Match Report


BURTON ALBION (0) 1
ALTRINCHAM (1) 1

Blue Square Premier match
played on Saturday, January 24, 2009, at 3pm.

SUMMARY:

Altrincham deservedly put an end to Burton's record-breaking 12-match run of victories in the Blue Square Premier with this draw at the Pirelli Stadium. With every fit player on the books named in their squad today, things got worse for the Robins when Colin Little limped off after only 8 minutes, to be replaced by Joe O'Neill. But it was the substitute who fired Alty ahead, from 25 uyards, his shot from a central position eluding Poole in the Brewers' goal (24 mins). Alty went on to have the better of the first half but after the interval it was a different story, especially after the introduction of Keith Gilroy on the Brewers' left-wing. Shaun Harrad equalised after 51 minutes when Stuart COburn could only beat out Marc Goodfellow's shot, and the Burton striker slotted the loose ball home. Alty defended well, with Coburn making several excellent saves, but the visitors nearly took all three points themselves as a goalbound Greg Young header and a 20-yarder from Shaun Densmore were tipped over the bar by Poole.


SCORERS

  • 24 mins: Joe O'NEILL (Burton Albion 0 Altrincham 1)
  • 51 mins: Shaun HARRAD (Burton Albion 1 Altrincham 1)


    REFEREE: Mr P E Curry


    ATTENDANCE: 2,124


    BACKGROUND

    Burton recently set a BSP record of twelve successive league wins and had won 20 of their 28 league games to date as Altrincham arrived at the Pirelli Stadium for this rescheduled fixture. Altrincham lay fourteenth in the table at kick of with Albion runaway leaders of the BSP, 13 points clear of second-placed Histon.

    This was the sixth away game in a run of seven league matches for Altrincham, the only home game in that sequence being a 3-1 defeat at Moss Lane by today's hosts - Burton Albion.


    TEAM NEWS

    Altrincham were down to the bare bone with Anthony Danylyk suspended, Chris Senior injured and Lee Elam having left, leaving just 12 fit outfield players plus new loan signing 21 year-old midfielder, Jordan Hadfield, signed on Friday from Macclesfield Town.


    LINE-UPS

    BURTON ALBION (Yellow shirts, black shorts and socks): 1. Kevin POOLE, 2. Aaron WEBSTER, 16. Jake BUXTON, 5. Tony JAMES, 8. Andy CORBETT; 21. Jamie YATES, 6. John McGRATH, 4. Michael SIMPSON, 14. Marc GOODFELLOW; 9. Shaun HARRAD, 18. Greg PEARSON. Subs: 7. Darren STRIDE, 11. Keith GILROY, 13. Saul DEENEY, 15. Ryan AUSTIN, 17. Lee MORRIS.

    ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, white shorts and red socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Chris LANE, 4. Mark McGREGOR, 5. Greg YOUNG, 3. Matt DOUGHTY; 22. James SMITH, 7. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 21. Shaun DENSMORE, 11.Warren PEYTON; 14. Dale JOHNSON, 9. Colin LITTLE. Subs: 8. Jordan HADFIELD, 13. Andy RALPH (gk), 15. Alex MEECHAN. 10. Chris DENHAM, 12. Joe O'NEILL.


    REPORT

    Burton kicked off on a cold but sunny afternoon, attempting to extend their BSP record of 12 straight victories. Altrincham were fielding all 16 of their fit players including new loan signing Jordan Hadfield. The Brewers went at Altrincham from the start with Coburn twice having to kick clear in the opening minutes. A second-minute corner was also survived as Webster headed narrowly wide. Altrincham's first real shot came in the fifth minute when Johnson fed Little on the right and his lay off allowed Peyton a shot, which went wide. Soon afterwards, Little limped off with a hamstring injury, to be replaced by O'Neill, who has only started one league game this season (8 mins).

    Altrincham now began to settle and get forward themselves. Johnson was beginning to make a mark and his fine turn and shot yielded Alty's first corner from which Lane's header was cleared for another flag-kick. Alty almost scored from this as O'Neill's goal-bound header was cleared off the line (16 mins). O'Neill had better luck eight minutes later when, after another Burton corner had been seen off, he fired in a shot from a central position more than 20 yards out. Veteran keeper, Poole, got his hands to the ball but it went through them into the net (24 mins).

    Altrincham almost doubled their lead when Densmore's 20-yarder forced Poole into a fine tip over the bar. Altrincham were enjoying a fine spell, playing the ball about well before Lawton, playing well after his injury lay-off, combined with Johnson to threaten the now mistaken-ridden Burton, whose supporters were beginning to get edgy. The Brewers improved to win a couple of corners but Altrincham were defending very well with McGregor, as ever, exuding calm efficiency at centre-back. The home side were also conceding freekicks and passing poorly as Altrincham looked a match for the league leaders. A sliced clearance by Young gave Burton a corner in added time but the interval arrived with Alty retaining a deserved lead.


    Half-Time: BURTON ALBION 0 ALTRINCHAM 1

    Burton stepped up their game after the break and when Goodfellow's drive from the right was beaten out by Coburn, only for a Burton player to put the loose ball into the net, Alty were glad to see the flag raised for offside (49 mins). But a carbon copy episode two minutes later saw another Goodfellow shot beaten out by the Alty keeper and Harrad net from left of goal; no flag was raised this time and the scores were level (51 mins). However, Alty went straight to the other end and, from Johnson's cross from the right, O'Neill saw his shot blocked. At the other end, a rare slip by Young allowed Harrad to get free and his shot went only inches wide of Coburn's left stick (54 mins).

    Now Keith Gilroy, a frequent scourge of Alty in previous games, came on for Yates for Burton (55 mins). After a Peyton shot had been saved by Poole, Gilroy began to menace on the left wing. Nevertheless, Alty themselves fashioned a good chance as a Doughty freekick came to O'Neill a he back post but the striker could not get his leg over the ball and his effort cleared the bar comfortably (60 mins).

    Alty were allowing Gilroy space to run at them but the Brewers' next real threat came when Pearson got past Young but his shot prompted a fine save from Coburn at the cost of a corner. After Densmore had received his second lecture of the afternoon from Mr Curry, Alty scrambled clear the next Burton offensive, at which point Darren Stride came on for the ineffectual Pearson (66 mins).

    After Doughty had used his arms to stop Harrad near half-way, the Alty left-back picked up his second successive league booking (68 mins). Doughty's left-back counterpart, Webster, followed the Alty man into the ref's notebook for a foul on Johnson (69 mins). Young was then harshly penalised as his challenge saw Poole simply drop the ball before Densmore picked up his fifth league booking and a suspension when Mr Curry judged him guilty of a foul near half-way (76 mins).

    Burton made a change with Austin replacing Webster and a home corner immediately followed. Alty's loan signing from Macclesfield, Jordan Hadfield, came on for his debut, 12 minutes from the end, replacing Chris Lane. Smith moved to right-back as a consequence. Burton continued to press and Coburn had to come out of his box to chest clear (83 mins). Burton won three corners in as many minutes as the game moved into its final five minutes. James got a clean downward header from the last of these but Coburn saved well (87 mins).

    Chris Denham came on for Johnson in the 88th minute, though Johnson seemed a little puzzled by the change. Burton continued to press, but as the game went into three minutes of over-time, Alty won two corners. From the first a Young header forced a fine tip over the bar from Poole. But Coburn had to save well from McGrath's back-post header following a freekick in the final significant action of the game (90+3 mins).

    And so Burton's 12 game run of wins was ended and it was a very good Altrincham performance which did so.


    Full-Time: BURTON ALBION 1 ALTRINCHAM 1