Match Report

ALTRINCHAM 0 BOSTON UNITED 0

Skrill North match
played on Tuesday, 1 April 2014, at 7.45pm

SUMMARY

Boston stopped Altrincham scoring for the first time at home this season but with different refereeing the visitors might have finished the game with nine men. Nicky Clee was put out of the game early on by a late lunge from Aujla and, also in the first half, James Walshaw was wrestled to the ground by last man Carl Piergianni but both offences only drew yellow cards from referee Jonathan Hunt. When Aujla later chopped down James Lawrie and Piergianni went on to commit several other offences, Boston somehow kept eleven men on the pitch.

In a game of few real chances, wasteful shooting from Altrincham did not help their cause.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Jonathan Hunt
ATTENDANCE: 650
TEAM NEWS

Altrincham were unchanged from their win at Colwyn Bay.

LINE-UPS:

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

BOSTON UNITED

(Amber and black)		 1. Lewis King, 2. Jamie McGhee, 3. Reece Steer, 4. Jay Dowie, 5. Scott Garner (capt), 6. Carl Piergianni, 7. Ben Milnes, 8. Indy Aujla, 9. Ricky Miller, 10. Spencer Weir-Daley, 11. Liam Agnew, Subs: 12. Stefan Galinski, 14. Andy Hewitt, 15. Ian Ross, 16. Ben Fairclough, 17. Marc Newsham

BACKGROUND:

Before the Match

Mike Garnett's records reveal the record in all matches between Alty and Boston United

Teams

REPORT

On a mild and sunny evening, Alty kicked off and the early tone was set by an immediate trip on Richman. Yet Boston manager Dennis Greene was soon getting at the referee for a supposed freekick not given to his side.

Boston's physical approach soon surfaced again as Aujla arrived very late on Clee, inside the Alty half (5 mins). Alty's player, just named Skrill North player of the month, needed several minutes’ treatment both on the pitch and off it before he could resume. But he was not last more than half an hour more. Aujla was rightly booked.

In the ninth minute, James Walshaw was clear on goal when former Alty loanee Carl Piergianni hauled him over to concede a freekick on the edge of the box. Though he was apparently the last man, only a yellow card was produced for a defender who is no stranger to the red variety.

The resulting Densmore freekick just cleared the bar as Boston's cynical approach paid dividends. At the other end, a 25-yard Agnew freekick was saved by a diving Coburn at full length (12 mins). Clee had now come back on but as the quarter of an hour mark passed, Altrincham had not been able to find their rhythm.

A smart Densmore cross, was now met by a Reeves header, which went onto the roof of the net. After an Alty throw, a Clee half-volley went wide. In the 20th minute Boston's Miller got clear but was offside. A minute later, Lawrie was fouled on the edge of the box as Alty had the better of play.

But then an Alty error let in Boston for a corner. The visitors looked a threat going forward but defences remained on top as the game past the half-hour mark. However, after 32 minutes Miller got free on the right and cut in. His shot was well stopped by Coburn before the ball was cleared (32 mins).

After 35 minutes the crocked Clee had to come off and he was replaced by Jake Moult (35 mins). Immediately Moult was introduced to the opponents' physicality as he was bundled over from behind. Just after this the booked Piergianni felled Reeves but apart from a freekick, escaped further punishment (36 mins).

There were then farcical scenes as the Boston wall refused to retreat to where Mr. Hunt had paced out the position. When he turned his back they came forward. Instead of booking one or more of the wall the official allowed the kick to be taken and Moult lifted his shot badly over the bar (38 mins).

Boston now won a corner off Rodgers (39 mins) but despite further pressing by Altrincham, half time arrived goalless.

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 BOSTON UNITED 0

A fairly quiet opening to the second half saw Altrincham's forward movements lacking a good tempo. Nine minutes into the half, Reeves advanced up the middle and was hauled back by the booked Piergianni. Given what had gone before it was no surprise that a freekick was the only punishment meted out.

Just three minutes later and Piergianni was penalised again, this time for a push. Moments afterwards Lawrie was fouled by the booked Aujla, as he crossed from the byline left of goal. Again the second yellow card remained firmly in the referee's pocket. To make it worse, Lawrie's freekick went along the ground and was easily cleared (58 mins).

Lawrie and then Havern were penalised in the next few minutes before a Walshaw cross gave Moult a chance which he blasted high over the bar (63 mins). Manager Greene now removed the booked Aujla in favour of Fairclough and he was roundly booed off the pitch for his destructive challenge on Clee (65 mins).

An Alty corner came and went before a Lawrie dribble was halted but an Alty corner on the left followed. The fouls continued as Richman advanced up the middle before being pushed over by Dowie (73 mins). Lawrie's 20-yard freekick was saved as Alty enjoyed some dominance. After this a Moult shot won another corner at which point Perry replaced Walshaw (76 mins). Alty’s wayward shooting continued as Lawrie shot over the bar.

Boston made a double change as Newsham and Gallinski came on for Weir-Daley and Milnes (77 mins). When Alty were caught on a counter-attack, Coburn beat out Miller's shot (79 mins). Nearly all of Alty's attacks were on their left.

An 82nd minute shot by Richman from 25 yards was stopped by King before Miller threatened at the other end. Five minutes from time, a Boston shot shaved the post after a good move. Four added minutes included more holding of Reeves by Piergianni but the referee did produce an added time yellow card for Alty's Carl Rodgers (90+2 mins).

After more than four added minutes Boston left Altrincham with a point having stopped Altrincham scoring at home in a league match for the first time this season. Going forward the visitors were a threat but their readiness to haul players down won them few friends in the Moss Lane crowd.

Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 BOSTON UNITED 0
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