ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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STOCKPORT COUNTY (1) 2
ALTRINCHAM (0) 0

Vanarama National League North match
played on Wednesday, 26 December 2018, at 3pm


SUMMARY

Stockport made it three wins against Altrincham this season and the visitors, who have never scored at Edgeley Park against a County first-team, maintained that unwanted record. After Hemmings had struck an upright in the sixth minute, Altrincham did not seriously threaten to score, with home keeper Hinchliffe largely limited to making comfortable saves from long-range efforts.

County took a 25th-minute lead, following a right-sided corner. Kirby sent a looping header towards the back post where Stott headed home from close range. The game was decided in the 52nd minute when a long ball forward by former Alty loanee Paul Turnbull was expertly taken down from the air by the foot of Frank Mulhern. The impressive Stockport striker then slotted the ball into the net, past the advancing Thompson.

Altrincham saw plenty of the ball in the second half but, with the game drifting away from them, they did not make any personnel changes till the 73rd minute when Simon Richman replaced Williams in midfield and debutant Bury loanee-striker, Chris Sant, replaced the booked midfielder, Max Harrop.

The result means that the hosts move above the visitors into fourth place with Alty dropping to fifth, the clubs being separated only by goal difference. However, despite ending their run of nine league games without defeat, Alty have a game in hand on three of the clubs above them.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Sam Barrott
ATTENDANCE: 4,549 (588 through the away turnstiles)
TEAM NEWS

Compared with the much weaker team selected by Phil Parkinson for the recent clash between the clubs in the FA Trophy, today Altrincham fielded arguably as strong a starting eleven as available. However, they were again without suspended striker Jordan Hulme, so Josh Hancock once more wore the number nine shirt. Also missing was injured defender Andy White, whilst James Poole was also absent as he continued his lengthy rehabilitation process. Sean Williams was brought back after injury to start in midfield in preference to Simon Richman. There was a welcome return on the bench for Ben Harrison, where he was joined by loanees Kallum Mantack and Chris Sang.

Compared with the County side which had beaten Alty eleven days earlier in the FA Cup, Minihan replaced Cowan at right-back and Turnbull came in for Osborne in midfield.


LINE-UPS:

STOCKPORT COUNTY (All blue): 1. Ben Hinchliffe, 2. Sam Minhan, 3. Scott Duxbury, 4. Jordan Keane, 5. Ash Palmer (c), 6. Jamie Stott, 7. Adam Thomas, 8. Paul Turnbull, 9. Frank Mulhern, 10. Matty Warburton, 11. Jake Kirby. Subs: 12. Sam Walker, 13. Ian Ormson, 14. Elliot Osborne, 15. Darren Stephenson, 16. Nyal Bell

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Tony Thompson, 2. Shaun Densmore, 3. Connor Hampson, 4. James Jones, 5. Tom Hannigan, 6. Jake Moult (c), 7. John Johnston, 8. Sean Williams, 9. Josh Hancock, 10. Max Harrop, 11. Ashley Hemmings. Subs: 12. Kallum Mantack, 14. Simon Richman, 15. Ben Harrison, 16. Chris Sang, 20. Elliot Wynne.


BACKGROUND

This was the third meeting of the clubs already this season after County's two victories against Altrincham in the FA Cup and FA Trophy. Nevertheless, Altrincham were unbeaten after a run of seven wins and two draws in their previous nine league fixtures.


REPORT

Stockport kicked off towards the away end and they also got in the first shot; Keane's 20 yarder, which Thompson saved (2 mins). Alty were subjected to three foul challenges in the opening four minutes before the visitors went close to snatching an early lead. An impressive passing move up the left led to Hemmings smashing a shot against the keeper's right upright before the danger was cleared (6 mins). At the other end a mispass by Hannigan allowed Thomas to advance on goal and fire goalwards. Thompson beat out the shot before gathering the loose ball (7 mins).

County were the next to go close as Warburton's low cross from the left flew across the goalmouth, narrowly evading Mulhern (12 mins). The end to end play continued as Johnston got into the box before being barged off the ball by a defender. After a Warburton shot had won an umproductive County corner, a Johnston run at the other end finished with a shot wide of the target.

Alty then went close again when a fine clearance from Hemmings set Johnston running at goal. He fed Hancock whose chipped shot was saved by Hinchliffe (20 mins).

Stockport almost grabbed the lead when a weak punch by Thompson, as he came off his goalline, not only gave away possession but left the net unguarded. Fortunately Hannigan got back to clear a certain goal off the line (24 mins). Altrincham did not settle after this incident and, from a corner soon afterwards, they allowed Kirby a looping header which dropped for the unmarked Stott to nod home near the back post (25 mins).

Once Stockport got ahead, the balance of the game shifted more heavily in their favour. However, there was little in the way of goalmouth action in the next period of the match as County had the luxury of defending a lead and Altrincham proved unable to unpick the hosts' defensive lock. Errors were creeping into the v‭isitors' game with possession being given away too cheaply whilst their forward momentum lacked the tempo to unsettle a solid Stockport backline.

Altrincham managed to get to half-time with just the one-goal deficit but they would need to instil some increased tempo into their game in the second half if they were to unsettle the Stockport defence.


Half-Time: STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
ALTRINCHAM 0

With strong vocal support, Altrincham kicked off the second half. An early corner was frustratingly wasted with yet another in a sequence, this season, of failed short-corner routines which repeatedly waste the time and effort of the centre-backs in jogging upfield.

Things got worse when Williams failed to clear from the right-back position, allowing an opponent to advance diagonally towards the penalty area. Thompson rushed out but failed to clear the ball, which rebounded off the opponent and headed towards goal but with insufficient momentum to prevent an Alty defender from clearing the danger (49 mins).

With Altrincham looking short on confidence, a fine long ball from his own half by Turnbull located Mulhern, running towards goal in the inside-left position. County's number nine's boot brought the ball down superbly and he went on to beat Thompson and double his team's lead (52 mins).

Alty responded with long-range efforts from Moult and Harrop which Hinchliffe dealt with comfortably. On the hour mark Harrop was booked for a reckless challenge in midfield and with Alty looking in need of inspiration it was surprising that no changes were in the offing from the Alty bench.

On the other hand, Stockport now brought on Stephenson for Kirby (67 mins). It was not until the 73rd minute that Altrincham finally made a change and it meant that Richman and debutant striker Sang replaced the booked Harrop and fellow midfielder Williams.

Stockport continued to repel Altrincham without any undue alarm before Jim Gannon introduced Nyal Bell for the excellent Mulhern and Alty brought on Harrison in a straight swap for centre-back Hannigan (80 mins).

Altrincham had the majority of the second-half possession and, with Richman adding some much-needed energy and Sang also showing some promise up front, the closing stages saw the visitors belatedly mount some more sustained pressure, albeit without seriously threatening to score.

This was a very disappointing performance from Altrincham whose defeat meant that they surrendered their excellent nine-game unbeaten run in the league.


Full-Time: STOCKPORT COUNTY 2
ALTRINCHAM 0