Match Report

COLWYN BAY (1) 1 ALTRINCHAM (2) 3

Skrill North match
played on Saturday, 29 March 2014, at 3pm

SUMMARY

After taking a 2-0 lead, Altrincham allowed Colwyn Bay back into the game and the hosts enjoyed plenty of the ball before a superb Nicky Clee freekick secured the points.

Altrincham took a fifth-minute lead when a superb ball from Rodgers found Densmore, who set up Reeves for a close range strike. When a patient build-up concluded with Clee feeding Walshaw, who scored from left of goal, it looked like the game was secure after just 26 minutes.

But, three minutes later, Marc Williams got past Scott Leather, who otherwise had an outstanding game, on the Bay's right byline. From his cross, Rob Hopley tapped in to make it 2-1. The Bay had most of the attacking play in the second half but seven minutes from time, Marc Williams lunged in on Lawrie in midfield and the referee instantly produced a red card for the Welshman.

Just three minutes later Nicky Clee put a 30-yard freekick into the top corner to make it 3-1 and prompt some minor crowd trouble behind the goal. The win was made even more valuable by both Telford and Guiseley dropping points.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr M. Bristow
ATTENDANCE: 497
TEAM NEWS

Altrincham were unchanged from their win last Wednesday against Bradford PA, except on the bench, where Greg Wilkinson replaced goalkeeper Josh Samberg.

LINE-UPS:

COLWYN BAY

(Sky blue and maroon)		 1. Christopher Sanna, 2. Danny Taylor, 3. Anthony Stevens, 4. Jonathan Royle, 5. Tom Smyth, 6. Jamie Crowther, 7. Gareth Evans, 8. Sean Williams, 9. Rob Hopley, 10. Marc Williams, 11. James Ellison, Subs: 12. Josh Clarke, 14. Denislav Pilliner, 15. Jamie Tolley, 16. Theo Bailey-Jones, 17. Cameron Darkwah

ALTRINCHAM

(Red & white striped shirts, red shorts and socks) 		1. Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (capt), 3. Adam Griffin, 4. Carl Rodgers, 5. Gianluca Havern, 6. Scott Leather, 7. James Lawrie, 8. Simon Richman, 9. James Walshaw, 10. Damian Reeves, 11. Nicky Clee. Subs: 12. Tom Marshall, 14. Matt Doughty, 15. Jake Moult, 16. Kyle Perry, 17. Greg Wilkinson

BACKGROUND:

Before the Match

Mike Garnett's records reveal the record in all matches between Alty and Colwyn Bay

This Altrincham's third trip to Llanelian Road this season after the FA Trophy meeting had to be replayed because of the referee's injury. Coincidentally, Alty's most recent match at home was also subject to a referee suffering an injury but, in that case, the game was completed with a substitute official running the line.

REPORT

Soon after Bay had kicked off it took a fine block by Leather block to halt Ellison who had been allowed too much space on the Bay left wing (1 min). As the players tried to get to grips with a tricky, bobbly surface, it was Altrincham who took an early lead. An excellent defence-splitting ball from Rodgers to Densmore allowed the Alty captain to put the ball across the goalmouth where Reeves scored from close range (5 mins).

After a Havern foul, a freekick to Bay from 40 yards out came to nothing. Then Havern slipped on the difficult surface allowing Marc Williams a shot, which was deflected as it headed goalward. Fortunately, the diving Coburn was able to recover and push the ball out to his right for a corner (11 mins). A second corner followed immediately but Lawrie intercepted the corner-kick easily.

Another Bay corner soon arrived as Leather cleared a cross from the Bay left. This was again poorly taken. Soon Leather was impressing again as he cleared another Bay threat (16 mins). Alty did then get forward but the move ended in a wild cross from the left by Walshaw. However, Clee now won a freekick.

