ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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BUXTON 0 ALTRINCHAM 0

EvoStik Premier match
played on Tuesday, 17 April 2018, 7.45pm

SUMMARY

Altrincham battled to a deserved point against a well-organised Buxton team. Defences dominated with Altrincham unable to land any telling shots on Budtz's goal.

Alty's injury list grew with centre-back James Jones stretchered off in the second half.

With Warrington winning tonight, Altrincham travel to Shaw Lane in 48 hours still needing four points to take the title on goal difference and five to be certain of it.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Luke Watson (Barnsley)
ATTENDANCE: 434
TEAM NEWS

Alty remained without Connor Hampson, James Poole, Tim Deasy and Ben Harrison through injury. Wigan loanee, Chris Merrie started his first league game for the club tonight in place of Hancock, who was rested as a precaution and only named on the bench, whilst Harrop was replaced by Richman in midfield.

LINE-UPS:

BUXTON (Blue) 1. Jan Budtz, 2. Josh Meade, 3. Andy McWilliams, 4. Matt Baker, 5. Nico Degirolamo, 6. Jack Broadhead, 7. Jude Oyibo, 8. Joe McGee, 9. Ant Wilson, 10. Liam Hardy (c), 11. Niall Doran. Subs: 12 Greg Young, 14. Callum Chippendale, 15. Bradley Grayson, 16. Luke Hingsley, 17. TBC

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. Chris MERRIE, 11. Tom PEERS. Subs: 12. Max HARROP, 14. Josh HANCOCK, 15. Sam HEATHCOTE, 16.Theo BAILEY-JONES, 20. Andrew JONES

BACKGROUND

Mike Garnett reminds us of the historical record against Buxtnton...

The sides drew 1-1 at Altrincham earlier this season.

REPORT

On a breezy night at Silverlands, Altrincham kicked off but were soon penalised for a Densmore foul. The opening stages were played at a frantic pace with Buxton posing an early threat when Hardy had to be halted in box (4 mins).

Two minutes later it took a fine White tackle to halt Hardy again before the Bucks' McGee had a shot blocked. Next, Thompson was in action to beat out a Hardy shot as the home team looked lively (9 mins). Soon, a run by former Alty Youth player Jude Oyibo ended in a goalkick.

Things improved for the visitors as Merrie made a good run up the middle before finding Peers, who was halted (14 mins).

After that, a Buxton shot went wide (20 mins) but, otherwise, there was plenty of endeavour but little threat of a goal at either end.

The game's first yellow card was for Buxton's Baker, who brought down Johnston as he got clear just inside the opposition half. Had the offence been nearer goal it could have been a red card (23 mins).

One of the referee's many questionable decisions in this match saw Alty halted in the Buxton box whilst in possession, only to be awarded a freekick well outside the box (25 mins).

Just before the half-hour, Alty won a corner on their left, from which a Jones header went wide.

Jones soon excelled at the other end, as he executed a great tackle on Oyibo, which gave Buxton a corner which Doran took poorly as the low kick went out of play at the near post (32 mins).

The game was now fairly even and had been played at a good pace so far.

When Johnston was fouled in the right corner by McWilliams, the freekick was cleared but, soon after this, White won a corner on the left which came to nothing.

After Hannigan had been fouled in his own half, Wilson was the second home playet to be booked, this one being for dissent (37 mins). Alty's only threat at this stage was a Johnston shot which flew miles over the bar, after a fine pass from Merrie (38 mins).

A Buxton freekick went to Thompson after Hardy had been tripped 40 yards out before Hardy himself became the third Bucks' player to be booked, in the 43rd minute, for his foul on Peers.

In added time, Alty won a corner on the left, after which Peers hooked an effort just wide.

Half-Time: BUXTON 0 ALTRINCHAM 0

Alty started the second half on the front foot but were unable to breach the solid Buxton backline. The rugged challenges continued when Merrie was fouled 35 yards from goal and the offender, McGee, was lectured (50 mins).

Budtz fumbled the resulting freekick before Hulme was halted in the Buxton box (56 mins). With Alty fans in good voice and making up a good proportion of the gate of 434, Thompson mis-cleared to Oyibo but a throw-in followed for Alty. From a Johnston freekick on the right, Budtz managed to punch the ball away before Hulme was tripped 30 yards out. Johnston's freekick evaded everyone but just drifted wide of the back post.

When Peers was blatantly flattened in an aerial challenge Mr Watson played on and it was to have indirect but devastating consequences for Alty's James Jones. As the ball was played upfield by Buxton, Alty's centre-back went down and a team-mate immediately signalled for a substitution. After some minutes of treatment the Alty defender was stretchered off and it later emerged that his season could be over with a hamstring injury.

So, Alty were forced into a switch as midfielder Max Harrop replaced the stricken centre-back, with Jake Moult moving into the back-line (59 mins).

Five minutes later the Bucks made a change, too, as former Stalybridge man, Chippendale, replaced striker Liam Hardy (64 mins). The referee again waved play on when Peers was barged over in the box before a White shot from the left was routinely saved by Budtz, it being the visitors' first shot on target such had been Buxton's efficiency in covering their keeper (67 mins).

At the other end, a Doran shot was deflected just wide and earned a corner. A few minutes later Alty were up in arms as Mr Watson penalised them for what looked a fair challenge. After the freekick from 35 yards, an Oyibo curler just cleared the bar (72 mins). Jordan Hulme's exasperation with the referee led to his being lectured for dissent.

When Chippendale gratuitously pushed White off the pitch, from behind, the midfielder earned a deserved yellow card (74 mins). Before Johnston could take a corner, won by Hulme, the Alty front man and an opponent were lectured for alleged argby-bargy in the goalmouth. Disappointingly, Johnston put the corner straight into the keeper's arms (76 mins).

Buxton now brought on Grayson for Doran as the sides continued to cancel each other out. Seven minutes from time Buxton won a corner from which a goalbound header was expertly tipped over the bar by Thompson (84 mins).

Thomposn punched away the ensuing corner before Johnston raced towards the home goal but was driven wide by the keeper, though his resultant corss id win Alty acorner on the right.

So, Alty had edged one point closer to their championship target but Warrington's win over Shaw Lane tonight ensured that the fight for the title continues. Alty travel to Shaw Lane in 48 hours' time before facing a third away trip in five days when they journey to Grantham Town on Saturday.

Footnote: Jordan Hulme was also booked in this game.

Full-Time: BUXTON 0 ALTRINCHAM 0