ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

Return to News Page

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC (2) 2
ALTRINCHAM (0) 0

Cheshire Senior Cup First Round match
played on Tuesday, 3 December 2019, at 7.45pm

SUMMARY:

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Zharir Mustafa
ATTENDANCE: 147
TEAM NEWS:

Having bowed out of the FA Cup with honour some 72 hours earlier, Altrincham made eleven changes to their starting eleven for this Cheshire Senior Cup match.

The Stalybridge squad included ex-Alty players Kellum Mantcack and Mark Lees.

LINE-UP:

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC (Blue and white shirts, blue shorts, white socks): 1. Alex Fojticek, 2. Declan Walker, 3. Kallum Mantack, 4. Ross Dent, 5. Steve O'Halloran, 6. Chris Smalley, 7. Scott Bakkor (c), 8. Tony Whitehead, 9. Neil Kengni, 10. Darius Osei, 11. Jonathan Ustabasi. Subs. 12. Nathan Valentine, 14. Harry Freedman, 15. Liam MacDevitt, 16. Jack O'Leary, 17. Mark Lees.

ALTRINCHAM (All yellow): 1. Joel TORRANCE, 2. Callum GRAHAM, 3. Dontai GABIDON, 4. Toby MULLARKEY, 5. Connor HAMPSON (c), 6. Max HARROP, 7. Luke WALL, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 9. Jack RYAN, 10. Curtis MILLER, 11. Billy MATTHEWS. Subs: 12. Dre TAYLOR, 14. Raheem MERCURIUS, 15. James MATTHEWS, 16. George HOWARTH, 20. Liam BLACKBURN (gk)

BACKGROUND:

This tie had been postponed previously due to Altrincham's involvement in the FA Cup and a resultant backlog of league fixtures.

REPORT:

On a cold and frosty night it was not surprising that the home team had the better of the early stages against an Alty team of players who, in many cases, had never played togteher previously.

Only Mullarkey, Harrop, Wall and Richman had played any first-team game time this season, with the rest of the squad comprising reserves and youth teamers.

Torrance was called on for the first serious save of the game (13 mins). But thirteen minutes later good play by Curtis Miller almost put Alty ahead only for his shot to be slightly off beam (25 mins). Wall then had an effort blocked .

However, it was Celtic who took the lead in the 36th minute through Osei. And the task for Alty became much harder, just three minutes later, when a Torrance clearance was blocked and looped up before finding the Altrincham net. Kengni was credited with the goal (39 mins).

So, Alty trailed by two goals at the break despite having put in a decent first-half performance.

Half-Time: STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2
ALTRINCHAM 0

Things almost got worse early in the second half when a Stalybridge header hit the crossbar (50 mins). Soon afterwards a fine run forward by Gabidon sadly came to nothing before he could get in a meaningful shot.

After 63 minutes Osei gave way to Freeman, the first change of personnel of the evening.

The second half became something of a non-event, woth either side creating anything much in the way of a goal threat. The nearest Alty came was a good effort from Miller which went narrowly wide (70 mins).

Soon afterwards Alty brought on Mercurius for Matthews (74 mins) and then Max Harrop got himself booked for a foul (77 mins). Celtic next made a double swap on 79 minutes as Whitehead was replaced by MacDevitt and ex-Alty defender Mark Lees came on for Kengni.

A rare hint of goal arrived in the 81st minute as Mullarkey glanced a Harrop freekick wide. Just before the end of the game a crude challenge by MacDevitt saw him booked (89 mins).

As might have been predicted, given the Alty line up, this was a low-key affair and means Alty have gone out of two cup competitions in a week.

Full-Time: STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 2
ALTRINCHAM 0