Match Report


FC HALIFAX TOWN (3) 3 ALTRINCHAM (2) 4

BSBN Match
played on Saturday, 6 April 2013, at 3pm


SUMMARY

An excellent second-half performance from Altrincham saw them record a magnificent win after trailing 3-2 at the interval. Halifax dominated the opening half hour and took the lead after 23 minutes when substitute Titchener was allowed to proceed after Alty claims for a foul were ignored. Altrincham gradually improved and equalised after 33 minutes when an excellent passing move up the middle of the pitch ended with Reeves tapping in from Watmore's feed. Town claimed vainly for offside.

Alty then took the lead after Watmore got free and fed Richman (40 mins). But the Robins seemed to have thrown the game away when they conceded twice before the break. McManus levelled after 42 minutes before a poor back pass led to Coburn losing the ball, wide right of his goal. From an acute angle, Titchener made it 3-2 (45 mins).

But Watmore laid on another for Richman (56 mins) before Reeves clinched it with a 69th minute goal. Halifax tried to get back in the closing stages but Alty had dominated the half and rode out an excessive six minutes of injury time to consolidate a play-off position.


SCORERS:

  • 23 mins: Alex TITCHENER (FC Halifax Town 1 ALTRINCHAM 0)
  • 33 mins: Damian REEVES (FC Halifax Town 1 ALTRINCHAM 1)
  • 40 mins: Simon RICHMAN (FC Halifax Town 1 ALTRINCHAM 2)
  • 42 mins: Scott McMANUS (FC Halifax Town 2 ALTRINCHAM 2)
  • 45 mins: Alex TITCHENER (FC Halifax Town 3 ALTRINCHAM 2)
  • 56 mins: Simon RICHMAN (FC Halifax Town 3 ALTRINCHAM 3)
  • 69 mins: Damian REEVES (FC Halifax Town 3 ALTRINCHAM 4)


    REFEREE: Mr Dexter


    ATTENDANCE: 1,435


    TEAM NEWS

    James Lawrie was out, having cuaght the same bug that has afflicted Nicky Clee and Pat Lacey. Into the squad came youth team defender Alex Weatherby.


    LINE-UPS:

    FC HALIFAX TOWN (Blue and white): 1. Matt Glennon, 2. Ryan Toulson, 3. Scott McManus, 4. Matty Pearson, 5. Liam Needham, 6. Danny Lowe, 7. Chris Worsley, 8. Sean Williams, 9. Adriano Moke, 10. Danny Gardner, 11. Lee Gregory. Subs: 12. Phil Senior, 14. James Knowles, 15. Alex Titchener, 16. Jason St Juste, 17. Adam Jackson

    ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, red shorts and socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 3. Scott LEATHER, 4. Carl RODGERS, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Danny HALL, 7. Simon RICHMAN, 8. Danny BOSHELL, 9. Duncan WATMORE, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs: 12. Matt DOUGHTY, 14. Jake MOULT, 15. Ryan BROOKE, 16. Alex WEATHERBY, 18. Tony McMILLAN (gk)


    BACKGROUND:

    Though the sides had yet to meet in the BSBN, Halifax had beaten Alty 5-2 at The Shay earlier in the season in the FA Trophy. They started the game fourth with Altrincham fifth, but the Shaymen had three games in hand.


    REPORT

    After changing ends, Town kicked off and had the better of the opening stages. Apart from a long ball forward from Hall, play was almost entirely in the visitors' half. After a Boshell clearance led to him being fouled, Coburn's freekick was delayed as Town's Gregory needed treatment to a facial injury. He went off and after treatment on the sidelines a substitute was readied.

    The ninth minute witnessed Alty's first shot as Boshell's effort was saved from 25 yards. But Town were on top as, for the second time, Gardner was allowed to cut in from left and shoot just wide, with Alty standing off him.

    A Rodgers header from a Leather cross barely troubled Glennon as he caught it comfortably (13 mins). Then, after Boshell had lost the ball, Halifax gained a freekick on the front edge of Alty’s box. Now, Titchener came on for Gregory (14 mins). Gardner put his freekick well over the bar; he had looked a danger but his three shots had all been off target, so far.

    Alty continued to make unforced errors but were now saved by a mis-pass from Halifax. Both Moke and Gardner were being allowed to cut in without challenges as, next, an offside saved Altrincham.

    With Alty no threat to their goal, Halifax's Needham got forward for a 30 yard shot, which Coburn got at the second attempt (20 mins). But then Halifax scored as Titchener got behind Hall and the goal stood despite Alty protests at a foul in the build up (23 mins).

    After this, Williams was allowed to shoot but he aimed wide. Then, after Reeves had been upended, a Town counter attack up their right ended with Titchener shooting just wide with a near post flick (25 mins). Mr. Dexter set his pattern for leniency when Lowe tripped Watmore in full flight but did not receive a card.

