Match Report

REFEREE: Mr Amphlett

ATTENDANCE: 1,269, with 80 in away end

Shaun Densmore was still suspended for Altrincham whilst Robbie Lawton and Michael Welch remained on the road to recovery from their operations. Out injured were Colin Little, who limped off on Monday against Chester and loan player Danny Edwards, whilst Chris Senior was on the bench though not fit. So Altrincham had just 14 fit players available, including two goalkeepers, and three of those players had been at the club for less than a week!

Kettering's James Jennings, who had reneged on a verbal agreement to join Altrincham last season, received a less than warm welcome from the travelling fans, who were also upset at being forced to sit and pay stand prices because Kettering had chosen to close the away terrace.

BACKGROUND:

Although there was no rain this time, this fixture was played again in blustery conditions, as it had been last season.

LINE-UPS

KETTERING TOWN: 1. Lee Harper, 3. James Jennings, 5. Ian Roper (Capt), 6. John Dempster, 8. Lee Fowler, 15. Patrick Noubissie, 17. André Boucaud, 23. Exodus Geohaghon, 7. Francis Green, 9. Damian Spencer, 10. Jean-Paul Marna, SUBS 4. Darren Wrack, 12. Greg Taylor, 19. Gareth Seddon, 20. Danny Thomas, 28. Moses Ashikodi

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow and blue shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks) 1. Stuart COBURN, 22. Scott MOFFATT, 2. James SMITH, 5. Greg YOUNG, 12. Robbie WILLIAMS, 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Tom KEARNEY, 11. Nicky CLEE, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 14. Dale JOHNSON, 10. Chris DENHAM, SUBS: 20. Danny HEFFERNAN, 13. Russell SAUNDERS, 19. Chris SENIOR, 24. Ross THAKER, 21, Andrew PEARSON.

The game got off to a scrappy start with three freekicks inside the first minute, as Alty played with the wind behind them. It was Alty's Denham who won the game's first corner (6 mins). Boucard was putting himself about for Kettering with Kearney on the receiving end of a rough challenge. After an error by Jennings, a quick throw from Clee, who had a good game, almost got Denham free but the game was pretty scrappy still. Kettering won a corner and soon afterwards Spencer had a "goal" disallowed for a clear foul on Williams (13 mins). Kettering were having more of the ball but there was little serious threat of a goal from either side at this stage.

For Alty, Denham was looking lively but it was Johnson who got in a shot after 18 minutes which was beaten out. A Kettering corner came and went as the game drifted on. Jennings was then booked for a foul on Moffatt, who was doing well in his second game for the Robins (24 mins). Young was impressing for Altrincham as the defences remained on top. On the half hour mark, Spencer forced a save from Coburn with a long range effort before Smith was booked for a foul on Spencer (31 mins).

Alty's injury jinx continued as Moffatt appeared to pull a muscle making a clearance and had to be replaced by Heffernan (36 mins). Danylyk moved to right back as Heffernan went into central midfield. The stalemate continued as Jennings pushed over Denham from behind but the already booked Jennings only conceded a freekick (42 mins). As half time approached Heffernan made a fine run into the box but, without support, he hesitated and got closed down. A solid Alty performance had earned half-time parity but the game itself had not risen above the mediocre.

The interval lasted 18 minutes leaving Altrincham kicking their heels on the pitch till the officials and opposition appeared. Johnson, who had limped off at the break emerged looking less than confident in his fitness. A silly foul by Denham on Jennings earned him a very early booking which Mr Amphlett indicated had been for cumulative offences (47 mins).

Danylyk was working hard for Alty as was Clee, who won his side the first corner of the half at which point Pearson came on as a sub for Johnson (53 mins). The former Wigan defender was making his first appearance for Altrincham. Clee then fired a shot off target from 25 yards. A welcome diversion from the fare on the pitch was a fly past by a World War Two Boeing Fortress bomber as the game approached the hour mark.

The sides then traded errors before Denham got into the Kettering box and a defender clearly handled but the referee waved away Alty's penalty appeals. Jennings was then subbed by Kettering in favour of Thomas (61 mins). Pearson was then booked after being judged to have blocked off Thomas (63 mins). In an Alty counter-attack a misheader back by a defender was just held by Harper. Spencer then completely failed to make contact with a cross in front of goal but was relieved to see the offside flag raised anyway (66 mins). Next Kettering's new signing Ashikodi came on for Spencer (67 mins). The new man soon committed a foul which was worse than that for which Pearson had been booked but escaped any booking.

Alty were defending in depth which limited their outlets when they gained possession. Ashikodi then threatened after getting past Wiliams but Danylyk covered well. Kettering now brought on former Hyde man Seddon for the ineffectual Marna (71 mins). Alty then turned the tide and got at Kettering and won three corners in a minute but failed to make any of them tell (74 mins). A trip by Noubissie got him a booking (76 mins) as Altrincham were now on top, threatening especially on the right and giving the portly Roper a torrid time in the Poppies' defence.

But Alty could not get a goal, with Danylyk's dragged shot, wide, their best at this stage. There was then a farcical spell when Roper's boot seemed to come apart and the bulky defender took it off and played on before eventually throwing it off the pitch and playing on with one boot on. Alty's Chris Senior had been forced off the pitch and booked when his boot came off against Stafford a couple of seasons ago but today's officials took no action against Roper.

With the game moving to the final five minutes, it was Altrincham who looked the much more likely to score but then Kearney lost possession and via Seddon the ball came to Ashikodi, who got behind Smith to the left of goal before driving a shot into the net to give Kettering the lead in the 84th minute. It got worse 90 seconds later when Ashikodi, making his debut, laid on a goal for Green who finished well from right of goal at the second attempt after Young had blocked his first attempt. 2-0 was very flattering to the Poppies who appeared to have run out of steam in the previous ten minutes as Alty went at them.

Altrincham sent Williams forward for the closing stages but the final score remained 2-0 as, for the second time this season, Alty succumbed to a late reverse. Though a disappointing result, considering the patched up nature of Altrincham's side the Robins had given as good as they got for 90% of this match. They now face Cambridge United on Tuesday with Moffatt and Johnson added to a sick list which includes Little, Welch, Lawton and Senior in addition to the suspended Densmore.