Match Report

Histon won the toss and elected to change ends to defend the Hale end, where their modest number of supporters were camped. As in the game at Histon earlier this season, the match soon settled into a procession of throw-ins. Alty's best early move came in the third minute when Little found Elam who advanced on the left. Doughty’s resulting cross came off Senior to the Histon keeper. But, at the other end, Histon were concentrating on attacking up their right wing and this almost paid off when the combative Wright got past Young and from his cross, Midson put a diving header wide of Coburn’s right post. Then a mix-up between Coburn and McGregor almost on the edge of the box let in Wright but the keeper saved the day (5 mins). Alty went close after 8 minutes when Little fed Elam and, though his effort was blocked, it fell to Doughty who placed a shot narrowly wide of Naisbitt's left post.

Histon won the game's first corner on their right, from which a frantic melee ensued in the Alty goalmouth before the ball was cleared. At the other end Densmore then shot wide for Altrincham (10 mins). Histon continued to have the better of the opening period but Mr Davison was beginning to annoy the home support as he failed to award free kicks for apparent fouls on Lawton and Elam. However, Alty then won their first corner following which some good play between Elam and Little saw the latter have his shot blocked (17 mins). But another three Histon corners arrived in the next five minutes with Langston heading well wide from the last of these (23 mins). Gwillim's long throws were becoming a repetitive feature of the match before Simpson won the Stutes another corner. Head-tennis was another less than entertaining feature of the game as the game drifted past the half-hour mark. Histon's campaign of attrition continued with another corner (35 mins) before a cross from the left by Simpson caused concern as it flashed from left to right. For their part Alty were trying to play quick balls forward when they got possession, trying to set Senior free, but the Histon back line was resolute.

Three more Histon corners arrived in the period just before the end of the first 45. From the first Lee Elam cleared a Midson effort off the line. From the second a foul on Coburn went unpunished to the Alty bench's annoyance and when Coburn finally won a freekick, after the third corner, this was greeted with an ironic cheer from the home crowd who had seen Mr Davison give their side very little in the first period. As the game went into two added minutes Densmore set Elam running to the right by-line but his cross went across the goalmouth without being converted. The half ended, characteristically, with yet two more long throws from Gwillim.

There was a surprise change at the interval as Alty keeper Stuart Coburn gave way to Andy Ralph. Stuart had not needed any first-half treatment but in Andy Ralph Alty had a replacement with Conference experience under his belt from Northwich Victoria, though this was his first appearance at this level for Altrincham. With the floodlights now on, the pattern of the game continued as previously with one long-throw following another. Ada was lucky to escape yellow when he committed a foul then deliberately blocked the resulting freekick. Ralph soon had to make a smart save as Midson fed Simpson and the Alty keeper beat the ball away for a corner at his near post. Another Histon corner soon followed (53 mins).

Altrincham decided to replace Senior with the taller Johnson up front against the big Histon defence, eleven minutes into the second half. This prompted Altrincham's best period of attacking and led to a corner shortly before the hour mark. Naisbitt fumbled Elam's kick and from Lawton's ensuing cross, a stooping header from Johnson forced a decent save from the Histon keeper (60 mins). The recipe of head-tennis and throw-ins continued as Histon pressed and Alty struggled to make an opening. From Danylyk’s pass Little got past a defender and had a shot cleared and soon Johnson won his side his first corner. Young rose well to head the corner downwards but Naisbitt made a good save (68 mins).

At the other end, Ralph had to make a good block after a slip up by McGregor. Histon now brought on Knight-Percival in place of Barker (70 mins). soon afterwards the tall Histon captain, Mitchel-King, was allowed space to get into the Alty box and fed Gwillim on the left. From his cross, Wright’s header struck Ralph's left upright and bounced back for an offside-looking Midson to poke into the net to give Histon the lead (71 mins). Graham Heathcote's protestations to the officials were to no effect.

Two minutes after the goal, Meechan replaced Elam for Altrincham and then, from the sub's cross, Little went close with an astute back-header which drifted just wide of the back stick (74 mins). The otherwise impressive Lane then lost possession, trying to dribble out of defence and Midson advanced into the box but good cover from McGregor stopped the danger (76 mins). Next following a Doughty throw, Young, who had now pushed forward, got the ball to Danylyk and a superbly hit goal-bound effort from 23 yards forced a fine save from Naisbitt at the cost of a corner.

After this Danylyk was bundled over in the box but Mr Davison showed no interest. Alty continued to press and with just six minutes left won a corner. Little shot an effort wide before Histon won two corners in the final two minutes of normal time. Robbie Lawton, playing in his first game since suspension, now picked up a yellow card for a trip in midfield on Midson (89 mins).

Four minutes of added time were announced, at the start of which Wright gratuitously kicked a dead ball into the crowd and the passive Mr Davison made no attempt to book him for blatant time-wasting. Likewise when Oyebanjo threw Densmore to the ground with both his hands, the official saw nothing to induce him to take any action. Johnson then did well to battle through three challenges before being halted by Histon. That was effectively Alty's last chance and the whistle soon went to confirm Histon's fourth successive one-goal win over Altrincham. Chris Lane was named Alty’s man of the match whilst Midson took the award for Histon.

Altrincham dropped to 16th, as their second successive league defeat followed an unbeaten league run of six games. Histon moved up to third and once again their brand of direct football had proved effective for them but not enticing to the spectators.