Match Report


FC HALIFAX TOWN (0) 1 ALTRINCHAM (1) 3

Vanarama Conference match
played on Saturday, 4 October 2014, at 3pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham upset the form book with a deserved win over a lacklustre Halifax. Altrincham took a 34th minute lead when the Shaymen stood off Nicky Clee and he drove a fine 25 yard shot past Glennon. Despite excellent performances all over the pitch, Altrincham had to survive a couple of scares as Pearson missed a good chance and a Hattersley header hit the base of the post in the first half.

Alty doubled their lead when substitute Perry's nod into the box led to Lawrie firing across Glennon into the far corner of the net in the 77th minute. And, after 81 minutes, Perry got free up the middle and scored past the exposed Glennon, prompting large numbers of home supporters to make for the exit. However, Halifax got an 87th minute consolation as Boden headed in, after a corner. Alty lifted themselves out of the relegation places and for the second time in a week had given an excellent account of themselves.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Richard Wigglesworth


ATTENDANCE: 1,727 (166 through away turnstiles)
TEAM NEWS

For Altrincham, Peter Cavanagh and Tom Marshall were available again after suspension and joined the bench in place of goalkeeper Dave Parton and defender Mike Williams.

Halifax brought back captain Maynard as former Guiseley man Ainge dropped to the bench.


LINE-UPS:

TEAMS

FC HALIFAX TOWN (Blue) 27. Matt Glennon, 15. Kevin Roberts, 4. Marc Roberts, 14. Steve Williams, 3. Scott McManus, 5. Matty Pearson, 8. Paul Marshall, 7. Adam Smith, 20. Lois Maynard, 40. Danny Hattersley, 19. Scott Boden, SUBS: 1. Phil Senior, 9. Jamie Jackson, 12. Richard Peniket, 22. Danny Schofield, 6. Simon Ainge.

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks) 1. Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (c), 6. Scott Leather, 5. Gianluca Havern, 3. Adam Griffin, 8. Simon Richman, (capt), 18. Sean Williams, 4. Jake Moult, 7. James Lawrie, 11. Nicky Clee, 10. Damian Reeves, SUBS 16. Tom Marshall, 25. Peter Cavanagh, 14. Kyle Perry, 15. Greg Wilkinson,19. Ryan Crowther


BACKGROUND

Mike Garnett's record of previous clashes between Alty and FC Halifax Town is, as follows:

Halifax started the game second; Alty were 21st. Halifax were unbeaten at home, whereas Altrincham had yet to win away from home.


REPORT

After Halifax had kicked off, the opening stages of the game were uneventful. Despite heavy showers in the morning, the sun was shining as the first half-threat of a goal arrived when Town's Marshall shot wide from a long throw by the head-bandaged Roberts.

Then, from a Smith cross, from the right, Maynard headed straight to Coburn (5 mins). After nine minutes, from a Marshall freekick, a header was put over the bar by Roberts before a few minutes of fairly scrappy football ensued. When Densmore was tripped after a good run, Alty had a freekick just outside the right corner of the home box. Clee took this poorly and a resulting effort from Lawrie went miles over the bar (15 mins).

But Altrincham were now settling, with Clee the attacking focus. With light rain beginning to fall, Clee was fouled on the left wing but Densmore's freekick went to keeper Glennon. At the other end, a Smith cross from the right was nodded wide at the back post (18 mins).

Alty were on the front foot for a couple of minutes before they had to show defensive resolve to block the hosts' forward probes. It had been a fairly even game so far and there had been no clear chances as the game went into the 26th minute.

An Alty freekick for a foul on Clee and, then, a Lawrie mis-pass at the end of a promising move by Densmore and Richman showed that the visitors were far from overawed by a Halifax team who did not look like title candidates with their fairly direct and predictable approach play.

