Match Report

REFEREE: Mr R. Joyce

ATTENDANCE: 630

Alty midfielder Tom Kearney and defender James Smith both returned from suspension. But Chris Denham was only fit to start on the bench. Wylde and Russell replaced Shaw and the ill Briscoe for Tamworth.

BACKGROUND:

Altrincham had never won at The Lamb; the nerest had been when they led 2-1 in the FA Cup only to be thwarted by an abandonment through fog. Again the weather conditions were an issue tonight but this time it was a strong gusty wind which badly affected the game. But the forecast heavy rain held off till after the match.

LINE-UPS

TAMWORTH: 1. Danny Alcock, 2. Richard Tait, 3. Michael Blackwood, 4. Chris Smith (capt), 5. Michael Wylde, 6. Neil MacKenzie, 7. Nick Wright, 11. Bradley Pritchard, 12. Jake Sheridan, 24. Simon Russell, 32. Simon Brown. Subs: 14. Tom Shaw, 17. Dominic Langdon, 21. Seb Lake-Gaskin, 29. Ghokan Ulker, 34. Iyseden Christie

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow and blue shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 6. Shaun DENSMORE, 12. Robbie WILLIAMS, 5. Greg YOUNG, 2. James SMITH, 3. Matt DOUGHTY; 4. Tom KEARNEY, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 16. Anthony DANYLYK; 9. Colin LITTLE, 19. Chris SENIOR. SUBS: 13. Russell SAUNDERS, 11. Nicky CLEE, 10. Chris DENHAM, 18. Michael WELCH, 17. John McALISKEY

With the wind behind them, Alty defended the Castle End, utilising a 5-3-2 formation - with Senior up front and Little slightly behind him. Kearney, Lawton and Danylyk comprised the midfield. The Robins started slowly and allowed Brown, the Wrexham loanee, too much space on the right but from his cross the flag went up for offside (3 mins). Then Wright fired narrowly wide of Coburn's right post as The Lambs set the pace (4 mins). But it was Alty who won the game's first corner in the eight minute when Senior and Little exchanged passes before Senior won the flag kick on the Alty right. Following the short corner, Lawton burst into the box but saw his shot deflected out for another corner, this time on the left.

The on-loan York City man, Russell, was soon impressing for Tamworth and he set up Brown for a shot which Coburn fielded (11 mins). Williams made the first of several well-timed runs to get in a header from a Densmore throw but as the ball dropped to Little, a defender got to it first at the cost of Alty's third corner of the game. Soon after this, from a Kearney pass, Danylyk fired well over the bar (13 mins). But Alty were now settling and enjoyed a good spell which included a 40-yard surge upfield by centre-back Greg Young. However, Brown threatened at the other end but after a great set up by Wylde, Brown sliced badly wide (16 mins).

Tait became the first booking of the game when he came in late on Danylyk (18 mins). It was soon clear that Densmore was hobbling but he played on. The wind continued to make things difficult as a Doughty throw in went straight out of play. At the halfway point of the first period, Tamworth won a brace of corners which ended a spell of Alty pressure. Now Alty’s Smith had to be alert to stop a Tamworth probe. Blackwood and Little were then involved in some off the ball skirmishing at the conclusion of which the defender clearly took a kick at Little. But referee Joyce opted to book both players (26 mins). Then the referee felt it necessary to lecture the two captains as well as the booked players. But Alty were awarded the resulting freekick which went from Doughty to Alcock. Soon, Pritchard hit the side netting at the other end from MacKenzie’s knock-down.

Mr Joyce curiously forced Tamworth to take a throw in by their own corner flag, into the wind, when Coburn's huge punt had hit the same flag and gone out of play for what looked like a goalkick. Young had to concede a corner before Danylyk did well to break up another attack. Alty had a dangerous moment when, 30 yards out, Williams got his feet in a tangle and slipped, allowing Tamworth to progress to the left of goal but the assured Smith covered the danger well (36 mins).

A superb dink over the Alty back line from Wright set Brown free but he hesitated instead of shooting and the opening disappeared. Alty were on the back foot now and soon Russell almost scored with a fine shot from the edge of the box which just cleared the bar (39 mins). The danger for Alty continued as Sheridan got up the right and laid a ball across the Alty goalmouth before Pritchard repeated the act from the other side of the pitch. Two Tamworth corners followed as Alty rode their luck.

