Match Report

In heavy drizzle, which had been falling all day, Burton kicked off towards their own supporters and started the game very brightly, dominating the opening ten minutes. During this period, Alty's first bright spot came when Poole had to be alert to get to the ball ahead of Senior and then, moments later, the keeper had to come out of his area to head clear from the same Alty striker (7 mins). But the visitors were passing the ball about well and it took a fine tackle from Greg Young to stop Pearson inside the box, at the cost of a corner (10 mins). A second corner immediately followed. Alty soon had another scare when Coburn came for a cross from Pearson but failed to get it (12 mins).

Altrincham were slowly settling but it was Burton who went close when, after a good interception from Young, the Alty centre-back lost possession leading to Gilroy getting a clear sight of goal. But the Irishman chipped his shot narrowly over the bar (15 mins). Another fine covering tackle from Young saw off another attack but when Peyton attempted to return the ball to the now prostrate centre-back, an unnecessary corner was conceded. But a mistake by Simpson then allowed Little to feed Senior but the ball ran wide for a goalkick (18 mins).

When Peyton was fouled 35 yards out a quick freekick was taken by Doughty, to Little, left of goal. Little turned smartly and his cross had to be headed clear by a defender on the line (20 mins). From the resulting corner by Meechan, Poole gathered the ball. Play was now a bit more even than in the early stages and, next, Senior did well to win Alty a corner. After this, Little shot well wide before the same player won his aside another corner (28 mins). This was cleared but, from Doughty's resulting cross an excellent header from Little hit the back of net. But the celebrations were cut short as the referee had spotted a push by Little on his marker (29 mins).

After Young had again done well at the back for Alty, the home side enjoyed some fortune when a ball from the right was poked wide of Coburn's left post by Harrad (30 mins). Alty almost gave Burton a goal when Doughty headed back towards his own goal but Harrad fired wide (34 mins). Young and McGregor continued to hold firm at the back for Alty as play moved towards half-time. But Alty were then undone when they allowed Webster to progress up the left and get the ball into the box where Coburn made a superb save from Gilroy but the ball ran out to the edge of the box where Pearson fired it home (40 mins).

After this, Gilroy fired over with a fine shot from 25 yards (42 mins). Graham Heathcote told his team "You've got to respond, no sulking!" but half time soon arrived with Alty a goal behind.

Altrincham kicked off the second half and it was they who won an early corner (47 mins). Burton keeper, Poole, failed to get Doughty’s corner-kick as Alty started brightly. The Robins made an early change as Meechan gave way to Johnson to form a three-man front line for Altrincham (50 mins). Johnson soon made an impact as Alty seized the initiative. Indeed, when Smith advanced from his own half into the penalty box, Burton were fortunate to see his shot hit a defender (53 mins). But McGregor had to make a fine covering tackle at the other end though, overall, the home side was now setting the pace. They got their reward when Johnson received the ball from Doughty, out on the left. The striker ran into the box before firing a low shot into the far corner, to the keeper’s left to make it 1-1 (56 mins). When an Alty corner followed the goal, it looked as if the Robins might turn the game around.

With the rain worsening, Burton then won a corner but Altrincham were more than holding their own until Webster surged past a lunge from Senior, just inside the Alty half and advanced up the middle. After an interchange with Pearson, the tall defender was in on goal, against Coburn, when the Alty keeper brought him down in the outer reaches of the box to concede a penalty. Coburn picked up his third booking of the season for the offence before Pearson sent the Alty keeper the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-1 (65 mins).

Three minutes later, Austin came on for Burton's Morris. Alty had a good chance to level not long after this. It came when Burton struggled to clear the ball in their own box but Young could only hook his close-range effort over the bar (69 mins).Altrincham now brought on Elam for Senior (71 mins). Four minutes later Burton's Newby replaced Pearson.

Altrincham continued to compete well and Elam did well to force Simpson to slice the ball out for a corner, over his own bar (78 mins). There was more panic from Burton when Corbett hacked the ball out for another Alty corner (79 mins). Alty made their final change after 83 minutes when Joe O'Neill replaced Densmore, joining a three-man front-line. But as they pressed forward Alty were forced to concede a corner at the back. The visitors had not seriously threatened since going ahead with the penalty but, following the corner, McGregor did well to clear the ball. But the ball came out to McGrath, 25 yards out, and he lashed a fine shot past Coburn to seal the game's outcome at 3-1 to the Brewers (87 mins).

Burton prepared Holmes to replace the injured Newby but the big striker recovered and played on. Coburn had to make two decent stops before Holmes finally came on, replacing Gilroy (90+1 mins). Four minutes of added time were announced during which Pearson was named the visitors' man of the match, whilst Young again lifted the award for Altrincham. Coburn enlivened the closing stage as he dribbled to ball out 30 yards from goal up the left wing and, though his resulting pass, went to an opponent, Burton could not take advantage.

Altrincham won two late corners, to no avail, but the final act of note was a piece of superb covering by Peyton as two Burton men threatened to get free against Coburn (90+5 mins). Altrincham emerged without any points but they had regained some pride after their lacklustre performances of recent weeks. They now need to repeat this commitment in their Christmas double-header with Northwich Victoria, as well as on their trip to York between Christmas and New Year.