ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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CHESTER FC (0) 1
ALTRINCHAM (1) 2

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 10 November 2018, at 3pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham ended Chester's eleven-game unbeaten run and moved themselves to the top of the form-guide with this well deserved victory. Alty started the game brightly and took an eleventh-minute lead. The goal came up the left, via Dale and Hancock, to Hulme who fired a fine, low shot past Shenton from just inside the box.

But for the rest of the first half Altrincham were unable to translate their superiority into a second goal. And, seven minutes after the break, some woeful defending from a freekick taken by Roberts allowed the unmarked Grand to advance inside the box to direct a downward header past the exposed Thompson.

Chester were on top for the next ten minutes before Altrincham regained the lead. The visitors' second goal came from a Johnston corner from the left. Moult, who had an excellent game, leapt highest at the back post to direct the ball back across goal to Hulme who headed home his second goal of the match.

After that Chester offered little and Altrincham finished well-deserved winners. They move up to eighth in the table with a game in hand on several of the teams above them.

The only blot on the afternoon was a fifth league booking for Max Harrop, which will attract a one-match suspension.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Matt Cortlett
ATTENDANCE: 2,388
TEAM NEWS

Altrincham's starting eleven were unchanged but, again, the bench was lacking in experience with Gabidon and Scott yet to make a league start between them.

James Poole and Sean Williams were both present but unfit for inclusion, whilst Ben Harrison continued his rehabilitation with Trafford.

Chester also had injury problems with the hithero ever-present Garry Stopforth absent for this game, injured.


LINE-UPS:

CHESTER FC (Blue & white striped shirts, blue shorts and socks): 1. Grant Shenton, 2. Jon Moran, 3. Simon Grand, 4. Gary Roberts (c), 5. Danny Livesey, 6. Steve Howson, 7. John Pritchard, 8. Dan Mooney, 9. Mani Dieseruvwe, 10. Anthony Dudley, 11. Craig Mahon. Subs: 12. Deane Smalley, 14. Dom Smalley, 15. Cain Noble, 16. Luke Jordan, 17. Iwan Murray.

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Max HARROP, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 11. Owen DALE. Subs: 12. Dontai GABIDON, 14. Charlie SCOTT, 15. Simon RICHMAN, 16. Shaun DENSMORE, 20. Elliot WYNNE.


BACKGROUND

Before kick-off, Chester FC were unbeaten in their last eleven league games whilst Alty were also in good form, as Phil Parkinson's selection as Manager of the Month confirmed.


REPORT

After an impeccably observed two-minute silence for Remembrance Day, Chester kicked off towards the end where a good number of Altrincham supporters were housed. An early Johnston effort earned Alty a first-minute corner. A second corner soon followed, won by Hampson's cross following a freekick for a foul on Moult (2 mins).

Altrincham were already imposing themselves on the hosts and, after a freekick for a trip on Dale, Andy White hit a superb 25 yarder at goal which former Trafford keeper Shenton did well to beat away for Altrincham's third corner of the opening five minutes.

Dieseruvwe got in Chester's first shot which an Alty defender blocked. But Alty soon converted their early superiority into a goal. Dale was brought down as he advanced on the left but the ball ran forward to Hancock. He, in turn, fed Hulme who advanced and, from just inside the box, he fired a curling, low shot which beat Shenton's dive to his left and found the net just inside the post to make it 1-0 to Altrincham (11 mins).

So far, Chester had not been not making much of an effort to close down Alty's passing but Livesey did manage to land a header on target which Thompson saved comfortably (12 mins) and, soon afterwards, a Dudley shot narrowly cleared the bar.

Next, Chester's Mooney saw a long range effort saved by Thompson before the keeper also saved a low effort from Dieseruvwe as the hosts improved. They also won two successive corners but Altrincham were still seeing more of the ball.

Johnston came close to making it 2-0 to the visitors with a fine shot, which Shenton had to tip over the bar for a corner but which was wasted by Harrop's underpowered kick (32 mins)

However, Altrincham soon threatened as Thompson's superb kick to Moult on the left led to an impressive volley by Johnston but it flew well wide (33 mins).

With Altrincham still in control of the game, Jones was booked for holding, his fourth league card of the campaign (38 mins).

Despite a Chester corner in added time, Altrincham retained their well merited lead at the interval. As has happened several times this season they had dominated the first half but, this time, they had at least scored, unlike at Stockport and Hereford recently.


Half-Time: CHESTER FC 0
ALTRINCHAM 1

As early as the 47th minute Altrincham went close to scoring when Johnston beat a defender before firing narrowly wide. Next, White, who had a fine game, won a corner after a run and a shot at goal (48 mins).

An unnecessary foul by Johnston on Mahon, 40 yards out then gave Chester a freekick. From left of centre, Altrincham's back line was static as Grand took a few paces forward and had time to plant an unchallenged downward header past the exposed Thompson. So it was 1-1 (52 mins).

The equalizer prompted Chester's best spell of the game. Another unnecessary freekick was conceded, left of goal, this time by White. And, apart from a wild shot after a neat turn by Hulme, Chester were now enjoying the majority of forward momentum. When Harrop chopped down Mooney in midfield, the Alty man picked up his fifth booking of the league campaign to qualify for a suspenion (61 mins).

Alty's shaky spell continued as Jones slipped inside his own penalty area before recovering to clear the danger. But, just as the hosts looked the more likely to go ahead, it was Altrincham who did so. Hampson got forward and his low cross elicted a strong appeal for handball as a defender slid along the ground to block the ball. But a corner was the outcome.

From the left, Johnston's corner was met by a towering header at the back post by Moult, who was many supporters' Man of the Match. The captain's header went back to the near post where Hulme headed home unchallenged to take his league tally to ten goals (65 mins).

Immediately, Richman came on for Harrop as Altrincham now regained the upper hand. Hancock's fine 25 yarder was saved by Shenton (70 mins) before Alty won two successive corners following an initial error by Howson.

On 78 minutes Chester made a double swap with Deane Smalley and Luke Jordan replacing Dieseruvwe and Pritchard. Mahon, who looked the home side's liveliest player, won a corner before play stopped for treatment to White who had come off worse from a strong challenge by Mahon (82 mins).

Noble now replaced former Alty loanee Moran for Chester as time ticked away (86 mins). Then Pritchard saw a yellow card after chopping down Dale who was causing Chester problems on the Alty left. Dale recovered and got in a fine shot from a Johnston feed, which Shenton beat out (90 mins).

In the four declared added minutes Johnston sat down for treatment and was subbed by Densmore (90+4 mins). Play ended soon after Dale had got forward again and fed Hulme but, for once, the striker wasted a clear chance with a poor first touch as he confronted Shenton (90+6 mins).

The final whistle signalled exultation both from the Alty players on the pitch and amongst their strong following. This had been an excellent performance from Altrincham, who are now just a point off the play-off places, with a game in hand on several of the clubs above them.


Full-Time: CHESTER FC 1
ALTRINCHAM 2