Match Report
RHYL (1) 1 ALTRINCHAM (0) 0
played on Friday, 16 July 2010, at 7.30pm
SUMMARY:
Altrincham's 16-man squad included only three of the club's players (goalkeeper Russ Saunders, Adam Carden who played at full-back and Nicky Clee who played for just 45 minutes), the rest were all trialists. Amongst the starters was Kyle Wilson, who had a loan spell at Alty a couple of years ago and ex-player Vernum Rowland.
The game was decided by an excellently worked goal from Rhyl which opened up the Alty central defence, allowing Rhyl's lively Australian/Italian winger Pasquale Polistina a first-half tap-in. Though Wilson threatened in the first half and another trialist, Mahon (ex-Wigan) was presented with a couple of chances, Alty created relatively little, with Holmes's first-half header against the bar the nearest to an equalizer. Carden had a solid game playing both on the left and the right of the back line.
SCORERS
REFEREE:
ATTENDANCE: 221
TEAM NEWS
As the most senior player in Alty's squad at Rhyl, Nicky Clee captained Alty for the first time last night.
BACKGROUND:
This was a hastily arranged friendly, following the police ban on Chester FC who were due to play at Rhyl on Saturday. So, with another game for Alty the following day, tonight's side was packed with trialists. Only Russ Saunders, Adam Carden and Nicky Clee were actually Altrincham FC employees.
As well as some of the trialists named at Woodley the preceding Saturday, Alty had five new faces on the bench including Mark Kiddie, from local football. Alty started with a new duo up front in the shape of their former loan player Kyle Wilson and ex-Wigan youngster Craig Mahon, whose physical resemblance to Chris Senior went beyond wearing the former Alty striker's shirt.
LINE-UPS
RHYL (White shirts, black shorts). 1. Anthony COSTA, 2. Andrew PEARSON, 3. Rhys DARLINGTON, 4. John KEEGAN, 5. Russell COURTNEY, 6. John LEAH (capt), 7. Chris WILLIAMS, 8. Gareth OWENS, 9. Pasquale POLISTINA, 10. John TURNER, 11. Scott BECKETT. Subs: 12. Sam HEENAN, 6. Nicolas LE RUOCO, Shaun DOWLING, Greg STRONG, Joe DIXON, Rob TURNER, Alec WILLIAMS, W. FARMER.
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Russell SAUNDERS; 2. Adam CARDEN, 4. Danny HOLMES, 5. Matt HOLT, 3. Vernum ROWLAND; 7. Clive MOYO-MODISE, 6. Tom McCREADY, 8. Fraser McLACHLAN, 18.Nicky CLEE (capt); 20. Kyle WILSON, 19. Craig MAHON; Subs: Mark KIDDIE and four others.
REPORT
After a minute's applause in memory of a local soldier who had been killed in Afghanistan, which put the game into its true context, Altrincham adopted a 4-4-2 formation from the kick off. After an energetic but unremarkable opening period, former Altrincham man Andrew Pearson got in an excellent cross from the right which Russell Saunders caught impressively. Soon afterwards, the home keeper Costa held on to a good shot from McLachlan (12 mins).
Rhyl were setting the pace but the nearest to a goal came when Polistina cut in from the left and fired narrowly over the bar (21 mins). Saunders then had to excel to punch clear a cross from the lively Williams (23 mins). An Alty corner came and went before Rhyl put together an excellent move in which Owens, Williams and Toner combined to slice open the Alty defence up the centre. The move ended with Toner's cross from the right which left Polistina with a simple tap in at the back post to give Rhyl the lead (27 mins).
On the half hour Wilson, who looked the visitors' greatest threat, saw a shot deflected over the bar but the referee awarded a goalkick. Toner's strength won Rhyl a corner soon afterwards as the Welshmen continued on top. After 39 minutes, however, Alty went close when Holmes headed a Clee corner onto the cross bar and Mahon was unable to hook in the rebound.
Impressive work from Williams saw his shot from far right narrowly clear the bar (42 mins). Alty's best moment of the half came very late when Wilson went on an impressive run up the inside left channel, gliding past three players before his shot was saved by the keeper (45 mins). But half time arrived with Altrincham trailing 1-0.
| Half-Time: RHYL 1 ALTRINCHAM 0 |
Rhyl made a clutch of changes at the interval with Le Ruoco one of the new players. ALty brought on Kiddie in place of Clee, leaving Carden and Saunders as the only Altrincham players in a team otherwise comprising trialists. Alty won an early corner which was cleared but soon Kiddie got in a cross which found its way to Moyo, who hit the post (49 mins).
The changes continued as left-back Rowland gave way to another trialist (51 mins). Next, Moyo gave way to another trialist, no.17 (56 mins). Carden had now switched to left-back following Rowlands's withdrawal. He had the uncanny experience of seeing his own name on the shirt-back of a trialist whilst he, himself,wore a shirt with Smith's name on it! After an ALty corner, the Rhyl manager, Greg Strong, brought himself on and Alty took off McCready and Mahon for two more trialists (65 mins).
More good play from Wilson gave no.16 a chance but he skied his shot (70 mins). Alty now improved a bit and had a couple of shots saved before a fierce long range effort from Holt was held by the keeper (77 mins). The trialist on the right wing (no.15) was making an impression on the right but from a Rhyl corner, the no.6 rose unchallenged but headed over the bar.
Kiddie then had a good shot deflected wide for a corner (82 mins) but the game ended with the home side the deserved winners. Carden had a good game for Altrincham but few of the trialists made any lasting impression.
| Full-Time: RHYL 1 ALTRINCHAM 0 |