Match Report


COLWYN BAY (0) 0 ALTRINCHAM (1) 2
MATCH ABANDONED AFTER 81 MINUTES

FA Trophy 3QR
played on Saturday, 16 November 2013, at 3pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham gained a 24th minute lead when Walshaw converted a low cross from the left. But in the build up to the goal Bay felt Richman had committed a foul, which was not given. Richman had been lucky only to see yellow for an earlier challenge which ended in Bay's on loan marksman Royle leaving the game on a stretcher.

The referee left the field at half time to a chorus of home supporters' booing. Alty had the better of the second half and went 2-0 up through Wilkinson's shot from the edge of the box after 66 minutes. Inside the final ten minutes play halted as referee Ackerman suffered a leg injury. Chaos ensued as arguments went on on the pitch. The match was then abandoned at a time which was 17 minutes beyond the expected 90. It was belatedly announced to spectators that the FA will have to sort out the outcome of the game.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Ackerman (Manchester)
ATTENDANCE: 351
TEAM NEWS

James Lawrie was only fit enough for the bench after his ankle injury but goalkeeper Adam Reid had returned from loan to join him as a substitute. Alty's starting eleven was unchanged from the game at Bradford. Colwyn Bay had Marc Williams cup tied.


LINE-UPS:

COLWYN BAY (Sky blue & claret) 1. Christopher Sanna, 2. Danny Taylor, 3. Michael Lea, 4 Danny Meadowcroft, 5. Tom Smyth, 6. Jamie Crowther, 7. Gareth Evans, 8. Jonathan Royle, 9. Rob Hopley, 10. 10.Sean Williams, 11. Cameron Darkwah. Subs: 13. Louis Moss, 14. Ed Moss, 15. Charlie Joyce, 16. James Ellison, 17. Jamie Matthews.

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shorts, red shorts and socks) 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE (capt), 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 4. Jake MOULT, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Scott LEATHER, 7. Greg WILKINSON, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. James WALSHAW, 10. Damian REEVES, 11. Nicky CLEE. Subs: 12. Carl RODGERS, 14. Junior SMIKLE, 15. James LAWRIE, 16. Kyle PERRY, 18. Adam REID


BACKGROUND:

Mike Garnett summarises the previous meetings between Altrincham and Colwyn Bay...


REPORT

After a minute's applause for a recently deceased Colwyn Bay fan, Alty kicked off, attacking the clubhouse end of the ground. The first excitement came in the third minute as an impressive run up the left by Darkwah was finally halted.

After five minutes, a Reeves lay off led to Clee firing an effort narrowly over the bar. By now Altrincham were getting on top and Bay soon needed to scramble the ball clear from Reeves. An Altrincham corner came and went but it now took a last ditch tackle by Leather to save Alty as the offside flag stayed down (10 mins).

Simon Richman was only playing today after his red card against Hednesford had been rescinded in midweek but he now ran the risk of another dismissal with a late challenge which put Royle out of the game and earned him a yellow card (11 mins). After hobbling to the touchline, the Wrexham loanee was stretchered off the field of play.

After 15 minutes, Joyce came on for Royle. Play continued fairly uneventfully till a Doughty cross found Reeves, who swivelled and shot but the ball was diverted to Wilkinson, who fired well over the bar (21 mins).

With Colwyn Bay appealing for a foul by Richman, Alty played on and attacked up the left, where Wilkinson fed Doughty and, via Reeves, a low cross found Walshaw, who slotted the ball into the net (24 mins).

Bay responded by winning two corners in succession and, from the second of these, Crowther nodded over the bar. Next, Leather's foul on Williams gave the Welshmen a freekick on the edge of the Altrincham box. But Williams blasted this over the bar.

After an Altrincham freekick had come to nothing, Darkwah raced into the box and went down under a challenge but, to the annoyance of the home fans only a corner was given, which Coburn punched clear (31 mins).

Havern now stemmed a Bay attack before a Clee swerving shot was beaten out by Sanna who then gathered the ball. After Clee had fouled Williams, a freekick 30 yards out led to some Bay pressure.

This was relieved as Walshaw won a freekick, which was soon followed by another, on the right touchline, taken by Clee but punched out by Sanna (37 mins).

Alty now enjoyed some dominance as, firstly, Moult won the ball and set Reeves on a menacing run, which ended in a Bay goalkick. Next, Clee fed Walshaw, whose early shot from 35 yards had Sanna scrambling as it went past the post to his left (41 mins).

On a counter-attack from midfield, an Evans shot hit Leather, prompting the home crowd to call optimistically for a penalty for handball, which was not given. As the game went into added time, Walshaw was booked for pushing an opponent over (45 mins). Now Bay pressed and won a corner on the right. After this Alty countered and Reeves won Alty a corner on the left before the interval arrived.


Half-Time: COLWYN BAY 0 ALTRINCHAM 1

Clee won an early corner from Reeves's feed (47 mins) before a Lea error gave Alty a throw, which led to a half chance for Walshaw.

At the other end, a Smyth long throw was punched away before Bay hit a freekick, 27 yards out centrally, into the wall.

After 54 minutes, Ellison came on for Crowther. There was then a bit of a mix up between Sanna and a defender, which left the Bay keeper out of his box but the danger was cleared.

Good work from Leather prompted a Clee run as Alty had the better of game without fashioning chances, until Havern located Walshaw, who shot just wide (60 mins). Next, Walshaw won a corner on the right after which Densmore and Clee combined for Alty's captain to win another corner, soon to be followed by another.

A rare Havern error allowed Ellison to get the ball and this led to a ball from the left, which was poked just over the bar by Bay (63 mins)

Wilkinson did well to keep a pass in play on the right and, after an exchange of passes between Reeves and Walshaw, the ball came back to Wilkinson, who scored from the edge of the box, making it 2-0 for the visitors (66 mins).

After 70 minutes, Matthews came on for Meadowcroft before Walshaw won a freekick on the left. Next, Richman shot wide under pressure but, after 76 minutes, a misplaced pass from Clee allowed Bay to break and win a corner (76 mins)

with Altrincham comfortable with their 2-0 lead, Mr Ackerman stopped play before going down injured with the home crowd delighted as they had not been happy with his performance (81 mins). He hobbled off the pitch two minutes later which prompted 24 minutes of chaos as discussions took place on the pitch. a tannoy announcement called for a volunteer referee and, seemingly, one came forward but he was not acceptable to Colwyn Bay.

All this went on without the crowd knowing what on earth was happening. Finally, 17 minutes after what should have been the conclusion of the ninety minutes a shrill blast of the whistle ended the proceedings. A tannoy announcement said that the game's outcome would now be determined by the FA, without explaining why this would be the case.

Pending that decision, provisional plans are being made for a return trek to Colwyn Bay next Tuesday evening.

Footnote: Without giving their reasons, the FA ordered a replay on 18 November 2013


Full-Time: COLWYN BAY 0 ALTRINCHAM 2 abandoned