ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

Return to News Page

BRACKLEY TOWN (1) 1
ALTRINCHAM (1) 2

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 1 December 2018, at 3pm

SUMMARY

Altrincham moved up to fourth in the league with this deserved win in Northamptonshire. Facing a Brackley team lacking its leading scorer, James Armson, Altrincham took a fortieth-minute lead. The goal arose from a mistake by the home goalkeeper, Lewis, who failed to hold a shot and the ball ended up with Simon Richman who netted from six yards. But, just a minute later, the scores were level again. The lively Miles got up the right wing and crossed to Adam Walker on the left. His cross from the left was headed home by Glenn Walker.

Eight minutes after the interval Altrincham scored the deciding goal. Right-back Andy White advanced and cut in from the right before firing a fine, left-footed, low shot past Lewis. After that Altrincham largely controlled the game.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Ms Amy Fearn
ATTENDANCE: 510
TEAM NEWS

With Owen Dale's loan period terminated, there was a first start for new loanee Kallam Mantack, who had marked his debut last week with a goal within three minutes of leaving the subs' bench. Simon Richman cointinued in midfield with Max Harrop named on the bench.

For their part, Brackley were without their leading scorer, James Armson, and were only able to name four players on the bench.

LINE-UPS:

BRACKLEY TOWN (Red & white striped shirts, white shorts and red socks): 1. Danny Lewis, 2. Ellis Myles, 3. Connor Franklin, 4. Shane Byrne, 5. Connor Hall, 6. Gareth Dean (c), 7. Glenn Walker, 8. Sheperd Murombedzi, 9. Lee Ndlovu, 10. Matt Lowe, 11. Adam Walker. Subs: 12. Luke Fairlamb, 14. Daniel Nti, 15. Shaun Jeffers, 16. Mark Noon.

ALTRINCHAM (All purple): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 11. Kallam MANTACK. Subs: 12. Max HARROP, 14. Dontai GABIDON, 15. Josh LANGLEY, 16. Shaun DENSMORE, 20. Elliot WYNNE.

BACKGROUND

Brackley had lost just one home game at St James Park this season but Altrincham arrived unbeaten in their previous six league matches, a run which included five wins.

Mike Garnett's records show that in previous encounters between the two clubs Altrincham had only lost once in four visits to St James Park.

This time, the clubs went into the match with virtually identical league records...

REPORT

After a damp morning, Altrincham kicked off on a breezy but dry afternoon at St James Park. The first action saw a dipping 25-yarder from Johnston narrowly clear the top corner of the net (2 mins). Play continued fairly uneventfully with the home side growing into the game. Altrincham were playing some neat football but not at a tempo sufficiently brisk to cause Brackley any serious concerns (20 mins).

After Jones had been clearly pushed on the byline, referee Fearn nevertheless awarded Brackley a corner rather than giving Alty a freekick (21 mins). And, as play passed the half-hour mark, there was little to animate the crowd to any serious degree. At last, one of the keepers was called into action as Lowe forced Thompson to complete a save at the second attempt (34 mins).

When Murombedzi committed his third foul of the afternoon referee Fearn showed a reluctance to produce a yellow card which was to persist throughout the game. Thompson was soon busy again as, following a mis-clearance by Moult, an impressive 20-yard shot from Franklin was well saved by the Alty stopper, albeit at the cost of a corner (37 mins). But, just as Brackley were enjoying their best spell of the game so far, Altrincham took the lead.

The goal owed much to an unfortunate error by Brackley keeper Lewis who failed to hold a Johnston cross cum shot from the right. A backheel by Hulme and a follow-up by Mantack were both blocked but the ball went across goal to Richman who netted from six yards (40 mins).

But, barely a minute later, Brackley equalised. It was a well-worked goal, emnanating from the lively Myles, who advanced on the right. His cross came to Adam Walker on the other flank, from where he crossed the ball back into the goalmouth. Glenn Walker rose to head the ball home from the centre of the goalmouth (41 mins).

As the half ended, a Johnston run was halted in the Brackley box and the same player's cross won a corner, which came to nothing.

Half-Time: BRACKLEY TOWN 1
ALTRINCHAM 1

A foul by White on Myles gave Brackley an early freekick, from which Thompson had to tip a header over the bar for a corner. But Altrincham were soon to restore their lead. White progressed up the right wing before cutting in and, from just outside the box, he swept a low shot past Lewis and into the net (53 mins).

Once again Altrincham almost conceded an equaliser straight after going ahead. This time, Thompson came to punch and failed to do so, and a defender had to clear the resulting ball off the line (54 mins).

Altrincham soon recovered their equilbrium and they took control of the game either side of the hour mark. Clear dissent by Byrne after being penalised went unpunished and Johnston's resulting freekick earned a corner. Likewise, when Hulme was hacked down, there was no card produced by a lenient Ms Fearn. With Altrincham looking comfortable with their lead, Brackley made a double swap as Jeffers and Fairlamb replaced Murombedzi and Franklin (74 mins).

A superb spin past his marker by Hulme, inside the box, got him one-on-one with Lewis, but the keeper blocked the striker's shot (79 mins). Brackley then made their third change, in the 80th minute, when Nti replaced Ndlovu.

Following a White foul, Myles reacted by pushing over the Alty right-back but again the only punishment meted out was a freekick (82 mins).

The hardworking Hulme won Alty a late corner before Myles did the same for Brackley (86 mins). After a Jones foul, the Alty defender showed dissent without further sanction before Alty had to hack clear the freekick (89 mins).

In the first of four added minutes, Alty won a corner and, in the third minute, Harrop replaced Mantack (90+3 mins). Bizarrely the only booking of the game arrived in the 94th minute when Tony Thompson was cautioned for timewasting, an accusation against which the goalkeeper was defenceless.

Alty saw out the closing minute or more of play before celebrating an important win. Without being at the high levels seen recently against York and Bradford (PA), Altrincham were the deserved winners.

Full-Time: BRACKLEY TOWN 1
ALTRINCHAM 2