ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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ALTRINCHAM (0) 0
BOSTON UNITED (0) 2

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 18 August 2018, at 3pm

SUMMARY

Altrincham could have no complaints about the result of this match in which they failed to land a shot on target. A well-organised Boston side efficiently closed down an Alty team which lost possession too often and, at times, too easily. After a goalless first half, Alty went behind in the 49th minute. Harrop opted to pass rather than clear the ball, 35 yards from his goal. Thanoj gained possession and fed Marriott who thumped home a fine, low shot from outside the box.

Altrincham's attempts to build from the back were frustrated by Boston but it was not till the 88th minute that the Pilgrims sealed the game. Moult was dispossessed in midfield and substitute Westcarr fed Arnold. From left of goal, the former Lincoln and Grimsby man's rising shot beat Thompson

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Matt Corlett
ATTENDANCE: 1,067
TEAM NEWS

Alty made four changes from the team beaten in midweek by FCUM, as the previously injured White and Goulding returned to the back line, Richman came into midfield and Hancock also returned after his knock.

Bosotn's former Shaw Lane manager Craig Elliott included ex-SLA players Harris, Walker and Wafula in his starting eleven.

LINE-UPS:

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

BOSTON UNITED (Yellow and black striped shirts, yellow socks and shorts): 1. George WILLS (capt), 2. Ben MIDDLETON, 3. Ashley JACKSON, 4. Andi THANOJ, 5. Spencer HARRIS, 6. Toby LEES, 7. Nathan ARNOLD, 8. Brad ABBOTT, 9. Adam MARRIOTT, 10. Nicky WALKER, 11. Jonathan WAFULA. subs: 12. Grant ROBERTS, 14. Craig WESTCARR, 15. Jonny MARGETTS, 16. Andre JOHNSON, 17. Jordan GOUGH.

BACKGROUND

Following their disappointing midweek defeat at home to FC United, Altrincham were looking to get back to gathering more points this afternoon but, in third-placed Boston United, they faced tough opposition from the club now managed by former Shaw Lane boss, Craig Elliott.

REPORT

After an uneventful opening, where Altrincham kicked off towards the Hale End, Middleton's trip on Harrop forced the Alty man into a somersault and earned the offender an early yellow card (5 mins).

A collision between Hulme and Willis then led to a stoppage for treatment to the visitors' keeper. At the other end, Alty keeper Thompson's second poor kick of the game went straight to Abbott but the Alty goal remained intact as he was unable to prompt any threat to the goal (10 mins).

Next, from a poor pass by Harrop, Goulding was put under pressure and lost the ball leaving Marriott to run at goal but a poor touch from the experienced striker led to a corner rather than a goal (12 mins). Altrincham continued their nervy start as Johnston now lost the ball but he did better moments later by winning the home side's first corner (17 mins).

However, an Altrincham defensive mix-up, four minutes later, fortunately only ended in a goalkick, rather than a goal conceded. Their unhappy afternoon continued as Hulme took umbrage at not receiving a freekick and, whilst he got away with that protest, moments later when penalised for backing in he showed dissent again and was predictably booked (25 mins). Three bookings already this season do not augur well for Alty's marksman.

Neither side was producing a goal threat as the half progressed competitively but uneventfully. Alty's best attack ended in a Johnston cross which Willis pushed away as Hulme closed in (38 mins).

Alty's defensive mistakes continued with a Goulding mispass and, moments later, out of nothing, a superb 25-yard volley from Walker grazed the outside of Thompson's right upright (43 mins). But that was the nearest to any goalmouth excitement to cheer the four-figure crowd.

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0
BOSTON UNITED 0

Inside the opening ten minutes of the second half, there has been a goal in every Alty game this season and the pattern continued as the Pilgrims took a 49th minute lead. Unsurprisingly, given the home side's jittery first-half performance, the goal followed Alty losing possession. Harrop elected to pass rather than clear upfield and possession was lost to Thanoj. He fed Marriott who struck a fine, low shot from outside the box which hit the back of the net from a fairly central position.

When White was caught by a high challenge, Thanoj was booked by Mr Corlett (52 mins). Following two Boston corners, play halted for Hampson to have a hand injury bandaged. Moments later the Alty left-back lost possession and was booked for his resulting foul (60 mins).

Daniels now replaced Harrop (62 mins) and he soon drew a foul from Wafula, who became the third booking for Boston (65 mins).

At this point Williams replaced Hampson before Alty's error-ridden performance continued as White mispassed the ball before Richman also lost possession.

On 73 minutes both sides made a change; Westcarr replaced Marriott and Peers came on for Johnston.

After an Alty corner had not produced a goal threat, Thompson was charged down as he dallied over a kicked clearance. The Alty keeper's kicking today was risky on several occasions.

At last Alty did produce a decent shot at goal but Daniels's effort went narrowly wide (81 mins). Next, a badly underhit back-pass from White let in Walker but Thompson did enough to drive him wide and the chance disappeared (86 mins). But just after this, Walker was replaced by Roberts (87 mins). Within seconds, Moult lost possession forty yards from goal and Westcarr worked the ball to his left to Arnold.

From the left, Arnold's rising shot made it 2-0 for the Pilgrims (88 mins). Three added minutes witnessed Gough replacing Arnold for Boston but there was no way back for Altrincham who will need to cut out the individual errors if their season is to regain some equilibrium after two home defeats in a week.

Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0
BOSTON UNITED 2