Match Report
ALTRINCHAM (0) 2 BURNLEY (3) 4
played on Saturday, 9 July, 2011, at 3pm
SUMMARY
Both sides and the 1,253 spectators were probably happy at the outcome; Alty's experimental squad of new and old players was far from embarrassed by a club four rungs higher than them in the footballing world, whilst The Clarets, particularly in the first half, showed some slick build up play and gave almost all of their squad 45 minutes of football.
After starting brightly, Altrincham were put behind in the 9th minute when Macdonald sidefooted home at the end of a good move. Eagles then sidefooted a second after good work by Wallace (19 mins). When Paterson rounded Coburn to make it 3-0 (33 mins), it seemed that there might be a repeat of the 6-1 mauling suffered by Alty in the 1980s FA Cup clash between these sides. But with the Clarets changing all eleven players at the break and Alty making four substitutions, the Robins rocked their visitors with two goals from Nick Chadwick in the first four minutes of the second half. Chadwick had already hit the post, late in the first half.
Chadwick's first goal stemmed from Robbie Lawton's fine ball forward from right-back, where he was positioned for the second half. Chadwick's second stemmed from the alertness of new signing Simon Richman who anticipated Jensen's throw-out and got the ball before putting in an accurate cross for Alty's trialist striker to head home.
Chris Iwelumo settled things with a thumping header, making it 4-2 in the 67th minute.
SCORERS:
REFEREE: Mr Anthony Taylor
ATTENDANCE: 1,253
TEAM NEWS
Altrincham's team today included just six starters who had been at the Club last season. The remaining five places were taken by four new signings - Simon Richman, in the right flank, Adam Flynn and Mark Lees at centre-back and Chris Lynch at right-back- and a trialist, in the shape of striker Nick Chadwick, who had been released by Barrow in May.
The trialists and youth teamers involved today were...
BACKGROUND:
This was both clubs' first pre-season game and the Clarets had promised to bring their first-team squad for Alty boss Lee Sinnott's first match in charge, which helped to generate a good crowd. The match referee was Premiership official, Anthony Taylor, who hails from Altrincham.
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white stripes, black shorts, red socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Chris LYNCH, 6. Mark LEES, 5. Adam FLYNN, 3. Ryan BROWN; 7. Simon RICHMAN, 4. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 8. Shaun DENSMORE, 11. Nicky CLEE; 9. Nick CHADWICK, 10. Damian REEVES. Subs: 12. Paul JONES, 13. James COATES, 14. Anthony DANYLYK, 15. Brian SUMMERSKILL, 17. Kevin GALL, 18. Michael JUKES, 19. Steve HALL, 20. Matt FEARON, 21. Jake BARNABAS also present but not on the teamsheet was Sam LANGFORD
BURNLEY (Claret & blue shirts, white shorts): 1. Lee Grant, 2. Tyrone Mears, 4. Alex-Ray Harvey, 5. Andre Bikey, 7. Chris Eagles, 6. Michael Duff, 8. Chris McCann, 3. Brian Easton, 11. Ross Wallace, 10. Martin Paterson, 9. Alex Macdonald. Subs: 12. Brian Jensen, 17. Leon Cort, 15. Daniel Fox, 20. Wade Elliott, 14. Kevin Long, 16. Marvin Bartley, 18. David Edgar, 19. Dean Marney, 22. Wes Fletcher, 21. Jay Rodriguez, 23. Chris Iwelumo, GK Stewart, 24.Dominic Knowles, 25. Joe McKee, 26. Mehdi Lazaar.
REPORT
Once again, groundsman Neil Brown had produced an excellent surface for the start of a new season at Moss Lane. Clarets' fans had turned up in good numbers attracted by manager Eddie Howe's decision to play his first-team squad in the game. The visiting supporters were mostly accommodated on a sunny Carole Nash Terrace, though appreciable numbers were also in the main stand.
Altrincham started the game well with Nicky Clee and Ryan Brown working particularly well on the left flank, but it was McCann who delivered the game's first real shot, a 25-yarder which cleared the bar comfortably. But the respite was short for Alty as Paterson got forward but was rebuffed by Lees. However, McCann was the next to probe the Alty defences and after he had fed the ball forward, to the left, it was played back inside to Macdonald who sidefooted home from 6 yards or so, wrong-footing Stuart Coburn, to give Burnley a 1-0 lead (9 mins).
