Match Report


ALTRINCHAM (0) 0 WELLING UNITED (3) 4

Vanarama Conference match
played on Saturday, 27 September 2014, at 3pm


SUMMARY

A sorry afternoon for the Robins was compounded by a red card for Tom Marshall, injury to Sean Williams and a fifth booking for Peter Cavanagh. Starting without Gianluca Havern for the first time this season, but with captain Shaun Densmore restored to the starting eleven after injury, Altrincham started brightly. But they fell behind in the 13th minute when Harry Beautyman got in behind the defence to lob keeper Coburn.

After 34 minutes Gallagher and Marsh carved open Alty up the middle with a one-two and Marsh scored to make it 2-0. In added first-half time, it became 3-0 to The Wings after Lawrie lost the ball in midfield and Gallagher's low shot left goalkeeper Coburn flat-footed.

Six minutes from time, Tom Marshall hauled down substitute Nouble and Bush's freekick deflected off Clee into the net. Ironically, Marshall at that point was the Altrincham player who has enjoyed most pitch-time this season. The nearest Alty came to a goal was when Densmore's freekick came back off the underside of the bar just before the interval.

So, it is now three successive defeats, thirteen goals conceded and none scored for Altrincham, who drop to 23rd.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Wayne Barratt


ATTENDANCE: 850 (33 from Welling)
TEAM NEWS

Dave Parton was ruled out after suffering concussion at Barnet last week, so Stuart Coburn returned in goal. Shaun Densmore made his first start, following injury, whilst Jake Moult gave way to Sean Williams in midfield. The main surprise was that the previously ever-present Gianluca Havern was moved to the bench, so Scott Leather moved inside to centre-back.


LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white stripes, black shorts, red socks) 1. Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (capt), 6. Scott Leather, 16. Tom Marshall, 3. Adam Griffin,7. James Lawrie, 18. Sean Williams, 25. Peter Cavanagh, 11. Nicky Clee, 14. Kyle Perry, 10. Damian Reeves. Subs: 9. Steven Gillespie, 15. Greg Wilkinson, 12. Mike Williams, 4. Jake Moult, 5. Gianluca Havern,

WELLING UNITED (All blue) 1. Jonathan Henly, 23. Barney Williams, 6. Chris Bush, 3. Jamal Fyfield, 14. Ben Jefford, 8. Harry Beautyman, 4. Jake Jalladeher (capt), 5. Zac Fagan, 15. Aristede Bassele, 11. Tyrone Marsh, 33. Joe Healy. Subs: 16. Jon Nouble, 24. Malacki Hudson, 13. Jamie Turner, 2. Loui Fazakerley, 20. Sam Corne.

BACKGROUND:

Mike Garnett gives us the historical record between Alty and Welling United:


REPORT

With the floodlights on already, Welling kicked off towards an away end which housed a couple of dozen supporters who had made the 221 mile trip from Kent. Alty started quite well with a good Densmore run and cross but Perry was penalised for a foul on the keeper before Clee hammered the loose ball into the net (1 min). After five minutes Welling won a freekick, 40 yards out, from which a header went wide from Fyfield.

Altrincham created a good chance when Reeves beat a defender, on the Alty right, and his cross found Clee who headed over the bar from a central position (7 mins). Four minutes later, after a Clee pass had been diverted to him by a defender, a fine Sean Williams shot forced a good save and won his side a corner. A header by Leather was cleared from this corner.

Although Altrincham had the better of the opening stages, in keeping with so many matches this season, they conceded the first goal after a bright start. This time, Welling's Gallagher prompted the move from central midfield and the ball was played behind Griffin at left-back. Beautyman got onto it to score with a well-judged lob over Coburn from right of centre (13 mins).

A couple of overhit long balls from Williams and then Marshall sandwiched an offside decision against Reeves. Next, Cavanagh blocked a Welling shot before another shot, from Bush, flew just wide from 30 yards (17 mins). Altrincham were not now playing fluently as passes from Clee then Lawrie were cut out and a Leather long ball ran to keeper Henley (22 mins).

A mix up between Marshall and Coburn, as the keeper came out to collect the ball gave Welling an unnecessary corner on their left. Soon afterwards, a Fyfield cross yielded another corner, this time off Cavanagh on the Welling left (27 mins). But then Altrincham created another decent chance when a Densmore cross was headed wide by Perry after a good build up. AT this point, Sean Williams, who had earlier gone down but not received treatment, was substituted by Moult, though Williams looked disappointed by the decision (31 mins).