But then, once again, Ellison was allowed to get free, with Densmore upfield, and another corner resulted, which yet again was badly taken (22 mins). Though Bay had enjoyed more of the ball, they now succumbed to a second Altrincham goal. It came after a patient build-up through midfield, which culminated in Clee feeding Walshaw who scored confidently from left of goal to make it 2-0 (26 mins).

After this Walshaw won a corner on the left, from which a Havern effort was blocked and then cleared. But with the game seemingly in Alty's hands, Colwyn Bay scored. Marc Williams, brother of Alty's Mike, got round Leather near the right byline and from his cross, Hopley tapped the ball in to make it 2-1 (29 mins).

Smyth's crude push on Walshaw gave Altrincham a freekick 40 yards out, which earned him a lecture. Griffin's freekick was missed by Sanna but the ball just evaded Walshaw behind him. After Lawrie had lost possession, Bay shot wide as Alty again were pushed onto the back foot (33 mins).

The visitors did get forward to allow Lawrie a 25-yarder, which Sanna held comfortably (35 mins) and as half-time approached a Richman shot was saved after a Walshaw feed and a good build up (42 mins). Then a Lawrie cross was held by Sanna ahead of Walshaw (44 mins) before the half-time whistle sounded with no added time being played.

Half-Time: COLWYN BAY 1 ALTRINCHAM 2

After an early Hopley cross to Coburn, the keeper's long kick set Reeves free but he scuffed his shot to the Bay keeper (47 mins). After Evans had fouled Clee, 40 yards out, Lawrie's freekick went to Sanna.

A pass from Lawrie to Walshaw led to the latter's shot being saved comfortably before the busy Richman got in a shot to earn a corner, which Walshaw misheaded at the near post (52 mins). After Leather had conceded a freekick on Bay right, Coburn missed the freekick but Densmore hooked the ball away for a corner as Bay were about to score (55 mins).

Reeves now went close as he turned onto a Lawrie pass. Moments later Reeves picked up a first booking of the season for a foul on Smyth as the Bay defender saw the ball out for a goalkick (59 mins).

After Densmore had again cleared well, for a Bay corner, when Ellison was almost set free on the Bay left. Once again the flag-kick failed to get beyond the first Altrincham defender. But another Bay corner soon arrived, from a long throw (66 mins).

The hosts now took off Evans off and brought on Bailey-Jones. Bay were having the better of things as Leather cleared with Coburn caught in no man's land. Yet another Bay corner arrived, through Bailey-Jones, which was headed wide (71 mins). Now Darkwah replaced Ellison (71 mins).

On 72 minutes, Perry came on for Walshaw and three minutes later the big man won the ball well allowing Lawrie to get in a shot which went only just wide. Some good Griffin covering conceded another corner on the right to Bay after 78 minutes, after which Bailey-Jones struck an effort narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box, as Bay were still having the better of things.

Leather, who has having an impressive game, again did well and won a freekick in his own box. After 84 minutes, Coburn had to be alert to grab the ball as it came through a crowd of players.

When Marc Williams made a studs-up challenge on James Lawrie in central midfield, referee Bristow immediately produced a red card to reduce Bay to ten men (85 mins). When play resumed, Perry was fouled outside the Bay box. Clee struck a superb freekick into the top corner of Sanna's net to make it 3-1. This prompted some minor crowd trouble between some of the two sets of fans behind the goal (86 mins).

After 88 minutes, Moult replaced Reeves. But Bay won another corner when Coburn was judged to have carried the ball out of play, though a nudge from an opponent seemed to be the reason for this. In the final minute of normal time, Moult, fed by Lawrie up the middle, missed a sitter, spooning his shot over the bar. After some three minutes of added time the final whistle went to confirm Altrincham's third win over the Bay this season.

The Welshmen had battled well but it was Altrincham's clinical finishing which made the main difference, as they consolidated their third-place in the table.

Full-Time: COLWYN BAY 1 ALTRINCHAM 3
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