Match Report

SUMMARY

Altrincham gained their first away win and first clean sheet of the season but should have done so with a clearer margin than Michael Rankine's early penalty in the ninth minute.

The goal arrived when Ryan Crowther was upended, left of goal. After that Alty's best period was in the second half when a succession of four corners went unrewarded. A Rankine header hit the bar and a long shot from Jake Moult was only just saved by Russell.

Wood could have snatched a draw in added time when the impressive substitute Morias hit the post with a fierce shot. But then Altrincham were denied a certain penalty when Bowerman was brought down.

• 9 mins: Michael RANKINE (penalty) (Boreham Wood 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)

Altrincham were unchanged today but Rhain Davis replaced Ioannis Stouppis on the bench. Likewise, the Wood started with the same eleven that had won at Torquay last time out.

LINE-UPS:

BOREHAM WOOD (White shirts & black shorts): 1. James Russell, 33. Joe Devera, 5. Scott Doe, 6. Callum Reynolds, 2. Ben Nunn, 4. Sam Cox, 8. Ricky Shakes, 24. Clovis Kamdjo, 11. Graeme Montgomery, 9. Luke Howell, 29. Mustafa Tiryaki Subs 7. Matthew Whichelow, 17. Junior Morias, 16. Conor Clifford, 20. Billy Clifford, 22. Zane Banton

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts and socks, blue shorts): 17. Tim DEASY, 6. Scott LEATHER, 22. Andrew PARRY, 5. Luca HAVERN (capt), 3. Adam GRIFFIN, 4. Jake MOULT, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 7. James LAWRIE, 20. Jordan SINNOTT, 19. Ryan CROWTHER, 9. Michael RANKINE. Subs: 10. Damian REEVES, 18. George BOWERMAN, 12. Sam HEATHCOTE, 14. Josh O'KEEFE, 24. Rhain DAVIS.

BACKGROUND:

This was Altrincham's first encounter with Boreham Wood, who were promoted to the National League this summer. The club recently announced that it had gone "full-time" by moving to three daytime training days.

With 60 Alty fans in a sparse crowd of 351 at Meadow Park, the Wood kicked off towards the away end. The game started with both sides unable to keep the ball and, sadly, it got little better in the first half.

The hosts won a sixth minute corner, which Sinnott cleared. Following a foul on Rankine, Altrincham got forward and as Crowther jinked his way into the left of the box, he was clearly tripped. The inevitable penalty was hit low past Russell by Rankine to put Altrincham ahead (9 mins).

At the other end, a Parry error allowed Shakes a shot which Deasy saved low down (13 mins). A few more uninspiring minutes passed before Moult lost the ball then committed a foul 35 yards out on the Wood left. Reynolds headed the resulting freekick wide (17 mins).

Following a Richman mis-pass, the lively midfielder did much better going forward only for right back Nunn to intercept and head back to his keeper. Moments later, Lawrie won a throw on the right and then a corner (21 mins). Sadly, Lawrie's corner from the right was just too high for his team mates. Wood replied by gaining a corner themselves off Parry. The big striker Tiryaki was causing Parry some problems.

Richman's foul near his own corner soon led to a corner kick from which a home header dropped to Deasy (26 mins). There was still a general absence of fluent football as the ball spent too long in the air.

Alty were lucky when a rare Havern error left Boreham Wood with the ball 8 yards out. A great block by Moult stopped the goalbound shot at the cost of a corner. Havern now blocked a shot after the corner (28 mins).

An Alty freekick in their own half finally relieved a period of home pressure. But the game continued to be scrappy until Shakes won a corner off Crowther in the 38th minute. Deasy hurt his back when he fell after making a great catch from the corner but treatment from Alan Ainsley got him fit again.

From a Lawrie cross from the right, Crowther slid in and spooned a shot over the bar from six yards out but he was flagged offside, anyway (41 mins). Next, Havern cleared well and Rankine and Crowther broke forward and exchanged passes before Crowther won a corner, which came to nothing but a home freekick.

So, Alty deservedly led at the break after a first half low on quality.

Boreham Wood made a double change for the second half as Morias came on for Tiryaki and Luton Town loanee Banton for Howell. Alty kicked off and the ball went straight into touch.

Montgomery's cross won an early corner, after which Cox fouled Richman and hurt himself and had two minutes treatment before resuming (49 mins). Out of the blue Moult's excellent 30 yarder was juggled by keeper Russell under his crossbar before he completed the save (50 mins).

Substitute Morias looked lively; he is a Yemi Odubade type of player, stocky and fast. A Rankine shot to the keeper and a blocked Lawrie effort followed before Morias won a corner off Parry. Deasy saved a header from the corner (54 mins).

After this a Sinnott 20 yarder forced a fine save and won Altrincham a corner, from a move started by Rankine. But Sinnott's corner was underhit to a defender. Next, a Sinnott long throw yielded another corner which, again, failed to get past the first defender, albeit going out for a third corner, which was cleared for a throw. The pressure continued as a Rankine header came back off the crossbar and yet another corner followed. Taken by Lawrie, this was cleared.

But the sustained pressure from Alty could not produce a second goal. Finally the home side got forward as Morias fired over after a Shakes counter attack.

So, Alty had been playing better in the second half, passing more efficiently to feet than previously, but without an end product. Boreham Wood now got to the other end as a Montgomery shot flew over from left of goal. Wood brought on Billy Clifford for Nunn as their final change (66 mins).

Next, a low Montgomery cross was turned narrowly over the bar by Whichelow as Wood now got onto the front foot.

Richman soon won the ball and prompted an attack which broke down when Moult gave the ball away. In trying to cover, Richman fouled an opponent and was booked (71 mins).

With 15 minutes left, a Moult foul 25 yards out in a central position led to Clifford hitting his freekick over the bar. At this point Reeves replaced Rankine (76 mins). Immediately, a Reeves cross from the left came off the keeper and Sinnott seemed certain to net the loose ball. But his sidefooted effort was cleared off the line (77 mins).

Soon afterwards, a Lawrie shot was held, low, by keeper Russell. Altrincham brought on Bowerman for Crowther and he, too, was soon involved. Reeves's lay off gave Bowerman a ten-yard shot but he scuffed the ball to the keeper (81 mins).

The referee took no action when Bowerman and, then, Reeves were felled. As four added minutes were announced Alty were hanging on in a match they should have sewn up much earlier.

When Reynolds blocked Bowerman as he got past the home man, Reynolds was rightly booked (90 mins). Alty almost paid the price for failing to get a second goal when Morias hit the inside of the back post with a superb strike from 25 yards, left of goal (0+3 mins). Cox put the rebound over the bar.

In the final minute Bowerman got into the box and was very clearly tripped in the box. The referee put his whistle to his mouth, as he had clearly seen the incident, but he looked across at his unresponsive assistant (who was further away from the incident) and, quite unbelievably, play continued (90+4 mins).

So Altrincham secured their first away win and first clean sheet. It left them 19th but pulled them away from the bottom five clubs. It was not a pretty spectacle for much of the time but Altrincham were deserved winners.