Clee was instrumental in Alty's attacking response and he almost manage to feed Chadwick (14 mins). Flynn was soon impressing at the back for Alty as he saw off the next attack but a Burnley corner soon followed. Next, a Burnley header and then a shot from Eagles, both went wide of the target. But a second goal for the League One side arrived in the 19th minute when the pace of Wallace got him space and he fed Paterson, to his right. His low cross was met by Eagles who scored, again with a sidefooted shot past Coburn.
It almost got worse when Coburn elected to take a touch from a back pass and was partly blocked as he attempted to kick clear. Burnley were now comfortably in control and both Reeves and Chadwick were being contained by the visitors' defence. Burnley did soon have a bit of a scare when goalkeeper Grant rushed out to the left edge of his box where Chadwick gained possession but a defender helped to see off the threat to the visitors' goal (31 mins).
A fine shot by Paterson grazed the Alty upright (32 mins) before the same player was put through and he calmly dribbled past Coburn to net Burnley's third goal in the 33rd minute. Alty replied with Reeves doing well to lay off the ball for Clee but his shot was blocked. Play swept to the other end where Coburn did very well to tip an Eagles chip over the bar (35 mins).
After a Burnley corner, Alty also won one, following which Clee's cross from the left was headed against the Burnley post by Chadwick (37 mins). But Burnley soon threatened again as an effort from Wallace just cleared the bar on the volley from Eagles's feed. Had it gone in, it would have been a great goal.
Burnley were comfortably in control and won three corners in as many minutes before a Reeves feed gave Chadwick a shot, which he dragged wide (42 mins). As an entire team of Burnley players warmed up for the second half along the touchline, play moved towards half time. A decent save from Coburn stopped another Eagles effort before Alty won another corner on the stroke of half-time. But the interval arrived with Alty trailing by three goals.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 BURNLEY 3 |
Burnley did, indeed, change all eleven players at the interval whilst Alty limited themselves to four changes. On came trialists Jones and Jukes as well as new signing Summerskill and established player, Anthony Danylyk. Off went Clee, Reeves, Lynch and Flynn.
The half started dramatically as inside two minutes, Lawton, who had moved to right back, played a fine long ball forward which allowed Chadwick to time his header perfectly as "The Beast", Brian Jensen arrived. The ball looped past the keeper and had just enough pace to beat a retreating defender to clear the line and make it 1-3 (47 mins).
It got even better in the 49th minute as Richman realised that Jensen was about to throw the ball out to a team mate. The Alty tackled the recipient as he received the ball, 35 yards out on the Burnley left. The alert ex-Worcester City man gained possession, advanced up the right and delivered an excellent cross which the unmarked Chadwick met with a diving header into the bottom left corner of the Burnley net. So it was now 2-3 (49 mins).
Play now settled into a fairly even spell before Altrincham made a substitution as former Wrexham forward Kevin Gall replaced Chadwick up front (61 mins). An impressive Burnley move then ended with a fierce shot into the side netting from Jay Rodriguez but a few minutes later came the decisive goal of the match. It came after Fletcher had totally miskicked, to the right of goal, but the ball came back in from the Burnley right and Iwelumo powered a header into the Alty net to make it 4-2 (67 mins).
Altrincham nearly got a goal back when Gall turned well to get in a shot but Jensen saved it fairly comfortably (70 mins). Then a fine ball forward from Lees allowed Richman to try to lob Jensen but his effort cleared the bar. Coburn had to be very alert to tip a shot over the bar as play approached the final ten minutes. Burnley won two corners and from the first of these a powerful header from Long prompted a fine reaction stop by Coburn (82 mins).
There were to be no more goals and the game ended with Altrincham having done enough to encourage their supporters that a promising season may lay ahead after last year's relegation. Altrincham are grateful to Burnley for fielding such a strong line-up which attracted 1,253 spectators to Moss Lane and provided good entertainment.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 BURNLEY 4 |