Match Report

REFEREE: Mr Neil Hair (Peterborough)

ATTENDANCE: 572

Duncan Watmore returned to replace the suspended Simon Richman. Corby gave a debut to former Alty loanee, Carl Piergianni, at left-back.

BACKGROUND:

Altrincham were in their aquamarine away kit whilst Corby played in their away, pink, kit to mark the dedication of the day to the Breakthrough breast cancer charity. Alty arrived unbeaten in their last seven games as they continued a sequence of travelling which will see them complete a run of seven out of eight games away from home when they visit Boston next week.

LINE-UPS:

CORBY TOWN (Pink): 1. Paul Walker, 2. Jack Evans, 3. Carl Piergianni, 4. Paul Malone, 5. Stefan Galinski, 6. Tom McGowan, 7. Ryan Semple, 8. Nathaniel Wedderburn, 9. Leon McKenzie (capt), 10. Sam Ives, 11. Josh Moreman. Subs; 12. Patrick Briand, 14. Lewis Webb, 15. Liam Richardson, 16. Avelino Vieira, 17. Greg Kaziboni. ALTRINCHAM (Aquamarine shirts, grey shorts & aquamarine socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Carl RODGERS, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Danny HALL, 7. Duncan WATMORE, 8. Jake MOULT, 9. James LAWRIE, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs: 12. Scott LEATHER, 14. Patrick LACEY, 15. Ryan BROOKE, 16. Danny MITCHLEY, 18. Jamie GREYGOOSE

After a minute's appreciation for the missing Welsh girl, April Jones, Altrincham kicked off the game. Following an Alty throw, Watmore dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box (2 mins). Next, fine work by Reeves allowed him to ge to the byline but Moult's resulting shot was blocked.

Altrincham were setting the early pace but it needed a good Densmore tackle to stop a Corby probe. Soon after Reeves had been closed down after breaking free up the middle, Jake Moult got into the box and as he went round the keeper, he was brought down by Walker, who was shown a yellow card, presumably because Moult was heading across rather than forward through the box.

But for the third time this season, Reeves missed his spot kick, Walker diving to his right to push the ball out for a corner (7 mins). Next, a McGowan shot was saved by Coburn, who then also held a Semple shot from right of goal.

After Clee had danced past two men on the Alty left he got into the box where he was upended by Evans and a second penalty was awarded, with no yellow card this time against the offender (11 mins). This time, Matt Doughty, a dependable penalty-taker in his previous spell at Moss Lane, took the spot kick and scored emphatically (12 mins).

The next few minutes witnessed little incident until Corby's most dangerous player, left-winger Moreman, fired a shot just wide from 25 yards (19 mins). Almost immediately Lawrie went equally close with a shot from the same distance, following a Densmore throw.

Watmore was causing Corby problems on the Alty right and an impressive run by the teenager allowed Lawrie to adavnce but he was blocked as he tried to get in a shot (21 mins). Alty were now playing well as Piergianni halted another Watmore run; then Reeves netted but was judged offside from a Lawrie feed (23 mins).

From a Lawrie corner, Hall's header hit a defender on the line but Alty's number six was penalised. Next, a Densmore long shot won the visitors a corner on the right. Clee's corner was not his best but the ball came out to Watmore who drove in a good shot, which Walker parried, only for Reeves to score at the back post (27 mins).

Alty's defence was looking solid as Corby struggled to get a toehold in the game. But Watmore continued to torment the Steelmen as he now beat two men before being blocked. But there was no stopping him in the 31st minute when he stepped inside from the right, beat his man and curled a shot from 20 yards into the top of the net to make it 3-0 (31 mins).

Altrincham were now totally in control with only Moreman looking to be a danger to the Robins' back line. At the other end, Clee got past McGowan but his cross narrowly evaded Lawrie. The pressure continued as Doughty won a corner on the left; but Piergianni cleared this.

Another impressive Alty move ended with a goalbound Clee shot blocked but the ball came out to MOult. From Moult's shot, left of goal, the keeper could not hold the ball and it squirmed past him into the net to make it 4-0 (39 mins). And a minute later it was 5-0 as Lawrie put Reeves clear up the middle and he netted his second of the match (40 mins).

Altrincham continued to look a danger with every attack but, just before the break, Havern was booked for a foul on Moreman (44 mins). The Corby freekick was blasted over the bar, wastefully. In the second of the two added minutes a Moreman run ended with a shot which was well saved by Coburn, as rain started to fall.

So, half-time arrived with Altrincham having played their best football of the season, with everyone contributing, from the solid defence, through the impressive midfield to the vibrant attack.

Alty supporters spent the interval admiring their team's excellent performance yet also recalling the game at Gainsborough where a 4-0 interval lead was followed by a second half in which the opposition pressed for 45 minutes and got two goals back.

A Corby substitution was made at the break as they took Semple off and brought Vieira on. The half started with Corby going forward but Moreman's shot, wide, from 35 yards was the only threat in the early stages (49 mins). Then Reeves fired across goal from the right after getting free from the defence yet again.

Vieira was looking lively and he soon won a Corby corner but this was cleared by Havern. For Alty Lawrie headed home but was ruled offside before a Rodgers ball was relayed to Reeves, whose shot won a corner on the right. Taken by Clee, this went to the keeper.

When Havern had to concede a corner to Town, Piergianni headed it into the net from close range after Malone had nodded it back from beyond the back post, so it was now 1-5.

The match was now more of an even contest than in the first half and the Steelmen gained another corner after Hall passed the ball without looking to an opponent. As the corner was conceded, Clee and Evans clashed heads and the Alty man came off the worse but was able to resume after treatment (60 mins).

In the 64th minute Scott Leather came on for Doughty, following which a good Reeves cross found Clee, whose right foot shot was beaten out. For Corby, a Moreman cross/shot cleared the Alty bar from the left following a McKenzie long-ball feed. Next, a well directed ball from Leather just evaded Lawrie.

Though playing better in this half, Corby were still prone to mis-passing.

An excellent through ball from Havern put Reeves through but his advance was blocked; the ball came to Watmore who miskicked his shot to the keeper. Altrincham looked fairly comfortable at this stage as they cleared a Corby corner (74 mins). Just after a 25-yarder from Ives had gone comfortably wide, Alty took Reeves off and Mitchley came on (75 mins).

Rodgers now fed Watmore who won a corner, before a double substituion by Corby saw Richardson on for McGowan and Kazinoni for McKenzie. After this a poor clearing header to Kazinoni allowed the sub a shot which forced a good save from Coburn.

In the 81st minute, Lacey replaced Moult in midfield. Alty now had Mitchley and Watmore up front with Lawrie on the right and Clee on the left. A freekick for a foul on Mitchley, as he and Watmore broke free, came to nothing before Clee's pass found Mitchley, who fired well over from 25 yards (83 mins).

Freekicks followed for a foul on Leather and when Evans was very late making a challenge on Mitchley. As Alty looked comfortable, Watmore went down for treatment and was taken off, leaving his side with ten men (90 mins).

In the first of the two added minutes Kazinoni scored with a well struck effort from the edge of the box. Moments later the final whistle sounded as Alty recorded their eighth successive unbeaten game. After as good a first half performance as the team has produced for a year or two, the second half was something of an anti-climax.