Match Report

NORTH FERRIBY UNITED (1) 2 ALTRINCHAM (0) 1

Skrill North match
played on Saturday, 21 September 2013, at 3pm

SUMMARY

A lacklustre first half show from Altrincham saw them fall behind in the 29th minute when Densmore was unable to clear and King fed Jarman for a goal from 20 yards.

Jarman added a second four minutes after the interval as NFU exchanged passes effectively. After finally bringing on Lawrie and Walshaw, Alty got a goal back through a Havern header which Walshaw knocked over the line (77 mins). Alty pressed in the final stages but had left it too late.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr I Turner
ATTENDANCE: 420
TEAM NEWS

Alty were without Danny Boshell (groin) so Rob Gilroy joined the squad. As the teams emerged it became clear that Kyle Perry, who was replacing James Walshaw, was sporting a newly grown beard, whilst in midfield, Carl Rodgers came in for Boshell.

Danny Hone was injured on Tuesday night so missed this match for NFU.

LINE-UPS:

NORTH FERRIBY UNITED (Green and white) 1. Adam Nicklin, 2. Paul Robson, 3. Nathan Peat, 4. Liam King, 5. Matt Wilson (capt), 6. Gregg Anderson, 7. Danny Clarke, 8. Russell Fry, 9. Nathan Jarman, 10. Ryan Kendall, 11. Jamie Yates. Subs: 12. Sam Belcher, 14. Antoni Pecora, 15. Jonathan D'Laryea, 16. Dean Lisles, 17. Ben Hunter.

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white stripes, red shorts and socks) 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Carl RODGERS, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Scott LEATHER, 7. Simon RICHMAN, 8.Jake MOULT, 9. Kyle PERRY, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs: 14. Brian SMIKLE, 15. James LAWRIE, 16. James WALSHAW, 17. Rob GILROY, 18. Adam REID

BACKGROUND:

Altrincham and NFU had met only once previously, when the Yorkshiremen had won 3-2 in an FA Trophy match on Humberside in 2002. The stadium was little changed since our previous visit, with half of one side comprising seating, the other side being the clubhouse and a small terrace.

REPORT

NFU kicked off, looking to retain their 100% home record whilst Altrincham were defending a 100% away record, so something had to give today. The opening stages were fairly uneventful until Stuart Coburn was almost caught in no man's land but Anderson's header was finally nodded weakly to the Altrincham goalkeeper (4 mins).

When Densmore conceded a foul, he also injured himself and needed protracted attention to his hand. Whilst their captain was off the pitch having treatment, Richman and Reeves combined to win a corner on the right (9 mins). Altrincham then went close as, from a Richman lay off, Moult's measured shot from 20 yards hit the bar and Reeves headed the rebound over the bar (12 mins).

The flow of the game was interrupted by fouls as the first half meandered past its midway point. Neither keeper was being tested in what was not a particularly good advert for a clash between two teams near the top of the Skrill North. Next, a Reeves half volley flew miles over the bar and then a Clee freekick was struck into the defensive wall but that was about as good as it got (27 mins).

However, when Perry was held but no foul given, Ferriby broke forward. Densmore half cleared on the front edge of the box but the ball fell to former Alty loanee, Liam King, whose pass found Jarman. The former Chester man drove a low shot into the net from 18 yards out, just left of centre, to make it 1-0 (29 mins).

Three minutes later, from a Robson cross, Jarman headed just over the bar as the hosts took charge of proceedings. Altrincham suffered a second injury blow when Moult had to leave the field for a facial blood injury (37 mins). He reappeared three minutes afterwards with the numberless blood shirt on his back.

Half-time arrived with Alty not having got going at all against an organised Ferriby side. After blowing for the interval the referee called over Densmore and Doughty for words, before leaving the pitch.

Half-Time: NORTH FERRIBY UNITED 1 ALTRINCHAM 0

Jake Moult appeared for the second half with a head bandage in place, and with Shaun Densmore's hand also bandaged following his first-half injury, Alty bore a distinctly patched-up appearance.

After an uneventful start to the second half, NFU doubled their lead in the 49th minute. An interchange of three or four passes on the front edge of the box ended with Jarman being put clear. He drove the ball past Coburn from 15 yards, left of centre, to make it 2-0.

There was no fluency at all to Alty's play as hopeful balls forward continued to be played to little effect (53 mins). Up front, Perry continued to be outfought in aerial duels and was able to provide little service for Reeves, whilst Alty's midfield had not been allowed to play a passing game and, too often, had lost possession cheaply or resorted to hopeful lobs upfield.

With neither side looking like creating a clear chance, never mind a goal, Walshaw was being preparing to come on as the hour mark arrived, but no change was to be made at this stage.

Just after Reeves had recovered from treatment, a through ball rebounded fortunately into his path and he got one-on-one against Nicklin. The keeper did enough to block Reeves and, with defensive help, the chance was gone (63 mins). But it was by some distance the nearest Alty had come to unlocking the NFU defence.

When Alty finally made a change, in the 69th minute, it was Lawrie not Walshaw who came on, with Doughty the man removed. Clee dropped to left-back. Next, after Perry felt he had been fouled, play went on and the striker's subsequent complaints earned him a lecture from the referee (71 mins).

Alty's frustration was soon in evidence again as Richman lost his composure and got booked (73 mins). Alty now conceded a freekick on the front edge of their box, from which Fry's shot narrowly cleared the bar.

Walshaw finally joined the game after 75 minutes but, surprisingly, he replaced Reeves. Immediately he and Lawrie won a corner. As the ball came over from the corner, Walshaw seemed to be brought down but no penalty was awarded (76 mins). However, a second corner followed and, following this, a ball to the back post was headed goalwards by Havern and it was knocked over the line by Walshaw (77 mins).

The goal signalled a belated upturn in Altrincham's performance as, now, a Clee cross led to a Perry header, which was blocked. With 10 minutes left NFU introduced d'Laryea for Yates.

Alty now won a corner, from a good Densmore run, but from the flag-kick, the ball ran off Rodgers for a goalkick. Next, a NFU defensive header conceded another corner, followed by a Moult shot which earned a further corner (86 mins). But although Altrincham were now pressing forwards, they were creating no clear openings despite Havern pushing forward.

In the three added minutes after the ninety, Perry was put clear but his shot was blocked for another corner. But Altrincham had left it far too late to grab an equalizer and over the ninety minutes they could have few complaints at the defeat.

Full-Time: NORTH FERRIBY UNITED 2 ALTRINCHAM 1
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