ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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SPENNYMOOR TOWN (2) 4
ALTRINCHAM (2) 4

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 11 August 2018, at 3pm

SUMMARY

In a hugely entertaining match Altrincham three times let a lead slip to return to Cheshire with just one point when three might well have been amassed.

The Moors started the better side and deservedly took an 11th minute lead. Their opening goal came after Hancock lost possession; the ball was worked to Anderson, who made space before slotting a low slot into the corner of the net to Thompson's left.

But Alty settled and equalised ten minutes later when White fired home from the edge of the box from Hulme's lay-back from near the byline, right of goal. Next, a foul on Johnson gave Alty a freekick, which the victim of the foul took himself from the right. Jones rose to head the freekick impressively home to make it 2-1 to the visitors (33 mins).

Alty were playing some excellent passing football but they allowed the Moors to score an equalizer against the run of play before the interval. Williams lost the ball near halfway and Ramshaw advanced on the right. He fed Boyes, to his left and he cleverly lobbed the exposed Thompson (41 mins).

For the third game in succession this season Alty scored early in the second half. This time, following a short corner, a low cross from the right was converted by the incoming Hancock to make it 3-2 to Alty (48 mins). After the hour mark the Moors got back into the game and following a foul by Hampson, Alty defended the resulting freekick poorly, allowing substitute Henry to level for a second time for the hosts (68 mins).

The excitement continued as Alty scored a fourth in the 77th minute when Johnston found Hulme, whose shot was blocked but fell for Hancock to record his second goal of the match. Three Alty substitutions followed before Hulme committed a foul forty yards out from his own goal. Once again Alty failed to defend the resulting set-piece and the Moors' freekick was headed back from beyond the back post for Turner to net another equalizer.

There were periods of excellent Altrincham play in this game but, ultimately, they were pegged back by defensive and midfield errors. Nevertheless, five points from three games are an encouraging total with which to start to the league campaign.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr S BARROTT
ATTENDANCE: 698
TEAM NEWS

Altrincham made two changes from Tuesday's win at Southport. Simon Richman and Josh Hancock started with Max Harrop and Brendon Daniels moving to the bench.

LINE-UPS:

SPENNYMOOR TOWN (Black & white striped shirts, black shorts, white socks): 1. Matthew GOULD, 2. Callum WILLIAMS, 3. Stephen BROGAN, 4. Jamie CHANDLER, 5. Kris THACKRAY, 6. James CURTIS (c), 7. Adam BOYES, 8. Robert RAMSHAW, 9. Glen TAYLOR, 10. Mark ANDERSON, 11. Andrew JOHNSON. Subs: 12. Shane HENRY, 13. Chris ELLIOTT, 14. David FOLEY, 15. Jacob HIBBS, 16. Kevin HAYES.

ALTRINCHAM (All purple): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Liam GOULDING, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Sean WILLIAMS, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12.Max HARROP, 14. Brendon DANIELS, 15. Tom PEERS, 16. Ben HARRISON, 20. Elliot WYNNE.

BACKGROUND

This was Altrincham's first game against Spennymoor Town though they had played the Moors' predecessor club, Spennymoor United more than a decade ago. The Moors had drawn their first two fixtures whilst Alty had recorded a draw and a win.

REPORT

Spennymoor kicked off, playing down the marked incline at the Brewery Field, in a match that was to be played largely in warm sunshine. The Moors started the better, though a Richman effort went narrowly wide in the eighth minute. However, Alty fell behind three minutes later after Hancock's mispass. The ball was played by a Spennymoor team-mate to Anderson, who made space for himself, before slotting a low shot into the corner of Thompson's net, to the keeper's left.

Altrincham then began to get on top, with a couple of corners and a Hancock near-miss to show for their efforts. And they levelled the score when Hulme sprang the offside trap to lay the ball back from the byline, right of goal, for White to drive home a low shot (21 mins).

Alty continued to have the better of proceedings and took a merited lead in the 33rd minute, again through a defender's goal. Johnston, having been fouled on the right wing, took the freekick and centre-back Jones rose impressively to head home firmly (33 mins).

Although the visitors continued to have the better of things they conceded an equaliser against the run of play in the 41st minute. Williams mis-kicked in midfield and the Moors went forward. Ramshaw fed the ball inside from right of goal and Boyes cleverly lobbed the exposed and advancing Thompson, despite a defender's desperate attempt to clear the ball off the line. Before the break Thackray's trip on Hulme earned him the match's first yellow card.

Half-Time: SPENNYMOOR TOWN 2 ALTRINCHAM 2

In their previous two games this season Alty had scored soon after the interval and they did so again now. After their second corner of the half, the ball was crossed low across the face of goal where Hancock, towards the back post, steered the ball into the net (48 mins).

Before the hour mark the Moors made what proved to be an important change as Henry came on in midfield to replace Johnson. The effect was not immediate as Altrincham won two corners and continued to look the better side. But soon after these corners, the hosts raised their game and, following a Hampson foul, a Moors' freekick from the right reached an unmarked Moors player beyond the back post. The ball was headed back into the mix and Henry netted with a slightly scuffed shot to make it 3-3 (68 mins).

Jones picked up his second booking of the week for a foul as the Moors now enjoyed a good spell. But, next, Altrincham took the lead for the third time in the afternoon as Johnson set Hulme in on goal. Gould blocked the striker's effort but the ball came to Hancock who recorded his second goal of the game to restore Alty's advantage at 4-3 (77 mins).

Hancock was injured and he and Williams were immediately replaced by Daniels and Harrop (78 mins). Just three minutes later, Harrison, returning from last season's injury, made his first appearance of the league season in place of White (81 mins). Alty had barely time to reshuffle their backline when Spennymoor equalised. Once again the goal came from a freekick, this time one needlessly conceded by Hulme about 45 yards from goal, for which he picked up a card, having been lectured shortly before for a gratuitous barge on the home goalkeeper. Altrincham failed to deal with the freekick in the air, the ball getting stuck under Goulding's feet before falling for Turner to make it 4-4 (84 mins).

In added time a trip by Henry on Harrop got him cautioned. Deep into added time Alty's Daniel got in a rasping shot which was blocked and the ball was hacked away as the visitors had to settle for a point in a game which, but for defensive lapses, they would have won. For their part the Moors never gave up, despite losing their early lead. Coming back three times from a deficit was impressive on their part.

Full-Time: SPENNYMOOR TOWN 4 ALTRINCHAM 4