Match Report

REFEREE: Mr Wootton (Wakefield)

ATTENDANCE:

Duncan Watmore and Carl Rodgers returned to the squad, with Rodgers starting and Watmore on the bench. Seven substitutes are allowed in the FA Cup and Alty duly named the full allocation.

BACKGROUND:

These two clubs had never previously met, though nearby Bishop Auckland, Tow Law Town and Spennymoor have been on the Robins' fixture lists previously.

The match programme at Shildon named Altrincham's manager as Eric Gilchrist; chairman Grahame Rowley quipped that he had brought in a new manager to improve our Cup form! Mr Gilchrist is apparently the manager of Liversedge FC, whom Shildon had met in the Vase the previous week.

In the crowd today, as the referee's assessor, was the man who had refereed Alty's FA Cup tie at Liverpool in 1981.

LINE-UPS:

SHILDON (All red) 1. Keith Finch, 2. Ben Christensen, 3. John Brackstone, 4. Robert Briggs, 5. Richard Flynn, 6. Chris Hunter, 7. Sam Garvie, 8. Danny Richmond, 9. Billy Greulich-Smith, 10. Ben Wood, 11. Chris McCabe. Subs: 12. Adam Johnston, 14. Paul Buzzeo, 15. Lee Chapman, 16. Robbie Clarkson, 17.Ross Gardner.

ALTRINCHAM (Teal and grey shirts, grey shorts, teal socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Carl RODGERS, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Danny HALL, 7. Simon RICHMAN, 8. Jake MOULT, 9. James LAWRIE, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs: 12. Scott LEATHER, 14. Patrick LACEY, 19. Sam GRIMSHAW, 15. Ryan BROOKE, 16. Danny MITCHLEY, 18. Adam REID (gk), 17. Duncan WATMORE

On a sunny afternoon in County Dunham, Shildon kicked off up the slope at Dean Street and they were the first to threaten a goal as Coburn was forced to make a decent save from Wood's 20 yard effort, which completed a good build up move (1 min).

Following the award of a Shildon freekick, the referee changed the match ball. Moments later Damian Reeves had put the new ball in the back of the Shildon net. Alty's striker dispossessed Flynn about 25 yards out and advanced on goal before placing a low shot past keeper Finch's right hand as he advanced from his goal line (3 mins).

It was Alty's first cup goal since October 2008 (at Newcastle Blue Star), as well as being the seventh successive game in which Reeves, making his 100th appearance for Alty today, had scored. And Reeves should have made it two in the fifth minute when he again got free but this time he chipped the keeper and his effort drifted wide of the post.

Alty did not have long to wait for a second goal, however, as a foul on Doughty gave Altrincham a freekick on the left. Lawrie curled his kick towards goal where it seemed to clear Reeves's head before drifting into the net as Havern also tried to get a touch on it (7 mins). Reeves as well as Lawrie claimed the goal and with James having already lost one goal originally credited to him this season, there may be quite an argument about this one's ownership!

When Shildon striker Greulich-Smith went down in the box, the referee did not award a penalty, which was to be the first of several decisions which the home crowd felt went against them in this match. Their unhappiness was deepened as the game went into the 12th minute and, from a counter attack, Lawrie got up the left and put in an excellent cross which Reeves headed in at the back post.

The home side were looking very fragile at the back and, next, a Moult cross was gathered by the home keeper before Lawrie was declared offside after a good interception by Doughty had started the attack. Shildon now made an early tactical switch as Clarkson came on in midfield for Hunter in just the 17th minute.

Next, after Moult had miskicked a fine cross from the right, Shildon went to the other end, where Garvie shot wide. Shildon's McCabe became the game's first booking as the referee firstly allowed play to continue to Alty's advantage following a foul on Lawrie but then stopped proceedings when the busy Richman was brought down. The resulting Clee freekick was cleared then a Havern effort was blocked (21 mins).

After this, a midfield freekick, taken quickly by Shildon, led to a Garvie shot which Coburn saved well at the cost of a corner. Following this corner, a well hit shot from 20 yards went to Coburn.

Shildon had now settled after their disastrous start and a good left-foot effort went wide from the lively Greulich-Smith (27 mins). With the home supporters believing the referee was favouring Alty, an ironic cheer went up at the award of a home freekick, which Rodgers did well to clear (29 mins).

