Match Report

REFEREE: Ms Amy Rayner, (Packington, Leicestershire)

With Michael Welch suffering ankle ligament damage last Saturday, Kevin Street sidelined for months, the two Chrises, (Senior and Denham), both also injured and James Smith serving the second game of his three-match suspension, Altrincham had been reduced to just 13 available outfield players this week, two of whom (Wilkinson and Heffernan) had yet to start a game for the club.

But, on the eve of the game, they signed two young former Moss Lane strikers, Pat McFadden (aged 21) and Ben Deegan (aged 20) on non-contract terms, which would allow them to play for Altrincham whilst still employed by their parent club Ashton United. Reserve goalkeeper Richard Acton was unavailable tonight, Danny Heffernan was playing for Abbey Hey and Robbie Lawton was a late withdrawal with a back problem suffered at work which meant that he was in hospital. Late news was that Ashton's ex-Alty players Rod Thornley and Alex Frost have also signed Conference forms for Alty. But of the four new signings, only Pat McFadden travelled. So, O'Neill and McFadden were the only fit subs tonight though Lawton, Senior and Denham were also named.

BACKGROUND:

Alty owed this lengthy midweek trip to Ebbsfleet's progress in the FA Trophy which had caused the originally scheduled match to be postponed.

Ebbsfleet were embarking on a heavy fixture schedule following their long runs in cup competitions this season. This was their 9th game in 24 days this month and after tonight they face 11 games in 25 days in April. At kick off, Alty lay 15th with 47 points from 38 games, whilst Ebbsfleet were in the relegation zone, lying 21st, with 38 points from 34 games.

LINE-UPS

EBBSFLEET UNITED (Red shirts, white shorts, red socks): 1. Lance CRONIN, 15. Mark RICKETTS, 4. Leon CROOKS, 6. Paul McCARTHY, 24. Darius CHARLES, 16. Ricky SHAKES, 7. Danny SLATTER, 10. John MARTIN, 8. Stacy LONG, 9. Michael GASH, 18. Luke MOORE. Subs: 29. Michael WEST, 23. Rashid YUSSUFF, 17. George PURCELL 21. Sam MOTT (gk), 3. Sacha OPINEL

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2.Chris LANE, 4. Mark McGREGOR, 5. Greg YOUNG, 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 21. Shaun DENSMORE, 17. Ben WILKINSON, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 11. Warren PEYTON, 14. Dale JOHNSON, 9. Colin LITTLE. Subs: 12. Joe O'NEILL, 10. Chris DENHAM, 15. Pat McFADDEN, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 19. Chris SENIOR.

Altrincham kicked off but were almost immediately grateful for a dreadful miss by Moore, spooning over the bar from three yards (2mins). Ebbsfleet had started the game with a much higher tempo than Alty and they soon won two corners. Alty saw these off but the Fleet then put together a slick passing move up the right wing which ended with Shakes sliding the ball into the net (6 mins). "We've not started yet" shouted manager Heathcote to his team and he was also getting increasingly irate with referee Rayner's decisions against his team. But Colin Little had a glorious chance to equalise when Crooks made a hash of trying to clear, but Little's lob over the stranded Cronin dropped wide (10 mins).

Graham Heathcote continued to be exasperated by the match officials and by his team's slow start to the game but gradually his players were getting back into the contest. When Slatter headed into the net, however, Alty were fortunate to see the offside flag save them (21 mins). When the ref finally gave Alty a freekick for a foul on Little, the striker got a lecture, presumably for sarcasm at the fact that she had finally awarded his side something.

Shakes continued to be a danger on the right for Ebbsfleet and his fine cross only just evaded Gash's head at the back post (27 mins). Matt Doughty became Ms Rayner's first booking for an offence in the Ebbsfleet right corner (31 mins). For Alty, Wilkinson on his debut, in central midfield, was finding it difficult to get into the game but now he fired in a good shot from 20 yards which Cronin did well to push away to his right for a corner on the Alty left (32 mins). This signalled a good spell for the visitors as Johnson now got the ball away from Cronin and, with the keeper seeming to hold him in the box, play was nevertheless allowed to continue. Johnson managed to curl a shot from wide right which was cleared off the line to the incoming Densmore. But from 20 yards the midfielder's half-volley cleared the bar. Soon afterwards a 35-yarder from Densmore went wide (36 mins).

But then Long forced a fine save from Coburn at the other end in a brief interlude before Alty resumed the pressure with a Densmore shot being saved by Cronin (38 mins) and a Danylyk shot being deflected for a corner. But Ebbsfleet finished the half on the attack with Coburn having to make a fine save with his legs from Gash (44 mins). Half time soon arrived with the Alty cause far from lost.

Altrincham brought on Joe O'Neill for a presumably injured Dale Johnson at the interval. Almost immediately the ref booked Danylyk for a foul (46 mins). With smoke billowing over the pitch from somewhere outside, Ebbsfleet gained the half's first corner (51 mins). Soon afterwards, Wilkinson put the ball in the net but offside was given (53 mins) as Altrincham now got the upper hand. O'Neill was working hard but he and his team-mates were unable to create a clear opening. Densmore shot wide and O'Neill lobbed just wide of the back post as the visitors now seized the initiative aided by the small but vocal visiting support (60 mins).

Opinel now came on for Ricketts (64 mins) before the fourth official gave Alty physio Sean Riley a lecture - presumably for saying something he did not like, and three minutes later the same official spoke to the referee and she sent the Alty kitman Dave Mitten from the dugout (71 mins). Alty continued to dominate possession but were trying to unpick the Ebbsfleet defence with long balls rather than passing movements and the Fleet held firm though McCarthy was booked for a foul and/or dissent (81 mins).

Alty gained a freekick just outside the box but Little sent this weakly into the wall (83 mins). Ms Rayner exasperated Alty to the end when a defender wrestled with O'Neill in the box, but offside was the ref's decision (86 mins). Yussuff replaced Long (89 mins) before Alty had two late let offs as their second half dominance was almost undone on the counter-attack. First of all Yussuff appeared to be upended in the Alty box (90 mins). Then, after Purcell replaced Moore, Gash got clear of McGregor and found Purcell, unmarked, to his left but he sliced his shot badly (90+4 mnins).

Altrincham's second half showing should have gained them a point but despite plenty of effort and possession, they lacked the craft to create a telling opening. So, their quest for the final few points to ensure BSP survival moves on to Lewes this Saturday.