As the 45 minutes ended, Alty had to hack the ball clear again before a surprisingly long three added minutes were announced. In these minutes, Alty finished the half well. Firstly, Danylyk won a corner , following which a superb jink into the box by Kearney ended with the midfielder's goalbound shot being tipped over the bar for another corner by Alcock (45+2 mins). After more than three and a half added minutes, Mr Joyce blew the whistle on the first half, in which the hosts had had the better of the play but Altrincham had had their moments.

Tamworth came out early for a warm up before Altrincham kicked off, into the wind. Densmore again seemed to be troubled by an injury but continued to play on, watched on the right wing by a trio of Alty players who were not in today's squad; the injured Dale Johnson, plus John Bennett and Andrew Pearson.

The wind was now so strong that when Williams headed firmly clear the ball stopped and blew back towards the Alty end. But then a neat move earned Alty a corner when Doughty's cross came off Chris Smith (52 mins). Williams again timed his run superbly to meet the ball but his header went wide. Kearney then earned a freekick before a foul by Lawton gave Tamworth a freekick in a central position 25 yards from the Alty goal. MacKenzie's freekick forced a fine one-handed save from Coburn, low to his left, but Lawton obviously continued to complain against the freekick decision and was booked for dissent (56 mins).

A poor Tamworth corner went straight to Little before the fussy Mr Joyce booked Doughty as he prepared to take a throw-in. It seemed to be for time wasting but afterwards it emerged that Doughty had sworn at a team-mate who had been slow in going up for the throw and the referee had taken exception to this (58 mins). Altrincham were now getting a grip on the game before play stopped for an injury to Lawton who resumed, hobbling. Tamworth did then threaten when Coburn had to save from Brown's effort from the right (65 mins).

Now Alty made a change as Little gave way to McAliskey up front (66 mins). Then, from a Densmore throw, two Tamworth players collided with each other. After treatment play resumed with a contested bounce up just outside the Tamworth box (67 mins). Both sides then seemed to be about to make a change, as Denham prepared for Alty and former Kidderminster man, Iyseden Christie replaced Sheridan for Tamworth. But Alty had a rethink and made no change at this juncture (70 mins). McAliskey then fed Senior with a pass across the front edge of the box where Senior then was brought down by Chris Smith. Matt Doughty hit an excellent freekick into Alcock's top right hand corner to give Altrincham the lead and to record his second league goal of the season (71 mins).

Alty almost doubled their lead when Senior fed Densmore well and the right wing back's shot hit the side netting (73 mins). A couple of minutes later Williams was harshly booked for the first time this season as referee Joyce awarded Tamworth a freekick just outside the Alty box. MacKenzie again produced a good freekick but Williams did well to get his head to the ball and divert it over the bar for a corner (76 mins).

There was then a farce as Denham finally came on or Alty, replacing Senior. The forth official was using single-digit numbered cards instead of the electronic substitution board and held up "1" and "0" which was Denham’s number. Mr Joyce had to go over to see who was being withdrawn before allowing the change (77 mins). Three minutes later, Lake-Gaskin replaced Brown for Tamworth.

A Densmore foray produced an Alty corner (82 mins) following which Williams got on the end of a Doughty cross but headed wide. But Altrincham continued to have the upper hand which culminated in a second goal. Pritchard was booked for the Lambs (85 mins) before Lawton and Danylyk found McAliskey who did well to keep possession. He fed Denham and via Kearney and Lawton the ball came back to Denham, right of goal. He did well to get the ball into the goalmouth where Kearney shot at goal. Alcock was unable to hold the shot and the ball ran free for McAliskey to put it into the net for his first Altrincham goal, having only joined from Witton Albion a few days ago (87 mins).

Mr Joyce again found a large wad of additional time from somewhere- this time five minutes were decreed. As they began, Clee came on for Kearney before Tamworth almost pulled back a goal. Wright was put through against Coburn and seemed certain to score but as he placed his shot to Coburn's left, Alty's keeper made a superb save (90+4 mins). Some jittery defending then allowed Tamworth to go close again. This time, it was from a freekick awarded against Williams. From the freekick from 22 yards, MacKenzie's shot hit the top of the cross bar (90+6 mins). Finally, Mr Joyce blew his whistle and Alty emerged with their sixth away win of the season, which lifted them to ninth in the table.

This was another excellent team performance and had the results this season at Moss Lane been a bit better - Alty have won just twice there this season - they could even have been on the fringes of the play-offs. The message to Alty fans is clear - join the travelling supporters to see the best of your team!