ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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ALTRINCHAM (0) 2
MAIDENHEAD UNITED (0) 0

Vanarama National League match
played on Saturday, 28 November, 2020 at 3pm
behind closed doors

SUMMARY:

After a bright start from Altrincham, which did not produce a clear chance, the visitors came into the game and had slightly the better of the first half after about fifteen minutes had been played. But a floodlight failure halted the game for a twelve minute period on 31 minutes.

Consequently, fifteen minutes of added time were played before the break but the score remained goalless at half-time of a game largely lacking in quality at that stage.

But the quality improved in the second half with Alty having the better of things and becoming much the better side. The vistors had to change their keeper at the break, as he needed stitches.

Altrincham then took the lead from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute. As Hancock got into the box, left of goal, he nodded the ball down to the advancing Colclough who was brought down and Hancock netted the resulting spot kick.

Substitute Tom Peers made the game safe when he finished off a fine move up the right by Smith and Senior in the 79th minute. Alty are now tenth but have played more games than anyone else, in some cases as many as five more!

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Steven Copeland
ATTENDANCE: Behind closed doors.
TEAM NEWS:

Unavailable for Altrincham, once again, through injury were Andy Dales, Sean Williams, Toby Mullarkey, Simon Richman and Dan Mooney, whilst Connor Hampson had been added to the list following his knock in midweek. However, Andy White returned to the starting eleven as did Tom Hannigan, Joel Senior and Yusifu Ceesay.

Maidenhead manager Alan Devonshire did not travel having had a hip replacement operation.

LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white chest panel, black shorts and white socks): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 4. Ritchie SUTTON, 4. Tom HANNIGAN, 24. Joel SENIOR, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 29. Alistair SMITH, 15. Matty KOSYLO, 11. Yusifu CEESAY 10. Josh HANCOCK, 9. Fisayo ADARABIOYO. Subs: 19. Joe ROBBINS, 20. Shaun DENSMORE, 23. Tom PEERS, 34. Ryan COLCLOUGH. 12. Curtis MILLER

MAIDENHEAD UNITED (All white) 1. Taye Ashby-Hammond, 23. Alan Massey (c), 5. Manny Perry, 14. Rohan Ince, 16. Ryheem Shackleford, 15. Seth Twumasi, 7. Josh Coley, 19. Ryan Upward, 25. Sam Barratt, 4. Shaun Donnellan, 10. Danilo Orsi. Subs: 26. Josh Oluwayemi, 6, Remy Clerima, 9. Nathan Blissett, 18. Alex Addai, 28. Josh Smile

BACKGROUND:

Altrincham had never previously played Maidenhead United. The Berkshire club lost their opening three fixtures in the National League but then reeled off five straight wins and followed those victories with two draws, so arrived unbeaten in seven league matches. Maidenhead lay fourth in the National League on goal difference and were effectively joint-second in the table at kick-off.

For their part Altrincham lay fourteenth but had played one more game than their guests. By the end of the afternoon, The Robins had played as many as five more league fixtures than some of their competitors such as Stockport County.

Home games have been cursed by bad weather this season and today was no exception with steady light rain for most of the preceding morning and throughout the game.

REPORT:

Altrincham had been prey to slow starts in recent games but they were on the front foot from the start today. A first-minute freekick was soon followed by a fourth-minute corner, after which a fine ball into the box needed to be smartly smothered by keeper Ashby-Hammons (5 mins).

With steady, drizzly rain falling on a soft pitch, conditions were not easy. Soon, a White cross was punched clear before Ceesay had a shooting opportunity, from left of goal, but he fired weakily into the side-netting (8 mins)

However, Jake Moult was very fortunate not to be booked for a cynical block as an opponent got free near halfway; a lecture sufficed for Mr Copeland. Adarabioyo then got in a cross, low, from the right which the keeper just managed to tip away, at full-length, from an Alty man in the box (16 mins).

Maidenhead now began to come into the game, winning a corner. A few minutes later a Barratt cross found Coley unmarked but his header was off-target at the back post (28 mins).

And then the lights went out! All the floodlights on the main stand side of the ground went off and play was halted (31 mins). After more than twelve minutes normal service was restored and play recommenced with 15 added minutes soon decreed to be played at the end of the 45 elapsed minute. Maidenhead were now having the better of things as Orsi struck a shot wide from the edge of the box (45+5 mins).

Soon afterwards, Moult lost the ball then brought his opponent down and was unsurprisngly booked for the fourth time in the league this season (45+6 mins). The freekick was hit from 40 yards by Barratt and it whistled past the post though Thompson was confident enough not to dive for it.

An Alty corner was poorly taken, just before the half belatedly was concluded (45+14 mins).

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0
MAIDENHEAD UNITED 1

Maidenhead surprisingly had to change their keeper at the break with Oluwayemi coming on to replace Ashby-Hammond who apparently needed six stitches in an injury that he himself had not detected before the floodlight failure!

Again Altrincham started the half well and won a corner (50 mins). A Kosylo long-range effort went wide before Joel Senior again impressed on the right and, via the dependable Smith and lively Kosylo, another corner soon followed (57 mins).

Next, following a free-kick, the ball came to Sutton in the box but he opted for a touch rather than a shot and the opportunity was gone. Colclough now came on for Adarabioyo with Ceesay moving forward and the substitute slotting in on the left (61 mins).

Shortly afterwards, following a White freekic, Hancock nodded the ball down into the path of the advancing Colcough who was brought down inside the left side of the box. A spot-kick was awarded, which Hancock converted, sending the keeper the wrong way to give Alty a 1-0 lead (63 mins).

Immediately afterwards Alty threatened again as Smith now received Kosylo's pass and was only halted by a fine tackle by Upwood inside the box, at the cost of a corner (64 mins).

Maidenhead responded by bringing on Nathan Blissett for Orsi (67 mins) and then Addai for Upward (68 mins).

For Alty, Hannigan was having a fine game but they had a worry when Thompson dropped a routine corner before regathering the ball (70 mins).

A second change for Altrincham saw Peers replace Ceesay as the main striker (71 mins). Maidstone tried to rally and won a corner before Shaun Densmore came on to replace Hancock (78 mins).

As with the earlier substitution, a goal soon followed! This time it was a well-crafted effort as Smith and Moult exchanged passes on the right before Senior got to the byline, right of goal, and laid the ball back for Peers to net cleanly from the vicinity of the penalty spot, to make it 2-0 (79 mins).

Maidenhead did create a decent chance on 85 minutes, after a White error, but the ball was put wide. At the other end Peers had a shot from the edge of the box saved (86 mins) before Ince won a corner which was poorly hit into the side netting (88 mins).

Three added minutes were played before the final whistle confirmed a well deserved win for Altrincham, which lifted them to tenth in the table. It is a slightly false position as they have played twelve games and three of the teams have played as few as seven fixtures and many others only nine or ten. But points in the bag are important.

For the second match running Alty will face a team lying fourth in the table at kick off as they travel to Wrexham on Tuesday night.

Full Time: ALTRINCHAM 2
MAIDENHEAD UNITED 0
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