Match Report


ALTRINCHAM (1) 1 CAMBRIDGE UNITED (0) 0

Blue Square Premier match
played on Saturday, 22 November 2008, at 3pm.

SUMMARY:

Altrincham moved up to eleventh in the table with this deserved victory in a very entertaining game at Moss Lane. In a first-half notable for referee West's passive approach to Cambridge's physical style - Ralph, for example, was twice clattered by McEvilly, who remained unbooked - play was fairly even though Cambridge wasted a couple of decent chances with woeful shooting. The decisive goal arrived in the 45th minute when Robbie Lawton drove a superb low shot into Potter's bottom right hand-corner from the edge of the box. The second half was an excellent advert for football at this level as play switched from end to end. Apart from a series of late corners by the visitors, Alty held the upper hand in the final half-hour to emerge with the points. The Robins have now won seven and drawn one of their last ten league games, having failed to win any of the previous eight matches.

Above: the players greet each other before the match.


SCORERS

  • 45 mins: Robbie LAWTON (Altrincham 1 Cambridge United 0)


    REFEREE: Mr R J West


    ATTENDANCE: 1,123


    BACKGROUND

    Following their disappointing exit from the FA Cup match four days earlier, Altrincham were looking to consolidate their 13th position in the BSP, where they had a game in hand on half of the clubs in the league. Alty had won six and drawn one of their previous nine league games whilst Cambridge went into the game on an unbeaten run of eight games and lay fourth in the table.


    TEAM NEWS

    Shaun Densmore returned to the starting line-up after injury, with Warren Peyton dropping to the bench. Andy Ralph continued in goal with Stuart Coburn on the subs' list once again. Cambridge gave a start to Scott Rendell, who had returned to the club on loan from Peterborough. Daniel Gleeson was fit to start despite doubts over his fitness earlier this week. Phil Bolland, briefly an Alty player, was in the United back line. The much-travelled Jon Challinor came into midfield whilst wingers Robbie Willmott and the Portuguese, Felino Jardim, were dropped in the visitors' 4-3-3 formation.


    LINE-UPS

    ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 13. Andy RALPH; 22. James SMITH, 4. Mark McGREGOR, 5. Greg YOUNG; 21. Shaun DENSMORE, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 3. Matt DOUGHTY; 14. Dale JOHNSON, 9. Colin LITTLE, 19. Chris SENIOR. Subs: 1. Stuart COBURN (gk), 2. Chris LANE, 11. Warren PEYTON, 15. Alex MEECHAN, 18. Lee ELAM.

    CAMBRIDGE UNITED (Amber & black striped shirts, white shorts and socks): 1. Danny POTTER; 2. Daniel GLEESON, 5. Phil BOLLAND, 6. Wayne HATSWELL, 3, Anthony TONKIN, 14. Mark CONVERY, 7. Mark BEESLEY, 15. Paul CARDEN (capt), 10. Jon CHALLINOR; 27. Scott RENDELL, 9. Lee McEVILLY. Subs: 18. Robbie WILLMOTT, 20. Felino JARDIM, 21. Chris HOLROYD, 28. Danny CROW, 30. Steven DRENCH (gk).


    REPORT

    On a bitterly cold but dry afternoon, Altrincham kicked off towards the Hale End with former player Ken McKenna one of the guest spectators in the directors' box. Immediately from the kick-off Little fed Senior who made progress up the middle, trying to emulate his goal after barely 10 seconds against Mansfield but, this time, the ball ran to the keeper. Then, from a Ralph punt, a looping shot from the left by Senior saw Potter back-pedal and fumble the ball just wide of his left post - and only a minute had gone of the game. Alty's bright start continued as a neat step-over by Senior, from Little's lay off from left of goal, allowed Densmore a sight of goal. But the ex-Everton youngster's measured shot hit a defender, a corner resulting on the Alty right (4 mins). After this had been cleared United had a good chance when Rendell fed Beesley for an awful ballooned shot which went well over the bar (5 mins).

    After this lively start play settled into a more steady pattern before Beesley muffed another half chance with a wild, skied shot 40 feet over the bar following Convery's approach work on the right (10 mins). Former Burscough man, Lee McEvilly then clattered Andy Ralph after the keeper had gathered the ball and play stopped for more than two minutes whilst physio Sean Riley ministered to the head of the Altrincham goalkeeper (13 mins). Altrincham then went close when Densmore executed a superb scissor-kick from Little’s feed, his shot from 20 yards dipping marginally wide of Potter's right upright (17 mins). Cambridge momentarily threatened when McEvilly was allowed to continue despite claims for offside but this came to nothing. United have not been scoring freely and one could see why when, for the third time in the match, they fired wildly over the bar, this time Rendell being the culprit (23 mins).

    When the visitors' keeper, Potter, rushed rashly towards his corner flag and was beaten to the ball by Little, the visitors looked to be in danger but the Alty striker was dispossessed by the covering Gleeson (27 mins). A fourth wild shot from Cambridge followed as Rendell again fired over the bar (29 mins). Alty then launched a smart counter-attack via Johnson and Little before the ball went for a goal kick as Senior sought to gain possession. Soon afterwards a Smith cross yielded an Alty corner and from Doughty's flag kick, the visitors were forced to scramble the ball away (31 mins). When McEvilly clattered Ralph heavily and late, for the second time in the match, Mr West gave a freekick but mysteriously failed to book the offender (33 mins). Mr West continued to upset the home contingent when neither he nor the close-by linesman, Mr McGrath, failed to see a blatant control of the ball with an arm by Challinor which led to some brief pressure by United. Cambridge then got in a cross from the right which the off-form Beesley, the former Forest Green striker, headed well over the bar (35 mins).

