season. It was Alty's 10th goal of the season and Rod became the seventh different player to score in this campaign (52 mins).

When play resumed, Pitman executed a late studs-up challenge on Chalmers, near the centre spot, and as Chalmers was treated, the FGR midfielder was booked. Altrincham were now looking the better side as nerves began to jangle amongst the FGR players and supporters. Their fears were justified as Alty levelled the scores after 58 minutes when Potts and O'Neill conjured an opening for Lugsden to score from close range (58 mins). Kieran was then churlishly booked for his celebration in front of the Alty fans.

FGR responded with two corners in succession before bringing on the former Exeter man, Les Afful on the right and withdrawing Rigoglioso who, after his explosive start to the game, had had little subsequent influence (61 mins). Alty's supporters continued to cheer their team on, as it now looked as if Altrincham might even take all three points. Afful was soon annoying the visitors as he dived in the box but, again to Mr. Snartt's credit, he did not buy the offence, though he took no action against the player at this stage. Jim Harvey now threw on Stonehouse to replace Brough (67 mins).

The FGR subs brought a spark back into their play, however, but Alty defended well with Chalmers and then Munroe executing excellent tackles and Rose playing with calm efficiency at the back. Another notable feature of the defending was the number of times Aspinall, the smallest player in the Alty side, won headers against bigger opponents. After another fine tackle from Chalmers, Lewis played the ball of the night, a superb 60-yard diagonal pass to Thornley in the inside left position but, this time, Rod's first touch let him down and the ball ran to Williams. When the artful Afful dived for the second time in his brief period on the pitch, Mr. Snartt at last brandished a yellow card at the FGR player (75 mins). At this point, the yellow-booted Lee Hendley came on for Rod Thornley who left to a deserved ovation form his team's supporters. Play then stopped for treatment to Meechan and soon afterwards, FGR made their final change as former Hereford man Guy Ipoua replaced Russell (78 mins). Alty were grateful to see Stonehouse fire badly wide soon afterwards as the home side applied some late pressure.

Following a Forest Green throw, Peyton was harshly penalised and showed his annoyance by bouncing the ball forcefully into the pitch which was like a red rag to referee Snartt who promptly booked him (83 mins). All three Alty bookings tonight were for dissent or celebrations, it seemed. After a corner had been cleared by Alty, Lee Hendley had a glorious chance to seal a win for Alty. Chalmers and Lugsden got the ball through to the teenage striker who had only the keeper to beat as he advanced inside the box, left of goal, but Hendley was unable to lift the ball over the advancing keeper and the ball hit Williams's body (85 mins). After Aspinall had been judged to have committed a foul as he headed clear, a FGR freekick led to Clist heading narrowly wide from Afful's cross from the right (86 mins).

Alty now made a double change, bringing on club captain Eddie Hussin for his first appearance since the Play-Off Final at Stoke in May 2005. He replaced Kieran Lugsden who had had a great game, despite needing two stitches in his facial injury after the game. The other sub was young striker Pat McFadden, who replaced Colin Potts (88 mins). Immediately, Hussin was in the action, heading clear in midfield. Four minutes of added time were announced as Meechan was named the FGR Man of the Match, having laid on both the home goals. McFadden was soon doing well on the Alty right, getting into the box but his shot to the near post was held by Williams (90+1 mins). FGR had a shot when Rose's fine tackle saw the ball spin off to Clist who fired very wide of the target. With Alty's supporters singing their "Part time and we're proud of it" anthem, play stopped for an FGR injury to Meechan before the final whistle sounded on a very good second-half performance from a supposedly second-string Altrincham side. Many of the performances tonight will have given Graham and Dalton food for thought as they ponder team selections in future weeks.

This was Altrincham's first away point of the season and it lifted them a place to 17th in the table. All over the pitch there were good performances and the refusal to lie down when two goals behind showed commendable team spirit.