    A great ball forward from Densmore got Reeves free behind the back line of defence but he dragged his shot across goal and well wide of goal. But the move seemed to lift Altrincham who now started to get forward with a bit more purpose. But it took an impressive half dozen first-time passes up the middle of the pitch to produce an equalizer, the final component of which saw Watmore get free but he was driven left of goal. However, he was able to play the ball back inside to Reeves who netted from close range (33 mins). But Watmore was not to be denied and a few minutes later he again got clear of Town's defence and fed Simon Richman for a straightforward, close-range chance, which he converted confidently to give Altrincham a lead which had seemed unlikely fewer than ten minutes earlier (40 mins).

    When Alty lost at The Shay earlier this season in the FA Trophy, they had led 1-0 before conceding three times in a crazy four minutes before the interval. And it almost happened again as Halifax scored twice before the interval. The Halifax equalizer arrived after a corner, from which Shaun Densmore headed off the line. But the ball came back and McManus drove the ball past Coburn (42 mins).

    But with the interval in sight Alty conceded a dreadful goal. The ball was being played unconvincingly across the back line when it came to Densmore, 20 yards out, who misdirected a back pass into a space which bisected Coburn and the corner flag. The keeper got to it before the chasing Titchener but elected to try and touch it past the forward rather than put his foot through it. Titchener gained possession and from the acutest of angles, got the ball into the net off the far post (45 mins). It looked as if Alty had thrown the game away.


    Half-Time: FC HALIFAX TOWN 3 ALTRINCHAM 2

    Half-time probably made an interesting experience for those in the Alty dressing room after their disastrous end to the first 45 minutes. Both sides made a change with Halifax replacing Gardner by St Juste, who had caused Alty a lot of trouble in the FA Trophy match earlier in the season, whilst Altrincham took off Hall as Doughty came on (46 mins). Scott Leather moved to centre-back as "Buzz" slotted in at left-back.

    An early foul on Clee, 35 yards out on the left, led to a Doughty freekick, which was cleared (48 mins). Then a perceptive through ball from Clee set Watmore free but his first touch was too heavy. Referee Dexter, who had officiated when Alty lost at Histon this season, continued to make decisions which upset the Altrincham supporters but it was Alty who now had the forward momentum.

    Altrincham got level after 56 minutes when Clee again fed Watmore, setting him clear in the box, left of centre. Though Glennon parried his shot to his left, it ran for Richman who scored his second close-range goal of the match to make it 3-3.

    The goal was enriched by news that play-off rivals Harrogate and Gainsborough were both losing. Watmore gathered the ball and got into the box before going down under a challenge. Mr. Dexter made motions to the effect that the tackler had got the ball and waved away the Alty penalty appeals (63 mins).

    Given what had gone on before, it came as no surprise that, when Boshell was taken out very late by Moke, the colour of card shown to the offender was only yellow. After a brief stoppage for treatment to Havern, Altrincham continued to dominate the second half.

    Mr. Dexter then booked Halifax's Worsley. Shortly after this Watmore dispossessed an opponent on the right wing and fed Reeves who strode on to score his fortieth goal of the season - for the second successive season. So, Alty now led 4-3 after 69 minutes.

    A heavy foul on Clee by Rochdale loanee Pearson brought a predictable yellow card from Mr. Dexter and Clee was helped off but was able to return soon afterwards. Halifax now introduced Knowles for Williams (73 mins).

    Next it was Reeves's turn to be felled but no freekick followed, as the away fans gave excellent support to their team. The booked Pearson now committed another foul and after the freekick for this the same player kicked Leather in the face as the defender headed the ball.

    With the game entering the final ten minutes, Halifax finally got forward to some effect after spending much of the second period in their own half. Two successive Halifax corners were dealt with before Boshell was replaced in midfield by Jake Moult (85 mins). Moments later Clee went off, too, with Ryan Brooke coming on (86 mins).

    Doughty and then Leather saw off successive attacks before Titchener shot wide from 20 yards. Another foul by the booked Pearson still did not prompt a second card and referee Dexter then decided the game need an additional six minutes. He was able to find his card to book Doughty for a push in the second added minute but had apparently lost it again when Pearson, yet again, fouled an Altrincham player shortly afterwards.

    In the final minute of added time, Havern made an important block to concede a corner but this was cleared. So an impressive second half performance had given Altrincham a vital three points. There were good performances all over the pitch with, notably, Watmore laying on all four goals, Richman impressing in midfield and Havern and Leather giving excellent performances in the back line. The stiff tests continue as Alty travel to Guiseley next Thursday but a place in the play-offs has become more tangible after today's success.


    Full-Time: FC HALIFAX TOWN 3 ALTRINCHAM 4