ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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RUSHALL OLYMPIC (1) 2
ALTRINCHAM (0) 0

EvoStik Premier match
played on Saturday, 31 March 2018, 3pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham could have no complaints as they lost away from home in the league for the first time since September. On a difficult surface, Altrincham struggled to create chances in the first half and fell behind on the stroke of half-time when Whittall headed home from a corner.

Without the injured Hampson, Poole and Harrison and with White also not fit enough to start, Altrincham improved a little in the second half and forced a couple of good saves from keeper Slinn.

But Olympic wrapped the game up in the 88th minute when Waldron got the better of the otherwise impressive Hannigan to make it 2-0.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Edward Pidduck
ATTENDANCE: 382
TEAM NEWS

Alty were without Connor Hampson, James Poole and Ben Harrison through injury. Andy White was also carrying a knock so was only named on the bench as Sam Heathcote started at right-back, with Densmore switching to the left. Tim Deasy also had a knee problem so Andrew Jones joined the squad as substitute keeper.

Former Alty winger Brian Smikle played at right-back for the Pics.


LINE-UPS:

RUSHALL OLYMPIC (Gold and black stripes, black shorts and socks): 1. Joe Slinn, 2. Brian Smikle, 3. AJ Adelekan, 4. Sam Whittall (c), 5. Joe Hull, 6. Michael Townsend, 7. Simeon Maye, 8. Joshua Hawker, 9. Richard Brodie, 10. Mathis Fonovich, 11. Daniel Waldron. Subs. 12. Joshua Webb, 14. Daniel Dubidat, 15. Simeon Piasey, 16. Gurjit Singh, 17 Andre Landell.

ALTRINCHAM (All purple): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 3. Sam HEATHCOTE, 4. Tom HANNIGAN, 5. James JONES, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Tom PEERS, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12. Max HARROP, 14. Chris MERRIE, 15. Andy WHITE, 16. Theo BAILEY-JONES, 20. Andrew JONES


BACKGROUND

For the second successive Saturday, league leaders Altrincham faced a team in better form than themselves. With six wins in their last eight games, the Pics had been revitalised by former Solihull manager Liam McDonald.


REPORT

On a cold afternoon on a very bobbly and, in one goalmouth, a heavily sanded surface, Olympic kicked off successfully at the second attempt, after referee Pidduck ordered a re-take.

In just the second minute, a poor Thompson kick went to Waldron which led to the Alty keeper having to make an early save.

Things improved as Hulme fed Peers who shot into the sidenetting (4 mins). Pantomime villain Richard Brodie received an early lecture from the referee before Densmore won a corner as Alty pressed forward (6 mins).

Altrincham were now having the better of things as Slinn gathered a Hancock ball at the second attempt as Hulme closed in (11 mins).

The tricky surface was not conducive to Alty's passing game and they were unable to create any openings at this stage. Brodie then fouled Thompson as the keeper dribbled the ball past him (15 mins) before Alty continued to shade the game by winning a corner.

Midway through the half, home defender Adelekan had to go off and Webb came on (22 mins).

Next, Hulme almost played in Peers but play was generally pretty scrappy. Hulme was spoken to by the referee after he and Townsend had a minor spat (26 mins). After another foul by Brodie, the striker was lectured again by the referee, this time in the presence of his captain (27 mins).

Next, the skilful Fonovich hit a 20 yarder just over the bar, whilst Altrincham moves continued to peter out as they approached the final third.

Twice in a couple of minutes, Hannigan's instinctive balls forward for Johnston found the Alty wingman too deep to be on the end of them (33 mins).

After a Moult mispass, Hawker was allowed time and his well-struck shot hit the base of Thompson's left-hand post to serve notice on Altrincham (34 mins).

This signalled an upturn in the home side's performance as they had the better of the final ten minutes of the half. A Pics' corner came and went but they remained on the front foot.

Following a fine Hannigan header and a trip on Hancock, play drifted towards the interval, devoid of goalmouth incident. The referee than stopped play to lecture the home-team coach before Waldron won a late corner on the right. This was headed home by Whittall, as an Alty defender attempted to head it off the line (45+1 mins).

Alty had started the game the better but the Pics had dominated the closing stages. Neither keeper had been unduly troubled and on this bobbly surface it was disappointing that Altrincham had not at least tried any long range shooting.


Half-Time: RUSHALL OLYMPIC 1
ALTRINCHAM 0

Harrop came on for Heathcote at the interval, so Richman moved to right-back as Harrop slotted into midfield.

Alty continued to try to build slowly with passing movements but the surface was not helping them to do so with any success.

The Pics won a 52nd minute corner but there was little else to set the pulse racing (52 mins).

Alty continued to struggle to get going and it was not till the 58th minute that a corner arrived, won by Johnston. However, it was Olympic who went closer to scoring as, on the counter-attack, Waldron fired inches wide.

Three minutes later, Landell replaced the out of sorts Brodie.

Peers then won a corner from a Moult feed after which a Hulme header and shot were successively blocked (64 mins).

Alty were indebted to Thompson for a brilliant point blank save from Waldron's header after a Landell cross from the right (66 mins).

When Moult did well, a corner was won on the right and, from this, Moult's volley had to be smartly saved. Two more corners followed in succession but to no avail.

Play switched and Waldron gained a corner at the other end, which Hawker put straight out of play. Now, Fonovich was replaced by Singh (71 mins).

The referee annoyed Alty as he stopped play for a freekick for them when Hancock was in possession. The freekick fell to Moult but he volleyed to the keeper (72 mins).

Alty continued to labour before Olympic's Whittall fired over from 20 yards (78 mins). At this point, Peers went off and Bailey-Jones came on for his Alty league debut.

Alty passes continued to go astray as they got forward in the closing stages and it was the hosts who gained the next corner (81 mins).

Rushall continued to keep Alty at bay as Harrop was halted, then Hulme was robbed in the box before Harrop also lost the ball. And disaster struck in the 88th minute when Waldron received the ball on the left touchline. He turned inside to get past Hannigan and fired a shot past Thompson from 15 yards to make it 2-0 (88 mins).

Four added minutes included a Bailey-Jones effort to the keeper before James Jones slipped to concede a corner at the other end.

There was no way back for Alty who slipped to their first away defeat since September at Workington. It was also the first time they had failed to score in a league match since October. Rushall, the form team in the league, deserved their win and an injury-hit Alty will hope for a much better performance on Monday against Marine.


Full-Time: RUSHALL OLYMPIC 2
ALTRINCHAM 0