Match Report

BARWELL (0) 0 ALTRINCHAM (1) 3

FA Cup 4QR match
played on Saturday, 25 October 2014, at 3pm

SUMMARY

After a disappointing first-half showing, James Lawrie gave Alty the lead in added time before the interval. Sub Kyle Perry hit a long-range second early in the second half before Reeves scored following good work by Leather and Perry.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Daniel Meeson (Newcastle-u-Lyme)

ATTENDANCE: 523
TEAM NEWS

Adam Griffin was serving the second match of his three-game ban. Reserves player Joel Swift joined Alty's squad today as additional subs are allowed in the FA Cup; Alty named six. Ryan Crowther remained sidelined with a rib injury.

LINE-UPS:

BARWELL (Yellow and green) 1. Liam Castle, 2. Scott Lower, 3. Connor Gudger, 4. Danny Jenno, 5. Jamie Hood, 6. Richard Lavery, 7.Alex Tomlinson, 8. Callum Woodward , 8.Jon Stevenson, 9. Nigel Julien, 10. Jon Stevenson, 11. Anthony Carney, Subs: 12. Brendan Murphy, 13. Lewis Fenney, 14. Sam Brooks, 15. Guy Hadland, 16. Scott Rickards,17. Kyle Crawford

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1 Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (c), 5. Gianluca Havern 16. Tom Marshall, 6. Scott Leather; 4. Jake Moult; 8. Simon Richman, 25. Peter Cavanagh, 11. Nicky Clee, 7. James Lawrie, 10. Damian Reeves Subs: 9. Steven Gillespie, 14. Kyle Perry, 15. Greg Wilkinson, 17. Dave Parton 18. Sean Williams. 20. Joel Swift

BACKGROUND

For the second Saturday in succession, Altrincham were playing a team they had never previously played against.

REPORT

Barwell kicked off but Alty immediately won possession and Reeves got forward to win a freekick on the front edge of the Barwell box inside the first minute. Clee's freekick forced a save from Castle.

After Woodward had fouled Richman, Densmore's freekick was cleared and then Lavery caught Moult on the back of his head with his arm. Alty were on top as a Lawrie cross went to the Barwell keeper (7 mins). But soon Barwell were settling, after their shaky start, and fouls from Reeves on Lavery, then one by Richman on Woodward, conceded freekicks. Richman was arguably fortunate to escape a card for his transgression (13 mins).

After their decent start Alty were now knocking long balls forward. But, when Jenno slid in from behind on Reeves, he could have no complaints at seeing a yellow card (16 mins). Lawrie's freekick won a corner but he put it into the keeper's arms from the flag-kick (17 mins).

Next, Moult was rightly booked for a foul on Lower as the experienced defender went past him (18 mins). Coburn got away with a mis-punch from the resulting freekick before Clee fouled Tomkinson in the right corner. Stevenson headed the ball over, after Lawrie's clearing header from the Barwell freekick had gone to him (20 mins).

Barwell were enjoying a good period as, first, Leather and then Havern had to make clearances. And then Stevenson won a corner on Barwell's right. After this, a foul on Clee in the Alty half earned Tomkinson a lecture (22 mins).

The game stuttered on as a Stevenson foul on Clee was followd by the linesman flagging for a foul on Richman, which the referee opted to ignore. When Densmore hoofed the ball as it went out of play, Woodward exhibted some unnecessary aggro towards Densmore who responded. Both men were lectured, as was Tomlinson, moments later, when he caught Leather late (28 mins).

There was little flowing football on a slightly bobbly pitch as play meandered on before Gudger took out Richman on the right to concede a freekick. Clee's freekick won a corner on the left. Barwell threatened as Carney got past both Havern and Densmore on the Barwell left and shot just wide of the far post (36 mins).

Another booking arrived when Lavery jumped in on Moult near half way. After Leather had won a throw, Densmore slipped as he got into the box. Following a Leather and Stevenson collision, a freekick was awarded to Barwell, 25 yards out and fairly central, but it went straight to Coburn (42 mins).

With the disappointing first half into added time, Barwell threatened via the lively Carney and Stevenson but, on the counter attack, Clee fed Lawrie up the inside left channel and he slid the ball across the keeper into the net to give Altrincham an interval lead (45+2 mins).

Half-Time: BARWELL 0 ALTRINCHAM 1

The interval saw Perry replace Richman as Altrincham kicked off. The sub was soon involved as Leather, Perry and Lawrie combined for a cross to Reeves, whose header ran to the keeper; it had been a good move, nevertheless.

Altrincham now doubled their lead, out of nothing, as Perry scored with an impressive shot from 25 yards, which left the keeper motionless as it flew in off the post to his left (51 mins).

After Lawrie had been robbed by Tomlinson, a Barwell team-mate fired narrowly wide. But then Jenno pulled back Perry near half way and received a second yellow; so Barwell were reduced to ten men now (54 mins).

After a Leather foul on Carney on the edge of the box, Tomlinson fired over following the freekick. Barwell introduced Murphy for Stevenson (58 mins) and for the next few minutes Alty looked fairly comfortable. A Woodward shot won a corner, however, but on 66 minutes a Leather advance on the left and a one-two with Perry allowed the Alty left-back into the box and his low pass inside set up a tap in by Reeves, making it 3-0.

After Densmore had conceded a corner, Gillespie replaced Reeves (67 mins). Four minutes later Brooks came on for Lavery for ten man Barwell, just before Havern escaped with no punishment for a push on Carney just outside the box.

A needless Moult foul gave Barwell a freekick, for which Coburn came out but did not get the ball, which was knocked down but Gudger could only turn a difficult chance over bar from five yards.

Now Sean Williams came on for Moult (76 mins) as Lee Sinnott showed Densmore his written plans for restructuring the formation. When Gillespie was fouled a melee involving Clee ensued. The ref consulted his linesman before showing a red card to Woodward and yellows to Julian and Clee (79 mins).

After Tomkinson had fired over, Perry made a hash of a lob over the keeper, the ball landing on a nearby roof (83 mins). Next Perry tried a 45 yarder and sliced the ball miles wide. With Alty pressing against the nine men, Gillespie had a shot blocked befor he sliced another effort wide from a pass from his right.

Crawford for Carney was Barwell's final change (87 mins). Next, a Marshall header put Gillespie in but he mishit his shot wide before Perry tried another 20 yarder but it went straight to Castle's arms (89 mins).

What turned out to be a comfortable win had seemed far from being so in a first half in which Altrincham struggled to play much flowing football.

Full-Time: BARWELL 0 ALTRINCHAM 3
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