Match Report

WEYMOUTH (Pale blue shirts, white shorts and pale blue socks): 1. Simon EVANS; 21. Jordan VINCENT, 2. Cameron MAWER, 7. Gavin HOYTE, 22. Jordan COLLINS; 5. David RYAN, 13. Sam CUTLER, 12. Billy CROOK, 10. Callum HART; 11. Jake HYDE, 8. Jermaine PALMER. Subs: 24. Ryan McKECHNIE, 25. Joseph PRODOMO (gk), 17. Ollie TRIBE, 19. Tom RICHARDSON, 26. Bostry BANSENDE.

On a bright afternoon, Altrincham kicked off towards the Golf Road and, as the first minute of play came to end, they took the lead. On the left, Dale Johnson revealed another of his talents with a long throw, which was helped on from the near post. O'Neill seemed to have an effort blocked before Welch headed towards the net only for Evans to help the ball into the top corner. After a foul by Danylyk, 25 yards out, Weymouth gained a freekick. From this, 18 year-old David Ryan, on loan from Blackburn Rovers academy, smashed a superb shot against Coburn's left upright, the keeper being grateful to see the ball rebound away (3 mins).

A minute later Alty won a corner, followed by another Johnson long throw. The Weymouth defence looked jittery especially against balls "over the top" and it came as no surprise when Altrincham doubled their lead in the eighth minute. The goal was a true "route one" effort with Coburn's wind-aided punt being superbly brought under control by Little before he expertly lobbed the ball over Evans. It was Alty's leading scorer's first goal in eleven league appearances.

At the other end, Hart lashed an effort across the Alty box but the respite was short as Altrincham made it 3-0 in the 13th minute. This third goal came from a corner won by Johnson. Taken from the right by Densmore, O'Neill rose at the back of the box to nod the corner back into the goalmouth, where Johnson turned to knock it into the net.

it looked as if the 9-0 scoreline achieved against Weymouth by Rushden a few weeks back might be in danger as the one-way traffic continued. Little forced a fine save from Evans, tipping his shot from the edge of the box onto his crossbar (20 mins). Next, following a Densmore freekick, a looping header from Doughty came back off the bar to O'Neill, but he headed over the inviting goal from 10 yards (22 mins). An error by Young allowed Weymouth a shot soon after this but Hyde's effort struck Smith. "Put the ball into their box" exhorted the Alty boss Graham manager as his side now laboured to add to their lead. From Johnson's fed, Little then volleyed wide before the visitors won a corner which Alty defended unimpressively. But soon Johnson went close at the Weymouth end (27 mins).

Just after the half hour mark Densmore saw his drilled 25-yard freekick held by Evans. Little then forced a save from Evans before Weymouth’s Hoyte needed treatment and briefly left the field of play. Altrincham had taken their foot off the pedal but they won two corners in succession in the 39th minute. However, the hosts did not threaten to add to their score before Palmer got behind Young and fed Hyde but the striker underhit his shot. Nevertheless, Coburn failed to gather the shot cleanly and a corner was conceded. This was taken badly, from the right, and fell both short and out of play, in front of the near post (45 mins).

In the two minutes of added play, Alty won a corner before Richardson came on for Weymouth to replace the injured Collins (45+1 mins). Weymouth suffered another blow before the interval when their captain, Mawer, was booked for dissent.

Alty kicked off towards the Golf Road end. Soon, from Doughty and Johnson's build-up, Danylyk sliced an effort well wide (46 mins). Next, O'Neill did well but saw his shot saved from left of goal (48 mins). When O'Neill then chased down a ball on the edge of the box, keeper Evans found himself stranded and on the ground. though Johnson had the ball he was unable to capitalise as the defence came to the rescue of Evans. Weymouth now went to the other end as Graham Heathcote told his charges that "You've got to do better". The Terras made their second swap as McKechnie replaced Hoyte (52 mins).

Alty did do better as Little fed O'Neill, who cut into the box from the left. His rising shot went through Evans's hands into the far, top corner of the net to make it 4-0 and record O'Neill's third league goal in just three league starts this season (53 mins). Good covering by Welch saw off a Weymouth attack at the cost of a corner, for which Alty pulled all eleven men back. An Alty corner soon followed as Lawton went down off the ball but limped on as Peyton prepared to come on, but did not actually do so (57 mins).

Play drifted along, with Weymouth winning a corner after Densmore was forced to head a cross over his own bar. Manager Heathcote was not happy with his team's performance when the visitors won another corner soon afterwards. Although the already booked Mawer then seemed to handle the ball, the referee waved play on (63 mins). In response to this decision, the Alty boss shouted to the referee, "Have a look at the video afterwards!"

After 66 minutes Chris Lane came on to replace Johnson with Welch being pushed up front, Smith moving to centre-back and Lane slotting in at the right of the back three. Altrincham were not looking like scoring again at this stage but, at the other end, Coburn had to make a good save as the Robins' manager told his players that "There are too many coasting out there". Indeed, the match had gone a bit flat, with the air of a training game, with Alty comfortably ahead and Weymouth’s inexperienced side unable to do much to change the situation.

After 74 minutes, Meechan came on for O'Neill, who immediately went to the changing rooms with what appeared to be a groin problem. Play drifted on in a strangely quiet atmosphere before Tribe came on to replace the visitors' captain, Mawer (79 mins). A minute later Peyton finally got on, replacing Lawton (80 mins). A fine cross from Densmore was well held by Evans (83 mins) and Young then added himself to Alty's casualty list as he appeared to strain himself stretching to try and make a clearance. Young limped on before Doughty fired wildly across goal, five minutes from the end.

Weymouth won another corner as they refused to give up despite their lost cause (86 mins). Tribe then conceded a corner at the other end (89 mins). Two minutes of added time did not alter the scoreline and Altrincham completed a professional job against a team which is clearly out of its depth at this level. But the young players who have stepped in to keep Weymouth afloat showed spirit throughout and in the circumstances did well to keep the score to 4-0.

Greg Young was again the Alty "Man of the Match" as Altrincham kept their first clean sheet in five games and netted four goals in a league match at Moss Lane for the first time since they beat Cambridge United 5-0 on 6 March 2007. And who was the referee that day? None other than Mr R.J. Wigglesworth, who was also today's match official. Perhaps he could come again next week? For the record the last time Alty scored more than three in any league game was away at St Albans City in April 2007.