In the 32nd minute, Peter Cavanagh picked up his fifth booking of the season for a challenge from behind, 35 yards out from Alty's goal, right of centre. This came to naught but, two minutes later, Gallagher and Marsh carved open the Alty defence as they advanced with a one-two up the middle. Marsh found himself with only the advancing Coburn to beat and he deftly lobbed the ball over the keeper into the net to make it 2-0 (34 mins).

Altrincham's faltering performance continued as Clee was dispossessed on the edge of the box, before Lawrie slipped and conceded a throw. Going forward Alty did a bit better soon after this as a Lawrie cross was headed to the keeper by Perry (38 mins). After Moult had been penalised for "foot up", 35 yards out, Healy was halted in Altrincham's box (43 mins). Next, a Marsh shot deflected out for a corner, following which an Alty freekick came and went.

With the game into added time, Lawrie lost the ball near half way in a central position and it was then played into the Alty box. From there it came out to Gallagher whose low shot left a presumably unsighted Coburn flat-footed as it went into the net from 20 yards, making it 0-3. Alty had now conceded fifteen goals in their last three and a half matches.

However, when Clee was fouled 20 yards from goal in a left-central position, confirmation came that it was not to be Altrincham's afternoon as Shaun Densmore's excellent freekick beat Henley but came back off the underside of the crossbar.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 WELLING UNITED 3

Within five minutes of the start of the interval, Kyle Perry appeared back on the pitch wearing no socks and a pair of flip-flops, a clear signal of an impending substitution for the start of the second half. And, indeed, before play resumed, Gillespie came on for the Alty striker.

Altrincham continued to play with a lack of confidence as passes went astray and possession was lost in tackles. There was an odd moment when a Welling player grappled with Leather, having his arms round his neck at one point, but Mr. Barratt waved play on. When Densmore lost possession and was then penalised just outside the Altrincham box he was booked, either for the challenge or his protests (52 mins).

Beautyman's freekick was saved before Alty won two freekicks, one for Fyfield on Densmore, the other for Bassele on Clee. Soon, however, Bassele did well and won his side a corner on their right (56 mins). From this, Bassele's header went to Coburn. Afterwards a neat move by the hosts ended with a Gillespie effort being blocked.

After 59 minutes, Welling introduced Corne for Fagan. The atmosphere in the J. Davidson Stadium was understandably subdued, given the scoreline. It almost got worse as Healy and Beautyman combined to open up Alty on the left and the ball flew across the face of Alty's goal, just missing conversion by a Welling player in the goalmouth, a corner resulting.

After 68 minutes, Lawrie went off and Wilkinson came on for his longest appearance of a season which up to this point had comprised just 34 minutes of pitch time in four appearances. Gillespie soon had the ball in the net but only after offside had been flagged (70 mins). A minute later Welling introduced Fazakerley for Healy.

Welling continued to look comfortable with their lead as a Clee ball was hooked well over the bar, and wide, by a stretching Reeves. Now Nouble replaced Bassele (75 mins). Most of Welling's attacks were coming up their right wing but now Altrincham began to get forward a bit more. After Marshall, Clee and Gillespie had combined, a ball went across the Wings' box. At the other end, Nouble got forward before Fyfield skied a shot over the bar.

After 80 minutes a Moult shot was comfortably saved after Densmore had got forward well and Gillespie had laid off the ball. Just when it seemed that the score would remain 3-0, Marshall, just outside his own box, was put under pressure by a team-mate's pass and found himself behind Nouble, whom he hauled back. As the "last man" and deemed to have prevented a goal-scoring opportunity, the Alty centre back was shown a red card (84 mins). To make matters worse, Bush's freekick took a heavy deflection off the wall, which did not stand firm, and flew into the net past Coburn (85 mins).

For some reason Fyfield was booked after this. From a Densmore throw, a great volley by Clee from 25 yards out only just missed the top corner of the net from right of goal (89 mins). Shaun Densmore was doing his best to set an example to his team mates and in added time he forced a save from right of goal (90+2 mins). A minute later, Altrincham were put out of their misery by the final whistle. On 12 February 2000, when Welling last visited Moss Lane and won 1-0, the website's match report was headed "What else can go wrong?"- a sentiment felt by many of the spectators during today's game.

A major task faces the management duo, now, to lift the seemingly low level of confidence of a team which has let in 13 goals in its last three outings, without reply, and which, to make matters worse, faces the near future without the suspended Cavanagh and Marshall.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 WELLING UNITED 4