ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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LANCASTER CITY (1) 1 ALTRINCHAM (2) 2

EvoStik Premier match
played on Saturday, 7 April 2018, 3pm

SUMMARY

This win and defeats for Warrington and Grantham allowed Alty to extend their lead to eight points at the top of the table. But after cruising to an early 2-0 lead, Lancaster got a goal back and kept the game tight till the end.

Alty took a tenth minute lead when Jordan Hulme's shot was fumbled over the line by goalkeeper Wynne, who was later named Man of the Match. Seven minutes later it was 2-0 as Hannigan powered a header into the net from Johnston's corner.

However the Dolly Blues pulled back a goal in the 24th minute when Simpson headed home an Akrigg cross from the right after a corner. Hulme missed a sitter before half-time and Altrincham were unable to convert a lot of second half pressure into a third goal.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Daniel Issawi
ATTENDANCE: 313
TEAM NEWS

Alty remained without James Poole, Connor Hampson and Ben Harrison through injury but Andy White was back and midfielder Rhain Davis joined the squad. Tom Peers was also out today with a hamstring tweak.

LINE-UPS:

LANCASTER CITY (All blue) 1. Elliot Wynne, 2. Adam Anson, 3. Paul Dugdale, 4. Billy Akrigg, 5. Glenn Steel, 6. Ricky Mercer, 7. Ryan Winder, 8. Sam Bailey, 9. Connor Simpson, 10. Craig Carney (c), 11. Chris Bailey. Subs: 12. Henry, 14. Ben Hudson, 15. Paul Jarvis, 16 Steve Williams, 17. Wills

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks) 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 3. Andrew WHITE, 4. Tom HANNIGAN, 5. James JONES, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Max HARROP, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12. Rhain DAVIS, 14. Chris MERRIE, 16.Theo BAILEY-JONES, 20. Andrew JONES, 15. Sam HEATHCOTE

BACKGROUND

Mike Garnett reminds us of the record of previous encounters between Lancaster City and Altrincham.

REPORT

On a dull afternoon, on a pitch which the referee had belatedly passed fit, Alty kicked off defending the car park end.

Thompson was the first keeper in action, saving a shot after a Carney run (3 mins). The pitch was proving to be bobbly, which was to be expected after the recent bad weather, but Alty were sticking to their passing game.

Following a foul on Johnston, Hancock fired wide after a quick freekick by White (7 mins). Alty were then indebted to Thompson as he blocked an effort from an opponent in a one-on-one situation (9 mins).

Next, after the resulting corner had been dealt with, at the other end Hulme scored with a low shot as keeper Wynne fumbled the ball over the line (10 mins).

Lancaster responded straightaway but Simpson headed a cross over the bar. After 16 minutes, Harrop fed White who won a corner off a defender's miskick. From the corner, taken on the left, Hannigan's fine header made it 0-2 (17 mins).

But Thompson was having to make the game's better saves as Carney now did well and forced an impressive tip over the bar by Alty's keeper (23 mins). The resulting corner led to an Akrigg cross from the right and Simpson headed this home to make it 1-2 (24 mins).

A corner, won by Hancock's shot, came and went and, minutes later, Hulme missed a sitter as a low cross from the right by Johnston was screwed wide by Alty's no.9 from six yards (28 mins).

When Moult was penalised, the freekick won Lancaster a corner on the half-hour mark but whilst the next few minutes saw plenty of endeavour from both sides, there was little in the way of goalmouth action. As half-time neared, Johnston did win another corner, hwoever, from which Jones's header was comfortably saved by Wynne. And, then, an impressive Altrincham move saw a Lancaster player fall to block a shot amidst claims for a penalty for handball which went unanswered by the referee (44 mins).

So Alty held a deserved interval lead but had far from settled the outcome of the match. However, there were encouraging half-time scores from the games involving title rivals Warrington Town and Grantham Town.

Half-Time: LANCASTER CITY 1 ALTRINCHAM 2

AFter City had kicked off, the first goal threat was a Hancock shot at the keeper (47 mins). Lancaster then went closer as Thompson had to beat away Simpson's goalbound shot.

An Alty corner was now won by Johnston (54 mins), from which a Jones header was again saved by Wynne. The first substitution of the afternoon saw Wills replace City's Akrigg (56 mins), followed two minutes later by Jarvis replacing Chris Bailey.

Sam Bailey then fired over the bar for City but the game was generally stuck in a rut at this stage. When Harrop was brought down, Winder escaped a booking and, after Harrop had been tripped again, White fired over the bar, right-footed (62 mins).

Alty almost settled the game when Johnston cut in from the left and his well struck shot hit the top of the bar from 20 yards (65 mins). Next, Richman skied a shot over the bar and Hulme saw a well-aimed shot pushed round the post for a corner as Alty dominated this stage of the match (70 mins).

Following a Johnston corner, Hulme powered a shot just wide across the face of goal and when, a few minutes later, Harrop went down in the box, Alty were disappointed to see strong penalty appeals dismissed (74 mins). Mr Issawi further upset the travelling supprt as he missed a foul on Densmore before penalising Johnston on the edge of his own box. The Alty wingman recovered after treatment and the freekick was poorly taken by City (76 mins).

Johnston then sent a 40 yard freekick to keeper Wynne before the home side made their final change as goalscorer Simpson was replaced by Williams on 80 minutes. The four declared added minutes saw Johnston replaced by Bailey-Jones (90+1 mins) and then Harrop went off and Davis came on as Alty saw out the game and collected a valuable three points( 90+5 mins)

Full-Time: LANCASTER CITY 1 ALTRINCHAM 2