But Mr. Wootton was undeterred by the criticism as he now lectured Brackstone at length after he had brought down Richman in Alty's half (30 mins). Despite their comfortable lead, Alty were still letting themselves down with frequent mis-passing of the ball. And the home side were still working hard to get back into the match as first a Garvey cross to Greulich-Smith had to be cleared, before a foul by Hall gave away a freekick 25 yards from goal in a fairly central position. But Briggs's freekick cleared the bar (34 mins).

After another poor Alty ball, this time from Lawrie, had conceded possession, Wood broke forward allowing Garvie to force a good save from the keeper (37 mins). Shildon's substitute Clarkson had helped tighten up his side's midfield and, now, Briggs's 50-yard run on the counter-attack had to be stopped by an important intervention from Hall.

As half-time approached, Moult sliced wide from 30 yards after Rodgers, Richman and Doughty had combined well (42 mins). Shildon continued to try to get forward with Greulich-Smith now taking on Doughty but he pushed over the Alty man to concede a freekick (43 mins).

In the final minute of normal time Danny Hall was booked for the fourth time this season for a trip, which conceded a freekick 35 yards out. After a minute of added time, half-time arrived with Altrincham three goals ahead.

Both sides came out early for the second half, with Alty doing a new half-time warm-up routine with Neil Tolson. After the re-start, Moult, who is always keen to shoot from distance, had an effort tipped out for a corner, following which Alty had an appeal for hands in the home box turned down.

After a brief stoppage when Garvie hurt himself challenging Densmore, a Hall error allowed the now recovered Garvie to run and shoot at goal. Coburn did well to tip the shot out to his left for a corner, from which a Shildon head nodded the ball over the bar (51 mins).

Just after Reeves had been seen off by the home defence, Shildon introduced substitute Chapman for Wood (53 mins).

The home spectators were enraged again when Garvie was nudged over by Doughty in the box but it was judged to be a shoulder charge and no penalty was awarded (58 mins). On the hour mark, a fine ball from Briggs found Chapman advancing towards the box but a poor first touch saw the ball run to the advancing Coburn.

After Clee had won a corner on the left, the same Alty player lost the ball and from the resultant counter-attack Clarkson shot wide. Next, Gardner replaced Richmond for Shildon (61 mins).

Good work by Richman now set up a Moult volley, which the keeper saved at the second attempt. When another Shildon penalty appeal went unanswered, Mr Wootton came across to have words with the home team manager whose protests had been expressive.

Good work by Reeves now set up Densmore but he fluffed his shot. Moments later, a Densmore foul hurt both himself and Chapman. A foul was awarded but no booking was made as Chapman received lengthy treatment before being stretchered off with a seemingly bad right-knee injury, his legs tied together, leaving his side with ten men (66 mins)

So, for the third time this season, Alty were facing ten men. But a poorly taken corner by Lawrie wasted any chance of a further goal in the short term, at least (71 mins). Indeed, the game was now drifting and further disruption in its flow came as Clee was taken off and Danny Mitchley came on (74 mins).

Alty continued to see plenty of the ball but were not making good use of it. But, then, as Mitchley got into the box, he was tripped and a penalty was awarded. Damian Reeves, having already hit 15 goals this season, inexplicably blasted his spot kick onto the top of the bar for his second miss from the spot this season (78 mins).

Altrincham now made another change as Lacey came on as a replacement for Moult in midfield. The nearest to a goal in the next few minutes was an ambitious attempt at an overhead shot by Greulich-Smith but he failed to make contact with the ball (83 mins).

Nevertheless, Shildon soon won a corner, off Doughty, followed quickly by a second flag-kick. Coburn took a knock to his head at the second corner and needed treatment before resuming (86 mins). With the game petering out, Sam Grimshaw came on for Richman and slotted in on the left (89 mins).

And, in the second added minute, Grimshaw almost scored with a well-struck half-volley which was diverted off a defender and eventually was cleared for a corner. After some four added minutes, the final whistle sounded to signal Alty's first win in the FA Cup for four years, their first away clean-sheet since the 2010-11 season and a place in the third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup which also earned them some handy prize-money, which Eric Gilchrist will probably claim!