Match Report
ALTRINCHAM (1) 1 MANCHESTER CITY XI (2) 2
played on Saturday, 16 July, 2011, at 3pm
SUMMARY
For the second successive Saturday Altrincham gave a good account of themselves against higher-status opposition with this 1-2 defeat to a City side, which included Craig Bellamy, Nedum Onuoha and Michael Johnson, though neither Wayne Bridge nor Jo, who were named in City's squad yesterday, were involved. Alty, who were without goalkeeper Stuart Coburn (holiday) and midfielder Anthony Danylyk (baby's christening), got off to a great start when Densmore's smart thinking was noted by Clee, whose quickly taken freekick found his advancing team-mate, who was upended in the box after barely one minute's play - a penalty resulted.
Damian Reeves beat Lawlor from the spot. Interplay between Johnson and Bellamy finally conjured an equaliser for City in the 35th minute and eight minutes later Alty fatally stood off Trippier and allowed him to fire home from 30 yards giving stand-in keeper from Oldham Athletic, Josh Ollerenshaw, no chance. The second half was littered with substitutions. Alty, who had started with trialist Paul Jones in the back line, gave pitch-time to three more trialists in Kevin Gall, Steve Hall and Astley Mulholland, as well as four youth team graduates in Joe Coombs, Jake Barnabas, Sam Langford and James Smart. Despite some slick play City failed to score again as they, like Alty, seemed most in need of some improvement at the front end of their team.
SCORERS:
REFEREE: Mr Ric BARTLETT
ATTENDANCE: 1,298
TEAM NEWS
With STuart Coburn on holiday, Alty drafted in Oldham Athletic's 20 year-old, 6 feet 5 inch Josh Ollerenshaw to keep goal. Paul Jones, the trialist defender from Barrow, started the game but the remaining nine players were all players from the 2011-12 suqad, with Michael Twiss making his first appearance of the campaign. Robbie Lawton started at right back; Mark Lees moved to left-back and Chris Lynch was in midfield, where Brian Summerskill also started. The Alty bench included new faces in the shape of former Altrincham Youth and Reserve, Astley Mulholland who scored a bagful for Flixton last season, and former Reserves' keeper Steve Downes. Youth team products James Smart, Sam Langford and Joe Coombs, joined JAke BArnabas on the bench. Last week's two-goal hero, Nick Chadwick was also on the bench, having missed training due to his wife expecting a baby.
City generously brought a strong squad to Moss Lane and, although neither Wayne Bridge nor the Brazilian Jo were there, the other star names listed yesterday as coming to Altrincham were present. These included Craig Bellamy, Adam Johnson and Nedum Onuoha. Watching the game was Patrick Vieira, who had announced his retirement the day before the game.
It was also good to see former Alty men in the shape of Mark Maddox and Marcus Hallows at the game.
BACKGROUND:
Altrincham had played well against the Burnley first-team a week earlier, losing 2-4, and now faced another stiff test against City's strong squad. The star names attracted a good crowd, of just under 1,300, who were not put off by heavy rain showers before the game.
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white stripes, black shorts, red socks): 1. Josh OLLERENSHAW, 2. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 5. Adam FLYNN, 6. Paul JONES, 3. Mark LEES, 4. Chris LYNCH, 7. Shaun DENSMORE, 8. Brian SUMMERSKILL, 11. Nicky CLEE, 10. Damian REEVES, 9. Michael TWISS. Subs: 12. Ryan BROWN, 16. Kevin GALL, 18. Steve HALL, 14. Simon RICHMAN, 15. Nick CHADWICK, 17. Astley MULHOLLAND, 19. Joe COOMBS, 20. Jake BARNABAS, 21. Steve DOWNES, 22. Sam LANGFORD, 23. James SMART
MANCHESTER CITY : 1. Ian Lawlor, 2. Kieran Trippier, 5. Nedum Onuoha, 6. Karim Rekik, 3. Courtney Meppen Walter, 4. Trialist,(? Francisco Santos Silva Júnior), 8. Adbul Razak, 7. Michael Johnson, 10. Gai Assulin, 20. Craig Bellamy, 11. Joan Angel Roman, Subs; 12. Ahmed Benali, 13.Ian Ormson, 14. Jeremy Helan, 17. Ellis Plummer, 15. Kieran Kennedy, 16. Paul Clowes, 18. Devante Cole, 9. Jordi Hilawola, 14. Jeremy Helan, Bradley Robinson, and Adam Drury
REPORT
After a pre-match deluge the game got underway with the recently retired City midfielder, Patrick Vieira, one of those watching the game from the directors' box. Almost immediately, Robbie Lawton, playing at right back, showed Craig Bellamy he meant business by chasing him back determinedly into his own half.
