ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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HUDDERSFIELD TOWN "B" (1)
ALTRINCHAM (0) 0

Pre-season friendly match
played on Saturday, 14 August, 2021 at 11am
Behind Closed Doors

SUMMARY:

In the first half, although the hosts enjoyed a good spell in the early stages, it was Altrincham who created a number of chances which drew good saves from keeper Petrovic. At the other end, Thompson was the less troubled keeper until he was caught unawares and beaten by a long-range shot from centre-back Ben Jackson, out of nothing, in the 40th minute. Just before that, Dinanga had had the ball in net for Altrincham, from a Kosylo feed, but was ruled offside.

So half-time arrived with Altrincham trailing 0-1 and, once again, rueing their failure to convert a number of decent chances.

At the interval Alty brought on trialist Furman and Mullarkey for Kirby and Fitzpatrick. So, Bunney moved to left-back.

Alty levelled on the hour with a fine goal from Mooney after a lay-off from Dinanga, only for the scorer to be substituted immediately by Ben Pringle.

Shortly afterwards, a fine threaded ball by Hancock got Dinanga in on goal and he dinked the ball past Petrovic to make it 2-1 to Alty (64 mins). Dinanga was withdrawn, along with Kosylo after 70 minutes, with Peers and Leitch-Smith being introduced in their place.

Just after Furman had had a goal ruled out for offside, following great work by Senior, Sean Williams replaced Hancock (75 mins).

Toby Mullarkey's one-two with Leitch-Smith got Peers a chance which he took well to make it 3-1 as Alty dominated the second half (85 mins). So an excellent result completed Altrincham's pre-season.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: TBA
ATTENDANCE: Behind closed doors
TEAM NEWS:

Altrincham included two more trialists, both very experienced. They were defender Joe Bunney who was at Hartlepool United last season. Aged 27, his other former clubs include Lancaster City, Kendal Town, Stockport County, Northwich Victoria, Rochdale, Bolton Wanderers, Matlock Town and Grimsby Town. His first encounter with Alty was as a youth team striker for Lancaster City, as long ago as 2011.

The other trialist, who was on the bench, was 33 year-old South African international midfielder Dean Furman who was most recently at League Two side Carlisle United.

As on Tuesday at Trafford, Ryan Colclough was not involved in this match.

Huddersfield surprisingly included first-teamer Roland Aarons in their starting eleven.

LINE-UP:

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN "B": Djordje Petrovic, Brodie Spencer, Jaheim Headley, Shane Maroodza, Ben Jackson (c), Jon Russell, Miles Bright, Ben Midgley, Kian Harratt, Brahima Diarra, Rolando Aarons. Subs: Patrick Jones, David Adewoju, Donay O'Brien-Brady, Charles Ondo, Josh Okpolokpo.

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts, socks, blue shorts): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Joel SENIOR, 3. David FITZPATRICK, 4. Joe BUNNEY, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. Dan MOONEY, 8. Connor KIRBY, 9. Marcus DINANGA, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 11. Matty KOSYLO. Subs: Toby MULLARKEY, Ben PRINGLE, Sean WILLIAMS, A-Jay LEITCH-SMITH, Dean FURMAN, Tom PEERS.

BACKGROUND:

For this final match of pre-season Altrincham faced the earliest kick-off time in living memory at The Terriers' training ground, behind closed doors. It was the second year running for this fixture, Alty having won 4-0 last time around.

REPORT:

The Terriers kicked off but Altrincham started well and, after three minutes, Dinanga earned a freekick. Mooney's excellent freekick was headed goalwards by Dinanga only for goalkeeper Petrovic to produce a fine save (6 mins).

The hosts now enjoyed a better spell, winning three corners by the 15-minute mark, a period in which, nevertheless, Mooney won two freekicks for Altrincham. Alty remained on the back foot till around the 20th-minute when, first, Senior got into the opposition box before a Moult ball led to a header from Hannigan which Petrovic beat out, with a corner resulting (22 mins).

Mooney was impressing for Altrincham and it was from his cross that Dinanga headed wide before another Alty corner came to nothing.

Kirby then started a move, via Mooney and Hancock, before Kosylo cut inside, prompting a Dinanga effort, which was beaten away by Petrovic, with Moult off-target from the rebound (27 mins).

With Alty on the front foot a Mooney shot ran to the keeper before an excellent ball from Senior set Kosylo in on goal but the advancing Petrovic's left hand stopped the Alty man's effort (32 mins). The pattern of Altrincham creating chances but being thwarted by Petrocvic continued as Petrovic saved a Kirby effort from a Kosylo feed (38 mins).

Next, Kosylo fed Dinanga who put the ball in the net but saw the effort ruled out for offside. With Alty enjoying the better of play, the hosts took the lead out of nothing. As Alty stood off, captain Ben Jackson hit a long-range, swirling effort past a flat-footed Thompson to give his side the lead (40 mins).

So, despite enjoying a lengthy spell on the front foot in the first half, and forcing almost all of the match's goalkeeping action from Petrovic, Altrincham went into the interval unfortunate to be a goal behind.

Half-Time:HUDDERSFIELD TOWN "B" 1
ALTRINCHAM 0

Two changes were made by Phil Parkinson at the interval with trialist Furman and centre-back Mullarkey coming on to replace Kirby and Fitzpatrick. This allowed Bunney to move to his favoured left-back position as Mullarkey partnered Hannigan in the centre. The hosts also made changes for the second half as Adewoju and Jones came on.

In breezy conditions, a Mooney shot flew off target from an angle (47 mins). The busy Mooney was then brought down, with the offender fortunate to avoid a card. Hancock curled the resulting freekick round the wall but Petrovic saved it (50 mins).

With Alty on top they won a corner but nothing came of it before Kosylo and Headley became involved in what turned into a protracted spat. Mooney continued to be Alty's most potent threat as his right-foot shot from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar for a corner (58 mins).

Huddersfield now brought on Brady but, almost immediately, Altrincham equalised and it was not surprising that it was Mooney who got the goal. Dinanga collected the ball with his back to goal before releasing the ball for Mooney, who cut into the box to net with a low shot past Petrovic (60 mins).

Immediately, Mooney was withdrawn and replaced by Pringle (61 mins). It was not much longer before Altrincham took the lead as Hancock turned well and threaded the ball through to Dinanga and the striker finished with a dink past Petrovic (64 mins).

ALtrincham made a double change in the 70th minute when Peers replaced Dinanga and Kosylo gave way to Leitch-Smith. Next, Mullarkey made an incursion upfield but his shot was saved (71 mins).

Substitute Furman was impressing for Altrincham before they put together a fine move created by a Senior run. Via Hancock and Leitch-Smith the ball came to Pringle who put it into the net but, for the second time, in the match, an Alty goal was ruled out for offside (74 mins).

Next, Williams came on for Hancock (75 mins) with Furman now assuming the no.10 role. Soon, the experienced substitute played in Peers but a defender saw him off (77 mins).

Alty completed the scoring in the 85th minute when Mullarkey made another impressive foray upfield, played a one-two with Leitch-Smith, and Tom Peers took the resulting chance to make it 3-1.

After another substitution by the hosts, Furman got a sight of goal but the busy Petrovic saved his side again.

So Altrincham completed their pre-season with an impressive second-half in West Yorkshire.

Full Time: HUDDERSFIELD TOWN "B" 1
ALTRINCHAM 3

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