Match Report


KETTERING TOWN (2) 3 ALTRINCHAM (2) 3

Blue Square Bet Premier
played on Tuesday, 28 September 2010, at 7.45pm


SUMMARY:

Altrincham came back three times to take a deserved point. After early Kettering pressure Marna made it 1-0 from Christie's feed. Soon, Alty moved debutant Jones from the back line to right midfield before Denham equalized with a great turn and shot from the edge of the box. But inside a minute Marna made it 2-1 after Noubissie got past Reeves, who inexplicably was Alty's last man on their left flank, to cross for the scorer.

On 30 minutes, Reeves headed in a great Denham cross to make it 2-2 after good work by Lawton. After 71 minutes Marna completed his hat trick with a header. But Alty continued to fight back before Hewson tapped in for 3-3 after 81 minutes and it was then Alty who went the closer before the referee ended the game after barely 90 seconds of the two added minutes.


SCORERS:

  • 12 mins: J-P MARNA (Kettering Town 1 ALTRINCHAM 0)
  • 19 mins: Chris DENHAM (Kettering Town 1 ALTRINCHAM 1)
  • 20 mins: J-P MARNA (Kettering Town 2 ALTRINCHAM 1)
  • 30 mins: Damian REEVES (Kettering Town 2 ALTRINCHAM 2)
  • 71 mins: J-P MARNA (Kettering Town 3 ALTRINCHAM 2)
  • 81 mins: Sam HEWSON (Kettering Town 3 ALTRINCHAM 3)


    REFEREE: Mr R P Whitton


    ATTENDANCE: 1194


    TEAM NEWS

    Michael Welch and Ryan Brown were injured on Saturday so new signing Andrai Jones started at the back but Nicky Clee was fit and Damian Reeves replaced McCarthy up front.


    BACKGROUND:

    Mike Garnett's statistics reveal that Kettering are our second most played-against club amongst current Conference clubs. Altrincham have met Kettering Town 55 times, winning 20 times, drawing 21 and losing 14, with 94 goals scored and 90 conceded.

  • At Home: P27, W11, D13, L3, F56, A40
  • Away: P28, W9, D8, L11, F38 A50


    LINE-UPS

    KETTERING TOWN (Red and black) 27. Nathan Abbey, 6. John Dempster, 23. Patrick Noubissie, 2. Luke Graham, 19. Brett Solkhon, 14. James Dance, 20. Iyseden Christie, 12, Greg Taylor, 8. André Boucaud, 10. J-P Marna, 18. Serge Makofo, Subs: 13. Niall Cooper, 5.Ian Roper, 17. Harry Harding, 11. Marcus Kelly, 9. Paul Furlong

    ALTRINCHAM (All white) 1. James COATES, 14. Andrai JONES, 2. James SMITH, 5. Robbie WILLIAMS, 4. Marc JOSEPH, 6. Shaun DENSMORE, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 7. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 11. Nicky CLEE, 8. Damian REEVES, 10. Chris DENHAM, Subs: 23. James McCARTHY, 1. Stuart COBURN, 20. Sam HEWSON, 12. Kevin HOLSGROVE, 18. Matty CROWELL.


    REPORT

    Kettering kicked off and enjoyed the better of the opening stages though their first shot of note, by Dempster, went very wide. The Poppies' captain went even closer after four minutes when, from a corner, he drove a shot into the ground which bounced up and hit the cross bar. However, Kettering took the lead in the twelfth minute when the ball came from the right and the burly Christie fed Marna who hooked the ball into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

    Alty now moved Jones from the left-hand side of the back three to a right midfield position, as Joseph moved into the back line. With virtually their first shot on target, Altrincham equalised when Denham, wide right, turned smartly and fired an unstoppable shot past Abbey from the right edge of the box (19 mins).

    Parity lasted less than a minute before Noubissie got past striker Damian Reeves who, inexplicably, was Alty's last man in the left-back position, and his cross found Marna unmarked and he converted the chance to restore the Kettering lead (20 mins).

    After a fairly even few minutes Christie had a "goal" ruled out for offside before Reeves headed home a great Denham cross from the right to make it 2-2 after good work by Lawton to retain possession in a six-man move. Having not scored a first-half goal all season, Alty had now netted twice in the opening half hour.

    Kettering looked a danger whenever they were going forward but they were less good at the back. But, as half time approached, Alty were allowing them to have the ball in their own half and defending from the halfway line. The visitors were not keeping the ball for long as Kettering maintained a forward impetus. Curiously the referee found two added minutes for a half which seemed to have had little in the way of interruptions. During this time Coates saved well when Makofo got free.

    As on Saturday, Altrincham had twice come back from behind and had done so with probably their only two shots on target.


    Half-Time: KETTERING TOWN 2 ALTRINCHAM 2

    As the second half got underway, Crowell came on in midfield for Jones. Soon, Coates saved well from Christie. The referee then called over Marna and Joseph with both captains for a lecture. After this, Denham sliced very wide from 40 yards. Following an uncharacteristic error by Smith inside his own box, Coates again made a fine save (53 mins).

    Persistent Kettering fouling had been punished by freekicks but no cautions until Marna finally got in the 56th minute. Denham saw a shot saved but as the hour mark passed Alty were allowing Kettering to come at them as their supporters continued to give them good vocal encouragement. Now Holsgrove was warming up as Alty soaked up the pressure.

    After 67 minutes, Crowell was fouled on the very edge of the box but the freekick by Clee went over the bar. Now, Holsgrove came on for Reeves (68 mins). Alty then allowed defender Dempster to move unchallenged up the middle of the pitch and via Solkhon and Christie the ball came in from the right for Marna to complete his hat-trick with a header (71 mins).

    Kelly replaced Noubissie for Kettering (74 mins) and in the 76th minute Denham was booked for a trip on Dance. Between these incidents, Lawton went close when his effort was defelected over the bar for a corner. Soon, Sam Hewson came on for Lawton (78 mins) and within three minutes he had scored Alty's third equaliser of the night. It came at the end of some good Altrincham pressure. Taylor seemed to have cleared the danger from the left but the ball came to Densmore and Clee were involved before Hewson converted the loose ball by Abbey's right post from close range, following Denham's cross (81 mins).

    Altrincham pressed forward for a winner and Denham went close, forcing a corner (85 mins). Then Holsgrove threatened to win another corner as Kettering finished on the back foot. Roper came on for the ailing Taylor in defence for Kettering (89 mins).

    Having played more than two added minutes in the first half when there were few stoppages, the referee now only awarded two minutes added time, despite there being numerous substitutions. Even more oddly after only 90 seconds he blew for full time, leaving Alty with a well deserved point after three comebacks during the game.


    Full-Time: KETTERING TOWN 3 ALTRINCHAM 3
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