    Next, McEvilly was tackled on the edge of the box but the ball ran left to Beesley whose shot was deflected out for a corner. This was seen off before ironic cheers greeted the award of handball against Beesley, the third time a handball had been committed but the first time the officials had spotted it (38 mins). When Carden got past Lawton, he fired narrowly wide as Cambridge enjoyed a period of supremacy. Young was then penalised to add to the pressure but when Alty got to the other end and Little fed Senior, the striker was held back by the covering defender. Not only did Senior's claim for a penalty go unanswered so too did his appeal for a corner (41 mins).

    A very late foul by Gleeson on Danylyk elicited no more than a quiet lecture from the over-indulgent Mr West who had now allowed four significant fouls to go unpunished without anything more than free kicks. He then annoyed the home crowd even more by accepting the linesman’s offside flag with Bolland yards behind his fellow defenders and playing Alty onside (44 mins). As the end of the half approached Johnson again did well and found Lawton whose shot was blocked but only half cleared by Bolland, out to Lawton. From just outside the box, slightly right of centre, the Altrincham captain drilled a superb low shot just inside Potter's right-hand post to record his first goal of the season and put his side ahead (45 mins).

    After the restart Lawton conceded a freekick on the edge of his own area which came to nothing. Then Smith, who was having a good game on the right of the Alty back-line somehow popped up on the left wing and his blistering pace led to the ball coming inside for Senior whose effort went wide (45+3 mins). Half-time now arrived with Alty a goal ahead.


    Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0

    As in the first period, the opening minutes of the second half were eventful. Firstly, Senior lashed an effort into the side netting (46 mins) before Ralph gathered from Beesley. Senior was then pushed over by Gleeson inside the box but to no avail. After this Rendell fired wide from Doughty’s clearance (49 mins).

    Cambridge boss Gary Brabin then made a double change as winger Felino Jardim and striker Danny Crow came on for Beesley and McEvilly (53 mins). Alty had the next chance when Densmore fed Little who, with a clear view of goal, shot wide of Potter's left post (56 mins). McGregor and Young continued to perform excellently at the back for Alty whilst both Doughty and Densmore were doing well, getting forward on the flanks. Densmore, however, now fired wide (58 mins) before Crow got a freekick when he went down as Doughty collided with him on the United right. Ralph was hurt for the third time when he gathered the ball and was then fouled by an opponent, the loose ball being hooked into the net by Gleeson who himself received treatment near the goal line afterwards (60 mins).

    After a Cambridge corner had come and gone Johnson was felled by Carden and the Cambridge captain was booked (68 mins). At this point Lee Elam came on for Chris Senior (68 mins). Ralph then made a fine one-handed catch as Crow's chip from the right looked set to elude him. Next, Bolland did well to hold off Little as he threatened to get free in the goalmouth. Rendell then wasted a good opening for Cambridge by taking an additional touch from Convery's feed (70 mins). Play was now end to end and providing good entertainment for the crowd of more than eleven hundred. Ralph then made a good save from Challinor's 25 yard effort and a corner resulted. Ralph again spilled the ball a few minutes later but Alty survived once more.

    The entertainment continued before a stoppage was needed when Potter required treatment after coming out smartly to smother Johnson's effort as Little put him clear. Now Peyton came on for Densmore who has been less then fully fit recently though his excellent performance showed little effect of any injury that he may be carrying (78 mins). Good work from Lawton then set up Little but his shot was saved. Then Elam did well to feed Johnson whose shot went wide of the keeper’s left stick (79 mins). Two fine interceptions by Young underlined the good game that the central defender was having before McGregor conceded a freekick for hands on the edge of his own box. Convery put this tamely over the bar (81 mins).

    Gary Brabin now sent on another forward, Holroyd, as he withdrew midfielder Convery (82 mins). Altrincham were now looking fairly comfortable and enjoying a lot of time in the opposition half as Johnson sent in a header which Potter fielded (86 mins). Johnson then had another decent chance but found the side netting from right of goal (87 mins). Alty now brought on defender Chris Lane for striker Johnson (88 mins). Little then had a decent opening but tried to dribble into more space rather than shoot and was dispossessed (90 mins).

    Four minutes of added time were announced. Potter came right to half way to take a free kick as Cambridge made a late push. They then won three successive corners in the first two added minutes but the Alty defence held firm. The last chance for Cambridge came when Hatswell headed into Ralph's arms in the final minute of play. Soon afterwards, with the game into the fifth added minute, the final whistle sounded to record Alty’s seventh win in their last ten games and three points, which took them up to eleventh.

    This was arguably the most entertaining game, especially in the second half, which had been played at Moss Lane this season. Once again the Alty part-timers had more than matched their opponents. Greg Young was the deserved Altrincham Man of the Match though Mark McGregor cannot have been far behind in the judges' estimation.


    Full Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 CAMBRIDGE UNITED 0