ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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CURZON ASHTON (0) 0
ALTRINCHAM (0) 1

Vanarama National League North match
played on Thursday, 26 December 2019, at 3pm

SUMMARY:

After a first half in which Altrincham were the better side but spurned several chances, the second half started in similar vein. Hancock had missed the best chance of the first half, firing off target.

In the second half Peers had a couple of decent chances, firing wide from the first, and clearing the bar from the second. But, a minute or so after the latter chance, he firmly headed home an impressive cross from Shaun Densmore to put Altrincham ahead (75 mins).

Altrincham continued to have the better of things and saw out the game relatively comfortably for their first away win in the league this season.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr David McNamara
ATTENDANCE: 602
TEAM NEWS:

John Johnston had recovered from his hamstring problem to start, with loanee Ethan Walker dropping to the bench, where he displaced Simon Richman.

For The Nash, ex-Alty man Sean Miller had been enjoying a good season and he, too, started.

LINE-UP:

CURZON ASHTON (Blue and white) : 1. Cameron Mason, 2. James Baillie, 3. Liam Davies, 4. Nicky Wroe (c), 5. Andy Halls, 6. Mohamud Ali, 7. Sean Miller, 8. Michael Calveley, 9. Charlie Jolley, 10. Robert Evans, 11. Isaac Sinclair. Subs: 12. Daniel Shaw, 14. Lewis Doyle, 15. Cody McCann, 16. Joshua Askew, 17. Jack Sloan

ALTRINCHAM (Grey shirts and shorts): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 3. Andy WHITE, 4. James JONES, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Sean WILLIAMS, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 11. Tom PEERS. Subs: 12. Max HARROP, 14. Luke WALL, 15. Ethan WALKER, 16. Toby MULLARKEY, 17. Connor HAMPSON

BACKGROUND:

Both teams had enjoyed good recent runs only to lapse into indifferent form recently. The Nash had won four and drawn one in a sequence of five fixtures straddling mid-November and December. But they had lost their two most recent fixtures, including a 3-0 reverse at Brackley last Saturday.

Meanwhile, after a run of ten undefeated matches, Altrincham were looking to end a run of six games in all competitions without a win. The Robins were also seeking their first away win of the season in the league. However, they had only lost once in the league since mid-September, a run of six games.

REPORT:

Alty kicked off in rain at the Tameside Stadium but the hosts won two early corners, the second coming after Thompson had had to push away Davies's excellent first flag-kick (2 mins).

Johnston provided Alty's first attacking threat but, on this occasion, the ball ran to keeper Mason (6 mins). Alty were now growing into the game and soon won their first corner (9 mins).

But there was no serious goal threat at either end in the opening stages. A Curzon corner came and went (16 mins) after which Thompson made a routine save from Ali. Then, following a ball from Johnston into the goalmouth, Alty did threaten but, after a goalmouth melee, Davies headed off the line (19 mins).

Peers then fired over the bar from a Hulme feed (20 mins). Next, a wild tackle by Jolley on Hannigan prompted treatment for the Alty defender and earned the offender a yellow card (22 mins).

Hulme was then fouled by Evans's late challenge as Alty remained on top (23 mins). However, Mason punched away the resulting freekick.

Another foul by Jolley, saw him block off White (26 mins) but he escaped a second yellow card. A wild left-foot shot from Densmore was the visitors' best effort as the half-hour approached (28 mins).

But then Hancock missed a great chance, shooting wide, as Peers and Hulme created the opportunity (30 mins).

Calveley then conceded a freekick but nothing came of this other as Hancock delayed his pass to Peers. Following this, another Alty corner was dealt with by Halls (33 mins).

Alty continued to have the better of things but were unable to convert this superiority into a goal (37 mins). Densmore now conceded an unnecessary corner but Thompson collected this (39 mins).

Hancock was again off target at the end of an Alty move (43 mins) as the visitors failed again to convert their superiority into a goal. An Alty corner was then headed at goal by Jones but Mason saved it well (44 mins).

In the three added minutes of the first half, a poor Moult clearance led to a Thompson save then Baillie put the ball over the bar but was offside in any case. A White run and cross came to nothing after this.

Finally, shortly before half time, Jones was unable to beat Mason as the story of missed chances continued.

Half-Time: CURZON ASHTON 0
ALTRINCHAM 0

Alty started the second half still on the front foot. But there were few openings in the initial ten minutes of the half.

On 58 minutes Lewis Doyle replaced striker Isaac Sinclair for the Nash, as rain started to fall again.

The best chance of the half so far came when Peers fired just wide (67 mins) before Johnston gave way to Harrop (68 mins).

Harrop soon looked for a penalty when he went down a little too easily in the box but he did not get a spot-kick. Next, Hancock had a shot saved by Mason's legs (71 mins).

Indeed, Hancock was to have the best chance of the first half but he put it disappointingly wide. Midway through the second half it was Peers who spurned the next chance as he fired narrowly wide and the same player then fired over the bar from 12 yards (74 mins).

But Peers then did much better to head home from a fine Densmore cross and give Alty a 1-0 lead (75 mins).

Mason then saved well from Hulme to keep his side in the game (81 mins). The pacey Jolley was subbed soon afterwards (82 mins) as Shaw came on. Next Alty made a change as Hancock was replaced by Mullarkey (84 mins).

Altrincham finished strongly as Harrop forced a fine save after Hulme and he had broken forward (86 mins). And Alty nearly scored again as Harrop chipped the ball over Mason but the ball just cleared the bar (88 mins).

The final change of personnel saw Wall replace Peers (90 mins). Four added minutes were proclaimed but alty emerged with a deserved first away league victory.

Full Time: CURZON ASHTON 0
ALTRINCHAM 1