ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS
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ALTRINCHAM (0) 2
MAIDENHEAD UNITED (0) 0
played on Saturday, 9 October, 2021 at 3pm
SUMMARY:
Altrincham finally secured the points with a 90th minute goal from substitute Tom Peers after holding a 1-0 lead from the 56th minute.
Against obdurate opponents who, nevertheless, troubled Tony Thompson in the first half more than Alty occupied his counterpart, half-time was reached with the game goalless. Alty had started well but had not maintained their impetus.
Eleven minutes after the break Shaun Densmore threaded a superb ball forward to Mooney whose low cross, from the right, was slid into the net by Matty Kosylo.
Despite Altrincham dominating the second half they could not find a second goal till the ninetieth minute when substitute Brad Jackson produced a fine cross from the right which, emulating Kosylo's goal, Tom Peers slid in to put in the net to make it 2-0.
SCORERS:
- 56 mins: Matty KOSYLO (ALTRINCHAM 1 Maidenhead United 0)
- 90 mins: Tom PEERS (ALTRINCHAM 2 Maidenhead United 0)
REFEREE: Mr Elliott Swallow
ATTENDANCE: 2,091, (52 in away end)
TEAM NEWS:
Ryan Colclough was unexpedtedly absent, ill, and there was also another late change for Altrincham as Brad Jackson, who had been named as a starter on the team-sheet, was replaced by Shaun Densmore who was making his first start of the season. That change may have been tactical as Jackson was to be used, later, from the bench.
In midfield Furman gave way to Pringle, whilst it was good to see Connor Hampson back on the bench after his long injury absence.
Visiting manager Alan Devonshire was trying to end a run of seven games without a win.
LINE-UP:
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, white socks): 1. Tony THOMPSON, 24. Joel SENIOR, 25. Toby MULLARKEY, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 17. Ben PRINGLE, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. Dan MOONEY, 15. Matty KOSYLO, 10. Josh HANCOCK, 9. Marcus DINANGA. Subs: 3.Connor HAMPSON, 16. Brad JACKSON, 23. Tom PEERS, 27. A-Jay LEITCH-SMITH, 28. Dean FURMAN
MAIDENHEAD UITED (Yellow shirts and socks, green shorts): 1. Rhys Lovett, 3 George Wells, 5 Manny Parry. 6. Remy Clerima, 9. Nathan Blissett, 10 Kane Ferdinand, 17. Reece Smith, 19. Ryan Upward, 24. Alan Massey (c), 26. Sam Barratt, 27. Charlee Adams. Subs: 4. Will DeHavilland, 8. Shaun Donnellan, 15.Sam Beckwith, 18. Emile Acquah, 22. Josh Kelly.
BACKGROUND:
Maidenhead had won their first two league fixtures yet had failed to win any of their seven subsequent fixtures before arriving in Altrincham. The match provided a first opportunity for Alty supporters to see The Magpies after last season's 2-0 home win had been played behind closed doors.
Another crowd in excess of 2,000 underlined the feel-good factor at Altrincham engendered by their good start to the season.
REPORT:
On a cloudy afternoon, with the floodlights already on, Jake Moult kicked off the game as Alty played towards the visiting supporters.
Alty started well with Kosylo prominent on the left wing. But Maidstone then made an incursion up their left side through Smith but his cross produced a header which was well off target (5 mins). Senior responded with a cross from his left wing before Smith again advanced on the left for the Magpies. He got in a good, low shot which Thompson pushed smartly round the base of his right upright for the game's first corner (7 mins).
But Maidenhead went close again soon afterwards when Barratt's snap-shot from 18 yards narrowly cleared the crossbar (9 mins). The entertaining opening period continued as Dinanga played in Mooney who earned Altrincham's first corner (11 mins).
Soon a good passing move got Senior into the box but his low shot from the left was comfortably saved by Lovett (13 mins). After that, a sixteen-pass move from Altrincham fizzled out before Densmore had to stretch to get a partial block on the ball as the visitors threatened in the home penalty area.
