Match Report
ALTRINCHAM (1) 1 CORBY TOWN (0) 1
played on Tuesday, 6 December, 2011, at 7.45pm
SUMMARY
For the ninth time in ten league matches Damian Reeves scored Altrincham's first goal of the match. He fed Redshaw, whose effort was blocked, but Reeves nodded the loose rebound into the net after 13 minutes. Even at that stage Altrincham looked second best and that was a pattern which continued for much of the game, particularly in the second half. Corby won most of the aerial balls in their own half and midfield and kept the ball better than Alty, who continually gave it away. But the visitors' weakness was their finishing. Mullarkey was the game's best player but he should have scored on more than one occasion whilst Hall skied a good opening miles over the bar. The far post header which levelled the scores nine minutes from time came from the head of Alty's Matt Flynn after the Robins failed to react to freekick against Chris Lynch for handball. At the final whistle it was Alty who were more grateful for the point than Corby. Alty dropped to ninth
SCORERS:
REFEREE: Mr Matthew PARRY
ATTENDANCE: 649
TEAM NEWS
Former loanee James Lawrie returned to the starting line up after his release by AFC Telford United and his joining Altrincham. But his former team-mate at the New Buck's Head, Robbie Williams, was not in the squad for what would have been the final game of his own loan period. Lawrie replaced Simon Richman who was sidelined by injury. Chris Lynch returned to the squad after injury. Former Alty man Steve Connors was involved in Altrincham's warm-up tonight after his release by Cambridge United.
Corby were without J.P. Marna, often a scourge of Altrincham in the past when he played for Kettering Town.
BACKGROUND:
Alty had never previously met Corby Town in a league match but, as Mike Garnett reminds us, there was a replayed 1982-83 FA Trophy First Round match between the clubs; the outcome of those two matches was as follows...
Corby went into this game two points and one place ahead of eighth-placed Altrincham. Away from home, Corby had lost just one league game this season, whilst Altrincham had lost just one home game this campaign.
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks) 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Matthew FLYNN, 5.Adrian HAWES, 6. Adam FLYNN, 3. Ryan BROWN, 7. James LAWRIE, 4. Anthony DANYLYK (capt), 8. Shaun DENSMORE, 11. Nicky CLEE, 9. Jack REDSHAW, 10. Damian REEVES, Subs: 15. Adam DODD, 16. Michael TWISS, 12. Mark LEES, 18. Adam REID (gk), 14. Chris LYNCH
Corby Town (Crimson): 1. Chris Mackenzie; 2. Delroy Gordon, 5. Phil Gulliver, 4. Paul Malone, 3. Paul Mayo; 6. James Ozmen, 8, Steve Towers, 7. Andy Hall; 9, Matt Rhead, 10. Sam Mullarkey, 11. Jordan Spruce, Subs: 12. Callum Reynolds, 15. Lee Beeson, 16. Jordan Smith, 14. Leon Hibbert, 17. Jack Drury.
REPORT
Just as at Halifax in the last game, Altrincham almost conceded straight from the kick off but, fortunately, Mullarkey dwelt a little too long on the ball in the Alty box and it was cleared. But play was then decidedly uneventful for the next few minutes and the crowd had little to animate them on a cold night. But despite the lacklustre start, especially from the home side, it was Altrincham who took the lead. Damian Reeves played a clever feed forward up the inside left channel to Redshaw. Inside the box, Redshaw could not get the ball past the advancing keeper, Mackenzie. But the ball looped up off the keeper and dropped perfectly for Damian Reeves to place a firm header into the net. It was the ninth game out of the last ten league matches in which Altrincham's first goal of a match has been scored by Reeves, who now has 20 league goals to his credit, 13 having come in the last ten league matches.
After the goal Corby won a corner and it soon became clear that Mullarkey was their danger man. Alty did put together a good move after 18 minutes which ended in a save from Danylyk's shot. Altrincham had a real scare when Flynn and Hawes went up for the same ball and it dropped to a free Corby player, Mullarkey, but despite carefully placing his shot, he put it wide to Alty's relief (19 mins). After an Alty corner had been and gone the next six corners of the match were all won by Corby in the next 15 minutes.
But before the first of these Reeves prompted a move which ended with his own shot which Mackenzie saved well (22 mins). Altrincham managed to defend the corners successfully but the visitors were setting the agenda for the game.
The nearest Alty came to a goal was when a Redshaw header just cleared the bar, the young striker again looking lively (30 mins). It took a fine save from Coburn following the sixth of the sequence of corners when an unchallenged header was powered at goal but fortunately straight at Alty's keeper (38 mins). Hall underlined Corby's wastefulness in front of goal when he contrived to spoon the ball over the bar after Mullarkey had got round Hawes (43 mins).
Altrincham got to the interval with their lead intact but only just.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 CORBY TOWN 0 |
Corby brought on Reynolds for Ozmen at the interval and the visitors were soon appealing for a penalty when a Town player went down in the Alty box (48 mins). Alty's Matt Flynn had a header saved at the other end but Corby's pressure was again evident in their winning of four corners in the first twenty minutes of the second half. Between these, Beeson replaced Hall (56 mins) and just after the hour mark, Alty made a double change as Lynch and Dodd replaced Lawrie and Clee respectively, both of Alty's wingmen having had quiet games (61 mins).
After 65 minutes Spruce gave way to Smith for the Steelmen. A rare Alty chance saw Redshaw thwarted by Mackenzie before Mullarkey threatened at the other end (66 mins). Coburn was beginning to make claims as Alty's man of the match as he blocked Mullarkey well when the Corby forward got behind Hawes (70 mins). Lees now replaced Brown but Altrincham seemed incapable of keeping possession and time and again they found Corby coming at them, with Alty pushed deep and the middle of the pitch providing plenty of open space for the visitors.
An equalizer seemed to be just a matter of time and it duly arrived in the 81st minute. Lynch deliberately handled the ball 35 yards out. Alty failed to respond as the freekick was quickly taken, short, to the right wing from where a cross from the right was headed firmly home at the back post by Alty's Matt Flynn as he attempted to prevent Mullarkey getting to it.
The visitors had a chance to win it but Mullarkey's wayward shooting meant that his shot cleared the bar (88 mins). Alty won a late corner which was not well taken by Dodd. But Hawes swung a boot at it and the ball went high into the air, dropping back to earth and seeming to hit the crossbar as it did so (89 mins). Corby had no thoughts of settling for a point and they emerged with a well deserved point to consolidate their excellent away record. For Altrincham, it was a disappointing showing after the game at Halifax 72 hours earlier.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 CORBY TOWN 1 |