However, the Shaymen should have taken the lead when Pearson was put through up the middle but he shot wide of Coburn's right post as the keeper came out towards him (30 mins). Alty responded with a Clee cross, a Lawrie shot which was blocked and, then, a corner. After this corner, a Sean Williams cross-cum-shot was grabbed by Glennon (32 mins).

Another foul on Clee, 25 yards out, prompted a rehearsed freekick routine, which came to nothing. However, the ball soon came to Clee, 25 yards out, and as Halifax stood off him, the Alty man lashed a superb left-foot shot into the net, to the keeper's left, to give Alty the lead (34 mins).

Soon after the re-start, Lawrie was upended'and Pearson was booked. The resulting feekick, from 25 yards out, was poorly hit, low and weakly, wide of the target by Lawrie (36 mins). The Alty lead was looking fairly comfortable before Pearson won a corner on the right, after which Coburn punched clear (40 mins).

But, when a Smith cross was met by a Hattersley header, Alty were saved by the base of Coburn's right post (41 mins). In the two added minutes, which the referee found from somewhere, a Williams shot won Altrincham a corner on the left, which Glennon fumbled away.

So, Alty led at half time and had played with commitment. Halifax had hit the post and missed a good chance but Alty were good value for their lead.


Half-Time: FC HALIFAX TOWN 0 ALTRINCHAM 1

At the break, Maynard went off and Peniket came on for Halifax. The hosts enjoyed quite a bit of early possession without seriously threatening a goal.

After Richman had won the ball, Lawrie was tripped, about 25 yards out; Marshall was booked for the offence (52 mins). Clee's freekick kissed the top of the bar. When Lawrie was pushed over in the left of the box after Densmore had started a good move, no offence was given by the referee who frequently allowed play to continue in similar circumstances.

Alty were working hard, none more so than Williams in midfield. After playing a good ball into the Halifax box, the Alty midfielder next popped up clearing the ball in his own area (59 mins). After a Roberts long throw had been hacked clear, Havern need treatment before another immense throw by Roberts was again cleared.

Richman now mishit a first-time shot well wide before Perry came on for a subdued Reeves (63 mins). Mr Wigglesworth now annoyed Halifax by not giving a freekick before he did the same to Alty when Moult went down under a push in the Halifax box (64 mins).

Midway through the half, Cavanagh replaced Clee (67 mins). After this, Lawrie fed Williams for a shot across the face of goal. Town then enjoyed some pressing but without much guile (72 mins).

The Shaymen now introduced Jackson for Smith (72 mins) and, two minutes later, Densmore was harshly booked for a foul on the substitute. It was the Alty captain's third booking in successive games. It took a great block on the line by Coburn, following the freekick by Marshall, to keep the ball out of the net (75 mins).

After the referee had remonstrated with manager Aspin on the home bench, former Shayman, Ryan Crowther, came on for Sean Williams (76 mins). Almost immediately, it was 2-0 to Alty. Perry nodded a ball towards the penalty area from right of the box. The defence froze, allowing Lawrie to shoot across Glennon into the far corner of the net (77 mins).

After an Alty freekick, Richman got clear but was clearly offside after Perry again had done well. But, then, Halifax won a corner, for which all eleven Alty men came into the box to clear. Then, the ball was sent up the middle, putting Perry clear. He held off challenges from two retreating Shaymen and the advancing Glennon. Although Glennon got something on the ball, Perry's shot made it 3-0 (81 mins). An odd celebration followed as Perry ran to the byline and saluted the totally empty terrace behind the goal before his delighted team-mates arrived to join in.

Immediately, significant numbers of home fans made for the exit whilst great vocal support spurred on Alty. Halifax raised a late revival and, from a corner on the right, Boden headed a goal (87 mins). In the first added minute, Coburn saved well at the cost of a corner. Following the corner, a Halifax header struck the outside of the post. Despite more than five added minutes Town could not score again and Perry did a great job in holding the ball upfield and winning three freekicks before the final whistle.


Full-Time: FC HALIFAX TOWN 1 ALTRINCHAM 3