Match Report

REFEREE: Mr Kevin Mattocks

ATTENDANCE: 473

Altrincham started with the same eleven who had finished the game at Hinckley on Monday night. So, Nicky Clee continued at left-back and Mark Lees in central defence. Michael Twiss and Adam Flynn (sprained ankle) remained sidelined, as did Marlon Broomes who limped off on Monday night with a hamstring problem. Following the serving of notice of approach by both FC Halifax Town and Hyde, this could conceivably have been the non-contracted Redshaw's last game for Altrincham, depending on developments next week.

BACKGROUND:

Before kick-off, Mike Garnett's statistics revealed the following about previous games between these two sides...

Alty's last visit came in 2003 for a Tuesday night Unibond League Cup match, which Alty won in a penalty shoot out. Since then, the top of the truncated main stand has been upgraded but otherwise the ground is little changed since then.

Workington officials gave Altrincham a friendly welcome and the home supporters were also generous in accepting that, on the day, the better side had won.

LINE-UPS

WORKINGTON (Red shirts): 1. Aaran Taylor; 2. Lee Andrews, 3. Gari Rowntree, 4. Kyle May, 5. Paul Johnson; 7. Phil McLuckie, 10. Jake Simpson, 6. Mark Boyd, 8. David Hewson, 11. Anthony Wright, 9. David McNiven, Subs: 12. Stuart Green, 14. Adam Main, 15. Mark Sloan, 16. Stefan Scott, 17. Dan Wordsworth

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts, blue shorts, yellow socks): 1. Stuart COBURN (capt), 2. Kieran WALMSLEY, 5.Adrian HAWES, 6. Mark LEES, 3. Nicky CLEE, 7. Simon RICHMAN, 8. Liam TOMSETT, 4. Chris LYNCH, 11. James LAWRIE; 9. Jack REDSHAW, 10. Damian REEVES. Subs: 12. Matt FLYNN, 14. Shaun DENSMORE, 15. Brian SUMMERSKILL, 16. Duncan WATMORE, 18. Adam REID (gk),

REPORT

With the tannoy not working on the Main Stand side of the ground, the Workington players were anonymous to most of the visiting supporters though David McNiven's profile was a familar one in the Reds' side, having played against Altrincham for various clubs including our neighbours, Northwich Victoria.

Alty kicked off into a very bright sun which caused the spectators to squint and visiting goalkeeper Stuart Coburn to shield his eyes whenever the ball went into the air. After Jack Redshaw had won a first-minute corner with a deflected shot, Redshaw himself mis-kicked a half-chance at the back post. Following three throw-ins for Workington, Walmsley won his side another corner from a well-struck freekick. Twelve minutes into the game Redshaw was put through and tried to lob Taylor in the home goal, but his effort cleared the bar as well as the keeper.

Altrincham were getting on top as Redshaw poked an effort wide. But Lynch then got himself booked for his second rugged challenge of the match in midfield. After a good run forward from Walmsley had been repulsed, a through ball found Lawrie up the middle and he powered a strong, low shot from just outside the box past Taylor to give Altrincham a 24th minute lead which they merited.

Soon after the re-start, on loan Blackpool midfielder, Liam Tomsett, fired just over the bar (27 mins), whilst at the other end Coburn remained untroubled by the opposition. Altrincham continued to look comfortable with their lead but, when Lawrie tried another long range shot from left of goal, he actually hit the right corner flag rather than the back of the net (33 mins).

A rare Workington shot from McCluckie went well wide (37 mins). With half time approaching and, after a Workington freekick had come to nothing, a Tomsett curler just cleared the Workington bar. Having completed a minute of added time, the referee blew for half-time with the score still 1-0 to Altrincham and deservedly so.

By the start of the second half the sun had gone down below the terrace and the floodlights had been switched on. Workington made a change at the interval as Stefan Scott replaced McCluskie. The Workington Reds began the second period more brightly than they had in the first 45 minutes, presumably benefiting from a managerial team talk at the break.

After Altrincham had scrambled the ball clear from an early Reds' attack, the visitors won two corners in quick order at the other end. The first came from a deflected Redshaw shot and the second from the endeavours of Walmsley. Though Alty won a hatful of corners today they scarcely threatened from any of them.

At last Workington won a corner themselves in the 57th minute. From this, a Reds player nodded a header wide. Altrincham were now playing with less fluidity than in the first half as both sides frequently committed errors. On the hour mark, Workington had their most threatening moment of the game so far when Andrews's overhead shot from inside the box was saved by Coburn.

But then Redshaw threatened the Workington goal as he advanced into the box but, after he had been halted, the ball ran to Richman. The Alty man, in the right of the penalty area, was not imminently threatening the home goal but a Reds' player brought him down needlessly for a penalty. Damian Reeves smashed the spot-kick high into the net to make it 27 goals from 24 games for the division's leading scorer this season (62 mins). Damian has now scored in the last eight consecutive league games, netting 11 times in the process.

Following the goal Altrincham dominated the next few minutes, winning three more corners in the next five minutes but again not really causing any danger whatsoever from them.

At the other end, a Simpson shot cleared the bar (68 mins). But Altrincham also continued to go forward as Richman had a shot blocked before Tomsett tried and failed with a very ambitious attempt to lob the keeper from 45 yards out.

But the tenor of the game was changed in the 70th minute when a through ball found McNiven just outside the box. He did well to jink and make space for himself before driving a well-struck goal just inside Coburn's left-hand post to make it 1-2.

Now Simpson was replaced by Sloan for Workington, as they attempted to get something out of a game in which they had been second best (73 mins). But, next, Reeves won Altrincham yet another corner before, at the other end, there was a brief alarm as Coburn spilt a cross before Hawes, who had a good game with Lees in central defence, cleared the loose ball. Altrincham now applied some more pressure but Walmsley overhit a promising freekick from the right. Next, a Redshaw shot was saved before the Reds used their last substitute, just as Altrincham won a further corner (82 mins). And, after this, yet another corner soon arrived for Altrincham following a throw from Clee, who had another impressive game in his unaccustomed left-back role.

With the game drawing to a close, Alty had some tense moments, starting as the Reds' third sub, Green, fired just over the bar. After 88 minutes, Alty brought on Fleetwood loanee defender Matt Flynn for goalscorer Lawrie and, in the final minute of normal time, Jack Redshaw was replaced by Shaun Densmore, making a welcome return from injury.

It took a magnificent save, to his left, by Coburn to stop a great shot from McNiven, from a feed by Workington's no.16 (90+1 mins). The resulting corner was cleared and Alty rode out the four added minutes, which concluded with a final corner for the visitors (90+4 mins).

So, inside a week, Altrincham had doubled their number of away wins, having won at Hinckley last Monday. This win lifted them to seventh and was again the product of a good team performance from players who in several cases are new to the club.