Not longer afterwards, Densmore got smartly into the opposition box only to miskick the ball as he got clear. A collision, just on the front edge of the box, between Moult and Adams left Alan Devonshire irate that the resulting freekick went to the home side (26 mins).
After its bright start, the game went into a period of stalemate. Barratt did then get past Senior but the resulting corner was dealt with by Alty. When Massey bundled over Kosylo, Hancock took the freekick from a central position 30 yards out but could not get the ball past the wall (32 mins).
For all of their forward impetus Alty were not troubling the Maidenhead keeper but Mooney did win another corner from a Pringle feed. This was cleared out to Kosylo but solid defending blocked his shot (37 mins).
As Alty were about to take a freekick from the left, play was halted because the linesman, Martin Parker, had gone lame (40 mins). After treatement from the Alty physio, the fourth official took over linesman duties (43 mins).
Before three added minutes commenced Alty won another corner but again nothing came of it.
Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0 |
With a new fourth official in place, having answered a tannoy appeal to the crowd, an early Mooney shot won his side a corner. But it was Thompson who was called into action shortly afterwards as he held a low shot towards his near post (49 mins).
Former Histon man Clerima became the game's first booking with a clumsy upending of Senior (50 mins). But Alty then forced Lovett into action as Hancock played in Dinanga but the the keeper won the one on one duel (54 mins). Moments later Lovett was alert again as he saved from Kosylo from another advance on the right wing.
It was Shaun Densmore who finally unlocked the resolute Maidenhead defence as he threaded a fine ball forward to Mooney, whose low cross was turned into the net by Kosylo, sliding in to net from very close range (56 mins).
Following the restart Mooney audaciously tried to lob the keeper from 60 yards but Lovett got back comfortably to gather the ball.
Alty may have been decidedly on top but Maidenhead were still an occasional threat and one of their players almost toe-ended an effort past Thompson from 16 yards but it went inches wide of the far post (62 mins).
Maidenhead made a double change as Beckwith and Kelly replaced Smith and Adams (64 mins). Four minutes later Dinanga gave way to Peers for Altrincham.
Play was relatively mundane at this stage and another change arrived as Acquah came on for Blissett for the Magpies (69 mins).
Things improved as Alty won three corners in a five minute spell. From the first, won by Senior, a towering header from Hannigan was blocked, but nothing came from the subsequent couple of flag kicks (74 mins).
Folwing Alty's trio of corners, now Maidenhead did exactly the same before Dean Furman replaced Pringle, who had had another good game and was to be named Man of the Match (78 mins).
At the other end, a good shot from Mooney was well saved as time ticked by and the visitors were still in the game (80 mins). Now Jackson came on for Kosylo, belying the suggestion that his late omission from the starters had been because of injury (81 mins).
A fine run up the middle by Mullarkey now fed Peers who shot narrowly wide but he as ruled offside anyway (83 mins). Jackson was soon making an impression on the right and his low cross was pounced upon by Lovett just ahead of Peers (84 mins).
From a counter-attack, Peers put Mooney clear but he produced a wild shot from 35 yards (85 mins). Alty were well on top as Jackson's excellent shot from twenty yards was impressivelty tipped over the bar by Lovett for a corner (87 mins).
But Alty almost gifted Maidenhead an equaliser when Hannigan and Thompson got into a mix up as Kelly therstened inside the box. But Alty's keeper fell on the ball to halt the danger (89 mins).
However, Alty then immediately gave away the ball as errors threatened to undo their dominance. But then Jackson got forward on the right and his low cross produced a very similar goal to Alty's first as Peers slid in to poke the ball home from close range (90 mins).
Three minutes of added time did not change the score, although Mooney had a chance to do so, only to chip the ball well over the crossbar with a first-time effort from a Moult pass (90+3 mins).
A sixth win in nine fixtures is a fine record for Altrincham this season. Although few would dispute they were the better side against Maidenhead, they did allow the visitors the hope of a late leveller by not making more of their possesson before Peers's very late goal.
Full Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 |