Match Report


ALTRINCHAM (1) 2 GLOUCESTER CITY (0) 0

Skrill North match
played on Tuesday, 24 September 2013, at 7.45pm


SUMMARY

After a lively and fairly well balanced first half, Altrincham gained a narrow but deserved lead thanks to Simon Richman's close range goal. This arrived after Densmore had advanced on the right and Walshaw's shot had not been held by keeper Green.

Three minutes after the break Smikle scored a fine goal off the crossbar following an Alty corner, to make it 2-0. Walshaw spooned a chance over the bar from 3 yards but Altrincham could not add to their score, whilst City forced one serious save from Coburn late in the game.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr A Tankard
ATTENDANCE: 626
TEAM NEWS

Alty were again without Danny Boshell (groin) but Jake Moult was also sidelined by a "dead leg". Damian Reeves was named on the bench whilst youth team centre back Derek Ubah got his first taste of first team action. Brian Smikle came into the starting eleven as did James Walshaw. Gloucester strker Darren Edwards was only fit to be named on the bench.


LINE-UPS:

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. Brian SMIKLE, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Kyle PERRY, 10. James WALSHAW, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs 12. Rob GILROY, 14. James LAWRIE, 15. Damian REEVES, 16. Derek UBAH, 18. Adam REID.

GLOUCESTER CITY (Yellow and black striped shirts, black shorts and socks) 1. Michael Green, 2. Mike Green, 3. Sam Rawlings, 4. Matt Coupe, 5. Jack Harris, 6. Tyler Weir, 7. Lewis Hogg, 8. Darren Mullings, 9. Will Morford, 10. James Edge, 11. Matt Groves. Subs: 12. Nathan Phillips, 14. Darren Edwards, 15. Scott Wilson, 16. Sam Turl, 17. Joe Parker.


BACKGROUND:

Altrincham had not won either of their two previous games so manager Lee Sinnott had announced that he was looking for a "reaction" from the players.

Only five clubs in the division are further away from Altrincham than Gloucester City so it was surprising that they had been dealt this long midweek trip, just as Alty had, in reverse, last season in February.


REPORT

City kicked off towards the small number of their supporters who had valiantly made the long evening trip from Gloucestershire. Altrincham started brightly with Clee and Doughty much in evidence. An offside piece slowed the tempo down before Walshaw was blocked as he shot and then Perry fired just over the bar (4 mins).

After a Clee cross had located Smikle, following a good build up, Alty were again caught offside. At the other end, a good Weir cross from the right was headed just wide by Morford (7 mins). Clee was soon threatening again and now his cross led to a failed handball appeal. But the game was reasonably even as it passed the ten-minute mark.

Clee was once more the provider as he fed Walshaw, who was stopped by a defender. After 18 minutes Rodgers put Smikle through but his low shot was saved by the advancing keeper, Green. Altrincham were having slightly the better of things but they had created no clear chances yet. Next, Perry located Walshaw who turned in a full circle but could not get his shot away.

Then Gloucester threatened as Groves got round Doughty and his cross from the right was headed inches wide by Mullings (23 mins). When Clee was put through by a nod-on by Perry, Gloucester stifled the danger. Rodgers was then penalised twice in quick succession, the second offence earning him a talking-to from Mr. Tankard (26 mins).

It remained a well-balanced match but then Densmore did well on the right to find Walshaw. His shot was parried by Green but the loose ball fell for Simon Richman who netted his second goal of the season from close range (28 mins). Immediately, another good Alty move involving Densmore came to an end with a Clee feed from the left to Perry, but he shot disappointingly wide.

When Clee and then Walshaw were tripped in successive challenges, Alty gained a freekick on the front edge of the City box but Walshaw drove the dead ball into the defensive wall (31 mins). Next a long ball reached Walshaw but he shot across goal, as Morford returned to the game after a brief absence for treatment (35 mins).

After this Smikle did well at the byline before, at the other end, Mullins's wild shot went high and wide, as did a Perry effort from Walshaw's feed. Nearing half time a fine shot from 22 yards by Walshaw won a corner off the keeper's save. Finally just before the end of added time, keeper Green just manage to kick clear as Walshaw threatened to reach Clee's pass.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 GLOUCESTER CITY 0

After Alty had kicked off, they won an early freekick on halfway which led to a corner on their right. This was punched out by Green but came out to Smikle who, from 20 yards centrally, hit a great shot into the net off the underside of the bar to make it 2-0 (48 mins). Immediately, Parker replaced full-back Green for the visitors.

The next ten minutes were fairly uneventful and, at times, scrappy. But then as the hour approached Groves's shot won Gloucester a corner. After this the ref booked Rodgers for a sliding tackle (61 mins).

Things got better as Clee launched a solitary counter attack and tried to lob the keeper from 40 yards but he aimed too high (62 mins). Next, Perry turned well but saw his shot blocked, before Clee won a corner on the left. From this Havern, 25 today, saw first a header then a shot blocked, before the ball ran to Walshaw who hooked over the bar from roughly three yards! City made another change as Wilson replaced Hogg (65 mins).

After this, a Perry nod got Smikle behind the defence but he shot over the bar (66 mins). Two minutes later Perry went on a run but hesitated and lost the ball. But Gloucester now got in their best effort of the night as Coburn had to beat out a shot from the right.

With 20 minutes left, Lawrie came on for Clee for Alty and Turl replaced Edge for City, who now had a good spell. When a through ball threatened to get Smikle free, Rawlings cut it out with what looked like deliberate handball but he escaped censure (75 mins). Next Perry won a corner before, at the other end, Turl was just wide from a Wilson feed.

Altrincham threatened again when Rodgers had a shot blocked before Walshaw got to the byline and his cross rolled across the face of goal. After Walshaw had won a freekick against Weir, 30 yards out, Densmore winded a man in the wall.

After 83 minutes Reeves came on for Perry. Moments later a Walshaw through ball hit the heel of Reeves. Havern's birthday was spoiled when he was booked for kicking the ball away after a freekick had been awarded near half way. Four minutes from the end of normal time, Smikle won a corner and then Reeves played in Walshaw, who was halted, as Altrincham kept the pressure on.

After Lawrie had got to the byline, Reeves fed Walshaw, whose shot was saved. In the four added minutes an Alty corner was cleared before a great Lawrie jink got him into the box and Smikle won a corner. But the game ended without further score. Altrincham were deserved winners against a Gloucester side who lacked a cutting edge.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 GLOUCESTER CITY 0