ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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ALTRINCHAM (0) 2
LEAMINGTON (1) 2

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 4 August 2018, at 3pm


SUMMARY

It is now five years since Altrincham won an opening match of a league season after this 2-2 draw in a game in which Altrincham dominated the second half. Alty had fallen behind in the 28th minute when a foul by Harrop gave the Brakes a freekick from which Stenson's header hit the post and Edwards converted the rebound.

Alty responded very early in the second half when Hulme headed in a towering cross from the right. But, a minute later, Leamington re-took the lead when Breeden's freekick was only cleared out to Gittings who scored from 18 yards with a low shot (48 mins).

Alty regained parity again, six minutes later, when Johnston advanced and Hancock threaded the ball through for Hulme to score with a shot, from right of centre, which went in off the inside of the upright. Despite spending long periods in the visitors' half Altrincham were unable to break through for a winner.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Richard Aspinall
ATTENDANCE: 1,047
TEAM NEWS

Sean Williams and Simon Richman were on the bench along with the recuperating Ben Harrison, whilst Phil Parkinson gave debuts to Port Vale loanee Brendon Daniels and Liam Goulding. Tom Hannigan, James Poole and Shaun Densmore remained unfit to be involved, and recent signings Lloyd Bannister and Bay Downing also did not make the squad today.


LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Liam GOULDING, 6. Jake MOULT (capt), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Max HARROP, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 11. Brendon DANIELS. Subs: 12. Sean WILLIAMS, 14. Tom PEERS, 15. Ben HARRISON, 16. Simon RICHMAN, 20. Elliot WYNNE.

LEAMINGTON (All blue): 1. Tony BREEDEN (capt), 2. Junior ENGLISH, 3. Connor GUDGER, 4. Joe CLARKE, 5. Jamie HOOD, 6. James MACE, 7. Kieran DUNBAR, 8. Callum GITTINGS, 9. Matt STENSON, 10. Jack EDWARDS, 11. Ahmed OBENG. Subs: 12. Anthony DWYER, 14. Connor TAYLOR, 15. James BOWEN, 16. Kieran MORRIS, 17. Joe MAGUNDA.


BACKGROUND

Altrincham were in their new home kit for this opening match of the season which was taking place on the earliest date ever for the start of a league season for the club.


REPORT

Alty in the new kit defended the Golf Road end after Leamington had kicked off on a sunny afternoon. In an open and even opening spell each side won a corner in the first six minutes.

The visitors took the lead after Harrop had been penalised, despite his protestations to the referee. From right of goal, Dunbar's freekick was headed firmly against Thompson's right upright by former Barwell striker, Stenson. The rebound fell for Edwards to net the loose ball (28 mins).

Alty had a torrid few minutes following this. Firstly, a poor back-pass by Moult forced Thompson to make a desperate block but the ball came out to Gittings who hit the post with a firm shot (32 mins).

Then Alty picked up two bookings inside a minute as Harrop was cautioned for another foul before Hampson also saw a yellow card as he pulled back an opponent on the front edge of the home side's penalty area (34 mins).

With the game into the second minute of added time at the end of the first half, Gittings was booked for a foul.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0
LEAMINGTON 1

Altrincham got back on level terms barely two minutes into the second period. A looping cross from the right was headed home at the back post by Hulme. But the visitors immediately restored their lead. From goalkeeper Breeden's freekick, just inside his own half on the Brakes' right, the ball was ineffectively cleared out to Gittings whose well struck low shot from just outside the box found the bootom corner of the net to Thompson's right (48 mins).

A fine move saw Johnston advance and feed Hancock who cleverly threaded the ball forward to Hulme whose low shot entered the net off the lower part pf the Leamington keeper's right post to make it 2-2 (54 mins).

Although Altrincham were to dominate the remainder of the game they could find no way through the resolute Brakes' defence. After 70 minutes, Taylor replaced Obeng for the visitors and, soon afterwards, Gudger was booked for tripping Johnston.

Daniels was then replaced by Peers (74 mins), the Port Vale loanee having had a quiet game. Taylor was written in the referee's book for a very poor challenge on Moult (83 mins).

Next, Richman replaced Harrop in the Altrincham midfield (84 mins) before Dwyer, who had joined Alty briefly this summer, replaced Leamington's Dunbar (85 mins).

The closing stages witnessed further changes as Williams came on for Harrop (89 mins) and Bowen replaced Stenson (90+1 mins). A mazy dribble inside the box by Hulme led to a late shot but it was saved by Breeden to keep the scores level.

A draw against the team which had only just survived in the National League North last season underlined that Altrincham will find the competition far tougher this season than was the case in the last league campaign.

Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2
LEAMINGTON 2