< Altrincham FC Match Report

Match Report

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS (0) 1
ALTRINCHAM (1) 1

Vanarama National League match
played on Saturday, 2 April 2016, at 3pm

SUMMARY

Whilst an 89th minute equalizer is a cruel way to lose two points, Kidderminster were deserving of their point. Despite their precarious position at the bottom of the table, it was the Harriers who played the better football, particularly in the second half, when Altrincham were largely on the back foot and unable to link their midfield effectively with their lone striker.

Altrincham had got off to a good start with a superbly taken tenth-minute goal by Reeves. He got on the end of Griffin's excellent through ball and lobbed the keeper from twenty yards or more, left of goal. Unfortunately, Reeves was unable to convert a second, similar situation soon afterwards.

Kidderminster used their substitutes after the interval and Deasy had to make a superb save to tip over a Langmead header from a corner in the 69th minute. The Harriers had Alty on the back foot as the game went into the closing stages and got their reward when Whitfield fired home from right of goal in the 89th minutes.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr J. Brooks (Leicestershire)
ATTENDANCE: 1,402
TEAM NEWS

As well as Alty's four long-term injury absentees, both Marcus Holness and Sam Heathcote had also been unfit for last Monday's match. However, both were available today, with Holness starting. But Jordan Sinnott was only available to be named on the bench.

LINE-UPS:

KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS (Red & white) 1. Max O'Leary , 24. Ousmane Fane, 17. Lewis Kinsella, 5. Kelvin Langmead, 29. Keith Lowe, 38. Elton N'Gwatala, 21. Tyrone Williams, 9. Evan Garnett, 2. Jared Hodgkiss (capt), 4. Luke Maxwell, 34. Ben Whitfield. Subs: 11. Arthur Gnahoua, 13 Dean Snedker, 36. James McQuilkin, 10. Omari Patrick, 15. Jordan Tunnicliffe.

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts and socks, blue shorts) 17. Tim DEASY, 6. Scott LEATHER,26. Marcus HOLNESS, 5. Luca HAVERN, 3. Adam GRIFFIN, 4. Jake MOULT (capt), 14. Josh O'KEEFE, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 7. James LAWRIE 15. Josh GINNELLY, 10. Damian REEVES Subs: 26. James PHILLIPS, 9. Michael RANKINE, 12. Sam HEATHCOTE, 20. Jordan SINNOTT, 19. Ryan CROWTHER,

BACKGROUND

Mike Garnett provides the data on previous clashes between Altrincham and our hosts, this Saturday, Kidderminster Harriers.

REPORT

Alty kicked off, defending the away end, in bright sunshine. They had an early scare as Ngwatala dribbled into the box forcing Deasy to beat out his shot and then to gather the loose ball. Deasy injured himself in the process and needed treatment. With no keeper on the bench, it was a worrying moment.

Indeed, Kiddy started the better side. But things looked up when Ginnelly cut in from the left and shot, with keeper O'Leary conceding a corner from his save. This corner was cleared and, following a home throw, Griffin played a fine ball up the middle which Reeves latched onto. He lobbed the ball expertly over the keeper from outside the box, left of goal, the ball dropping into the far corner of the net to give Alty a 1-0 lead (10 mins).

Moult was booked after 12 minutes when he was drawn into a challenge because the referee had failed to give a clear freekick to Alty moments earlier.

Five minutes after his goal, Reeves was put clear again but, this time, he mishit his effort to the keeper. Kidderminster responded with two corners, the second won by Williams off Ginnelly. Following this Deasy had to beat out a fierce Ngwatala shot (19 mins).

Deasy continued to be the busier keeper as a Holness error led to a Harriers' shot deflecting to the Alty keeper. After a great Leather tackle on Maxwell, Richman was penalised 35 yards from goal but nothing came of the freekick (23 mins).

Kiddy were passing the ball well but not creating much from their possession and were prone to unforced errors. Play was of a fairly indifferent standard as the half-hour mark passed but looked up when an O'Keefe interception led to a fine cross by Griffin which won a corner. A Havern header looped over the bar from Lawrie's corner.

Following a foul on O'Keefe, Kinsella was booked (36 mins) before O'Keefe himself was penalised moments later. As the interval got closer, Maxwell fired just wide after Alty had failed, twice, to clear the ball (42 mins). Kidderminster had enjoyed more of the possession so far but they had a minor scare when a poor kick by keeper O'Leary drew Moult into attempting a 50 yard shot but this flew well wide (45 mins).

So, at the break, Alty led 1-0 but it had not been a game of much quality.

Half-Time: KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 0
ALTRINCHAM 1

As in the first half, the Harriers started the better, with a Kinsella cross having to be cleared after a good build up. Play was scrappy till the 52nd minute when a good run by Fane took him into Alty's box but a goalkick resulted.

Kiddy brought on former Stalybridge man, Arthur Gnahoua, for Williams in the 53rd minute. Altrincham then threatened when a Reeves ball flew across the face of goal from the right, followed by a well-hit Ginnelly shot which O'Leary saved (55 mins).

After Richman had won the ball off Gnahoua, the already booked Moult committed a foul and got a warning from Mr. Brooks. Another Harriers' sub arrived as McQuilkin came on for Maxwell (57 mins).

Kiddy were again enjoying more possession than Alty before Rankine replaced Reeves in the 68th minute. Then Havern sliced the ball to concede an unnecessary corner. From this, a Langmead header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Deasy (69 mins).

When Gnahoua got into the Alty box, his intended pass ran to Deasy. As the Harriers attacked again, there was a yawning gap between ten Alty players in their own box and the lone striker, Rankine. So when posssession was won, the ball was launched forward more in hope than expectation.

Alty managed only their second shot on target of the second half in the 77th minute when Lawrie's shot from the right was saved.

When Rankine fed Richman, he went down under what looked to be a foul challenge in the box but play was waved on (79 mins). At the other end, McQuilkin fired over the bar (81 mins).

Three minutes later a Lawrie freekick deflected off Rankine and flew just wide. As the game went into the closing five minutes, Kiddy were pressing, and a McQuilkin shot went wide after a good move.

Next, Crowther replaced Ginnelly (87 mins). Alty were now under the cosh again as a Langmead header was cleared by Havern.

When Crowther lost the ball on the left inside the Harriers' half, the ball was worked forward and Whitfield blasted in a shot from right of goal to make it 1-1 (89 mins). It was deflating for Alty but they could not argue that it was undeserved.

Three added minutes saw Altrincham again on the back foot, as McQulikin fired over and then a Kinsella effort had to be saved.

Just as at Welling some weeks ago, Alty had allowed a precious away win to slip through their hands in the closing minutes. Results elsewhere left Alty in the bottom four but with a precious game in hand on some of those above them. That game is on Tuesday, at home to play-off chasing Dover.

Full-Time: KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 1
ALTRINCHAM 1
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