Match Report


STEVENAGE BOROUGH (1) 2 ALTRINCHAM (1) 1

Blue Square Premier League match,
played on Monday, 26 November, 2007 at 7.45pm.


SUMMARY:

Altrincham gave a very creditable performance, especially in the first half, but were undone by two defensive errors which allowed Craig Dobson to score from right of goal on each occasion. Altrincham likewise took advantage of a defensive mistake by Stevenage when Little got onto an underhit back pass and his low cross from the right was turned into his own net from close range by Luke Oliver as Senior went for the ball (14 mins). Boro' levelled when Scott's miscontrol saw the ball fall for Dobson. With Coburn out of his goal, Tinson blocked Dobson's first attempt but the ball went back to the Boro' man who slotted home from an acute angle (24 mins). When Boro's Hungarian debutant, Liptak, played a diagonal ball towards Dobson, Scott could only knock the ball into the winger's path. Though Coburn half-stopped Dobson's shot, it crossed the line before an incoming team-mate arrived to make sure (68 mins). Little had three decent second half chances, but Julian saved one well, the Alty striker then headed another effort at the keeper and, for the final chance, elected to dribble rather than shoot.



SCORERS

  • 14 mins: Luke OLIVER (own goal) (Stevenage Borough 0 Altrincham 1)
  • 28 mins: Craig DOBSON (Stevenage Borough 1 Altrincham 1)
  • 68 mins: Craig DOBSON (Stevenage Borough 2 Altrincham 1)


    REFEREE: Mr J Hopkins


    ATTENDANCE: 1,662


    TEAM NEWS

    Alty were again without the injured Ryan Shotton (calf strain) and Colin Potts but Gareth Whalley had recovered as Val Owen, who had been unable to complete the last game at Farsley, dropped out tonight. So, once again, the squad of 16 was self-selecting; it comprised all 16 fit players left in the squad with Chris Lane, who broke his nose at Farsley, passed fit to play. Joe O'Neill came back into the starting line-up.

    Stevenage had been having a rocky period since new manager Peter Taylor arrived. In the previous week three loan players had arrived at Borough. John White, a Colchester United left-back, Hungarian 6ft 4inch centre half Zoltan Liptak from Southend and West Ham United's midfielder Tony Stokes. However, Brazilian defender Santos Gaia had departed to Grays. Junior Lewis was another new signing. Other recent leavers were Adam Miller and John Nutter who had departed on a pre-transfer loan to Gillingham for £65,000.

    Borough's Barry Fuller returned from suspension but midfielder John Martin was suspended tonight. Tes Bramble, Alistair John and Ollie Allen were all missing, injured. Former Grays winger Mitchell Cole was out with a groin strain.

    BACKGROUND:

    This game had been moved to an inconvenient Monday night as it was being televised on Setanta Sports so the Altrincham travelling support was much lower than it would otherwise have been. Neverthless, there were sufficient fans to warrant a supporters' coach with the fans hoping to see a repeat of last season's win at Broadhall Way.


    LINE-UPS

    STEVENAGE BOROUGH (Red & white shirts, red shorts and socks): 1. Alan JULIAN, 25. Ronnie HENRY, 4. Luke OLIVER, 16. Mark ARBER, 28. John WHITE; 22. Craig DOBSON, 19. Stuart LEWIS, 29. Zoltan LIPTAK, 14. Daryl McMAHON; 20. Steve MORISON, 30. Anthony STOKES. Subs: 2. Barry FULLER, 5. Damien BATT, 7. Mark MOLESLEY, 8. Paul HAKIM, 13. James RUSSELL..

    ALTRINCHAM (Pale &dark blue shirts, dark blue shorts and socks): 1. Stuart COBURN; 15. Chris LANE, 4. Karl MUNROE, 5. Darren TINSON (capt), 3. Gary SCOTT; 12. Joe O'NEILL, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 6. Jake SEDGEMORE, 11. Warren PEYTON; 19. Chris SENIOR, 9. Colin LITTLE. Subs: 2. Steve ASPINALL, 13. Richard ACTON, 18. Pat McFADDEN, 21. Gareth WHALLEY, 22. Carlos LOGAN.

