ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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YORK CITY (0) 0
ALTRINCHAM (0) 1

Vanarama National League North match
played on Saturday, 9 March 2019, at 3pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham secured a well-deserved win on what was potentially their last-ever visit to Bootham Crescent, given York City's planned relocation next season.

In a goalless first-half, York gradually got the upper-hand after the visitors had started well. Indeed, Altrincham were indebted to a fine block by goalkeeper Thompson when Burgess got free inside the box in the eighteenth minute.

But the second half saw Altrincham largely dominate proceedings after they had hit the post just two minutes into the second period. Ceesay advanced on goal before striking the upright, though the wingman might have done better to feed Hulme instead. Ten minutes later, York got forward and when Burgess wriggled into the box, he too struck an upright.

But Altrincham were on top for long periods which helped to subdue both their opponents and the home crowd. Altrincham's pressure finally got its reward in the 81st minute when Hancock scored a superb goal, hooking the ball acrobatically across keeper Bartlett into the net.

The win lifted Altrincham to sixth in advance of a visit from Brackley Town next Saturday.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr John Matthews (who previously reffed Alty's away defeat at Blyth Spartans this season).
ATTENDANCE: 2,618 (249 from Altrincham)
TEAM NEWS

Altrincham made one change from the starting eleven which had played in midweek against Blyth Spartans. Striker Jordan Hulme reclaimed his place from loanee Joe Piggott after the Alty man had lost his place following suspension. Piggott was not in the squad today but new centre-back loanee, Billy Sass-Davies, from Crewe Alexandra, was on the bench.


LINE-UPS:

YORK CITY (Red shirts, blue shorts, red socks): 1. Adam Bartlett, 2. Kallum Griffiths, 3. David Ferguson, 4. Sean Newton, 5. David Mirfin, 6. Adriano Moke, 7. Wes York, 8. Paddy McLaughlin, 9. Jordan Burrow, 10. Scott Burgess, 11. Alex Kempster. Subs: 12. Josh Law, 14. Hamza Bencherif, 17. Alex Harris, 18. Ryan Whitley, 19. Jon Parkin.

ALTRINCHAM (Purple shirts and shorts, white socks): 1. Tony Thompson, 2. Andy White, 3. Connor Hampson, 4. James Jones, 5. Tom Hannigan, 6. Jake Moult (c), 7. John Johnston, 8. Sean Williams, 9. Jordan Hulme, 10. Josh Hancock, 11. Yusifu Ceesay. Subs: 12. Callum Dolan, 14. Max Harrop, 15. Billy Sass-Davies, 16. Shaun Densmore, 17. Simon Richman


BACKGROUND

This match was likely to be Altrincham's last visit to Bootham Crescent, which is set to be bulldozed next year when the Minstermen move some three and a half miles to their new ground on the city outskirts at Monks Cross.

Mike Garnett reminds us of the historical record between Altrincham and York City.

York City had seen a recent revival under their new manager, Steve Watson, who had just been named Manager of the Month. However, the Minstermen's four-game run of wins in February, had been mostly against lowly teams.


REPORT

After Altrincham had passed through strong winds and heavy rain over the Pennines, Bootham Crescent was bathed in sunshine for this match, albeit there was a stiff breeze throughout. York won the toss and elected to change ends, leaving Alty keeper Tony Thompson to face the sun without a cap.

York won a third-minute corner but Altrincham soon began to settle and had the better of the next few minutes. But the nearest to a goalbound effort was Sean Williams's ninth-minute shot from outside the box which went narrowly wide. An Alty corner soon followed but play was fairly even.

Altrincham were indebted to keeper Thompson when Burgess and a team-mate took advantage of a rare slip up by Tom Hannigan (18 mins). With York looking odds-on to score, Thompson did well to block Burgess's effort then the two York men seemed to put each other off and the ball was half-cleared before a follow-up shot was held by Thompson.

Thompson was again in action, six minutes later, when he spilt a low cross from the lively right-winger, Wes York. A player from each side went down in the resulting melee with York claiming a penalty but the referee awarded Altrincham a freekick (24 mins).

Referee Matthews's inconsistent afternoon continued as he ignored a foul on Ceesay, compounding this by awarding a York freekick which Newton hit into the wall (27 mins). Soon afterwards, Hulme was fouled and, quite reasonably, play was waved on as Alty had the ball. Hulme was immediately then fouled again but the referee now awarded the freekick at the site of the first foul and not the second one. From Johnston's freekick Jones' header went narrowly wide (29 mins).

There was no serious threat of a goal at either end in the remaining minutes before half time. Overall, York had shaded the first 45 minutes and had gone the closer of the sides to breaking the deadlock.


Half-Time: YORK CITY 0
ALTRINCHAM 0

Alty started the second half brightly and, inside two minutes, Ceesay broke forward up the inside-right channel, with Hulme supporting him more centrally. The Blackpool loanee opted to go alone rather than feed his well-placed team-mate but Ceesay's effort struck the post.

Within a minute, Ceesay threatened again, as he got into the box, where he went down under a defender's challenge. Altrincham were incensed as no penalty was awarded and their captain, Jake Moult, was booked as Ceesay was being treated (49 mins).

Altrincham kept up the pressure with a corner before one of several incidents in this match which prompted thoughts as to the role of assistant referees. Hulme was wrestled down, the linesman remained motionless and play continued. When spectators yards away from an incident can see a clear foul and the linesman, just feet away, fails to do so, it beggars belief.

The first change of personnel arose in the 57th minute when Harris replaced the injured Moke for York. Immediately after this, York got forward and Burgess cleverly wriggled his way into the box but his shot from right of centre hit the far post. Play switched to the other end where Hulme beat his man but his shot was blocked. Then a Johnston effort was saved as the game reached the hour-mark.

York responded with a corner won following a throw-in, at which point Jon Parkin came on for Kempster (62 mins).

After an Altrincham corner had come and gone, they also made a swap with Billy Sass-Davies, a Crewe loanee signed in midweek, replacing Jones at centre-back (66 mins). Two more Alty corners followed and from the second of these Hulme headed narrowly wide. Alty were now maintaining some pressure on York but Hancock hit a freekick well over the bar before mis-hitting a shot weakly to the keeper soon afterwards (71 mins).

Hannigan had to make an important tackle inside the box to concede a corner (75 mins). When Ceesay again threatened to get clear on a counter-attack, he was brought down by McLaughlin who was booked (77 mins). As Altrincham continued to enjoy the upper hand, Hancock broke the deadlock with an acrobatic hooked shot from the outer reaches of the penalty area which found the corner of the keeper's net, to his right (81 mins).

With six minutes left, Richman came on to shore up midfield as Ceesay was withdrawn. Parkin then shoved over Hampson to concede a freekick (80 mins), another blatant foul for which the adjacent linesman failed to raise his flag.

In the 89th minute York threw on another big veteran up-top as centre-back Bencherif joined Parkin at the apex of the York attack. Three minutes of added time were decreed during which Harrop replaced Hancock (90+2 mins). Almost immediately Harrop got himself needlessly booked for kicking the ball away at a throw-in.

This result simultaneously ended York's run of four games unbeaten and extended Altrincham's recent run to the same number of games. Altrincham now lie sixth, with fourth-placed Brackley their next opposition when the Saints visit Cheshire next Saturday.


Full-Time: YORK CITY 0
ALTRINCHAM 1