When Alty won a first-minute freekick, just inside their own half on the left, Shaun Densmore was alert enough to start racing immediately into the opposition midfield. Nicky Clee was smart enough to take the freekick quickly, setting Densmore running into the City box where he was brought down by Meppen-Walter to concede an early penalty. Damian Reeves, off a long run, hit the spot kick with enough power to beat keeper Lawlor, who guessed the correct direction but could not keep the ball out (2 mins).
Alty built on their bright start with Clee, especially, impressing and they won an early corner (11 mins). Jones then did well for Alty at the back, seeing off Razak and winning a goalkick in the process. After City had also won a corner, Alty continued to do well with some measured passing which emulated that of the visitors. There was a slight scare when Ollerenshaw was almost closed down as he attempted a kick clear but he managed to clear the ball (18 mins).
City were now enjoying more of the attacking play but were not causing too many problems to the Alty defence. For Alty, Brian Summerskill was showing a maturity beyond his years in midfield and even got back to see off an Assulin surge at the cost of a corner. City headed over from a further corner but that was as near as they got to a leveller.
Next, Shaun Densmore, continuing his good pre-season form, threaded a fine ball through to Twiss, whose well-struck, low shot, took a slight deflection, as it went narrowly wide for an Alty corner (25 mins).
Then, a very poor challenge by City's trialist (number 4 - believed to be Benfica's Francisco Santos Silva Júnior) caught Clee, who needed lengthy treatment before hobbling off (28 mins). He returned soon afterwards but was not to reappear for the second half.
City finally got level when Johnson and Bellamy combined well, to the right of goal, feeding Roman who placed a side-footed shot past Ollerenshaw (35 mins). City were in control after their equalizer and went ahead eight minutes later. Their captain, Trippier, was allowed to advance up the inside right channel before he fired a powerful shot into the net from 30 yards or more (43 mins).
Half time soon arrived with Altrincham still in the game, with just a one goal deficit.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 MANCHESTER CITY 2 |
At the break, Clee gave way to Kevin Gall, Alty's trialist forward, formerly with Wrexham. City also made a change as Helan joined the game in place of Johnson. The City trialist number four now sliced a good chance over the bar at the start of the second half. Then, after a corner, Bellamy forced a good save from Ollerenshaw. Soon after this, Bellamy was replaced by Andy Cole's son, Devante (55 mins). The City faithful rapturously applauded their favourite as he left the pitch, having been City's best player to this point.
Next, Benali replaced Assulin for City (58 mins) before Alty made a change, with Twiss giving way to Mulholland, who assumed the same position that Twiss had occupied in the second half, just behind the front two (62 mins). Play continued to be disrupted by regular player changes with the next two swaps seeing Densmore give way to James Smart, Alty's youth team captain last season (66 mins) and then Steve Hall, a trialist, came on in midfield as striker Reeves was withdrawn (70 mins).
City were doing all the pressing but lacked any penetration as the game moved into its final quarter. Assulin now returned to the game for City as Ramon was withdrawn for Robinson (72 mins). Alty next introduced another youth team graduate in Joe Coombs who replaced Flynn at the back (74 mins).
Play went on in a fairly low key with City doing most of the attacking play yet without seriously troubling Alty's unfamiliar backline. Nine minutes from time saw further changes as City withdrew Razak and brought on Alty local, Clowes, whilst Alty brought on Sam Langford, another of Alty's youth products, to replace Summerskill.
Cole was impressing for City and he forced a good save from Ollerenshaw before won three successive corners, after which Jake Barnabas, again from Alty's youth set up, replaced Chris Lynch (88 mins). In the closing stages, Hall was penalised just outside the Alty box but Trippier's freekick was well saved by Ollerenshaw (90 mins).
And so, the game ended, with Altrincham having just two of their current first-team squad still on the pitch, Lawton and Lees, having used eight substitutes. Despite these changes they had held City to just a one-goal advantage whilst giving management duo, Lee Sinnott and Neil Tolson, food for thought over who to add to their current 13-man squad at Moss Lane. Alty's next pre-season test is away at Buxton on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 MANCHESTER CITY 2 |