    Alty Subs:

  • 72 mins: Logan for Scott
  • 74 mins: Whalley for Sedgemore

  • REPORT

    Watched by the Setanta Sports cameras, Stevenage kicked off but after just 10 seconds of his debut, Stokes's off-target shot yielded an Alty goalkick. Alty's normal travelling support was reduced by this long distance fixture for a Monday night match and by the temptation to stay in and view the game on TV. Nevertheless, those who travelled gave excellent vocal support throughout.

    Stevenage's Oliver survived what looked a good shout for an Alty penalty when he apparently flattened Senior in the box, but only a corner resulted (6 mins). O'Neill headed Sedgemore's corner-kick over the bar. Soon, following Liptak's foul on Lawton, Peyton's freekick won Alty another corner (8 mins). Indeed, the visitors continued to play well but when they took the lead, their goal owed much to a weak Stevenage back-pass from Arber, which the chasing Little latched onto, right of goal. His low cross was turned into the net by Luke Oliver, from close range, though Senior may have got a touch (14 mins).

    Despite their change of manager, Stevenage were playing their customary game of patient build-up, switching the ball from wing to wing but without seriously threatening a goal. Boro's Lewis was then fortunate to escape a booking when he took Little off at the knees (17 mins). But the home team now began to apply some pressure without creating any clear openings, as the Alty midfield and defence worked hard to close them down. Sedgemore and Munroe made excellent tackles to see off successive attacks, but finally the dangerous right-winger, Dobson, got his side level. Facing his own goal, 12 yards out, Scott knocked the ball into the path of Dobson. Coburn rushed out to his left but the winger cut past him. Though Tinson half-blocked his shot, the ball dropped loose for Dobson to put the ball into the unguarded net from a narrow angle to the right of goal (28 mins).

    Despite this setback Alty continued to play well and, from Sedgemore's pass, Senior fired narrowly wide from left of goal (31 mins). Lawton then won a freekick before another good Alty move won another freekick. Alty's biggest scare came when Coburn had to dribble coolly round Stokes, from Scott's back pass (37 mins). As half-time approached, Coburn comfortably fielded an effort from Stokes, and then Dobson fired wildly over the bar for Stevenage (43 mins). After one added minute, half-time arrived with Alty well-deserving their parity with the promotion contenders after a half in which the lowly-placed visitors had been the better side, as the Setanta TV pundits agreed.


    Half-Time: STEVENAGE BOROUGH 1 ALTRINCHAM 1

    Fuller replaced Arber for Stevenage at the interval. Though Boro' started the half the more brightly of the sides, a mis-header from Henry allowed Little a shot, which forced Julian to push the ball round his left post for an Alty corner, taken by Peyton (50 mins). After this, Tinson needed treatment and, soon afterwards Scott's challenge gave Boro a freekick which Coburn did well to push out before gathering the follow-up (52 mins).

    Stevenage pressure then produced a corner but an Alty one soon followed at the other end. Next, a superb ball into the box by Peyton gave Little a free header as he ghosted into the six-yard area but he could only direct his header into Julian's arms. After a fine Munroe tackle on Lewis, Lawton and Senior fed Little but this time he sliced his shot over the bar (63 mins). However, after Coburn had beaten out a Boro' freekick, an Alty corner soon followed. But just as the home crowd started to grow restive, Liptak's long, diagonal ball, to his right, was only helped into Dobson's path by Scott's attempted interception. In almost a carbon-copy of his first goal, Dobson scored with a shot from right of the target though, this time, Coburn half-stopped the shot but it crossed the line as a team-mate arrived to make sure (68 mins). Although an Alty corner soon arrived, Stevenage were now on top.

    Alty tried to change things as Logan replaced Scott (72 mins) and Whalley came on for Sedgemore two minutes later, as Hakim replaced Stokes for Borough. Peyton moved to left-back in place of Scott. The ref then sent Tinson off for treatment of a "blood injury" and a change of shirt. When substitute Logan eventually got the ball, he got past three opponents on the Alty left only for Fuller to bring him down. Whalley's freekick came out to Tinson whose shot was blocked. Lane then blocked an effort at the other end, as steady, light rain now fell. Hakim was then booked for a foul which left Munroe needing lengthy treatment to a facial injury (85 mins).

    In the 89th minute, Little had an opening but elected not to shoot and the chance went. Three minutes of added time arrived but Alty could not get the equalizer and the point that would not have been an unjust reflection of their efforts.


    Full-Time: STEVENAGE BOROUGH 2 ALTRINCHAM 1