ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS
Return to News Page
WREXHAM (2) 4
ALTRINCHAM (0) 0
played on Saturday, 29 October 2022 at 3pm
SUMMARY:
The game started fairly evenly before Wrexham enjoyed a better few minutes which came to nothing, despite a couple of corners and Tozer's threat from his long throw-ins. Altrincham were by no means out of it but neither side created a really good chance before the midway point of the first half.
However, Mullin put his side ahead with a well-executed overhead effort after Alty had failed to clear their lines (32 mins). And, just two minutes later, Palmer made it 2-0. That was the sixth time this season that Altrincham, having conceded a goal, had conceded a second goal within six more minutes of play. The score remained 2-0 at the break.
Wrexham remained comfortable before the hour mark and made it 3-0 after 65 minutes when Palmer converted a chance which had been created up their left side. Hulme, Kaja and Pringle came on from the bench for Alty during the final twenty minutes.
Immediately after coming on, Pringle lost the ball and Wrexham scored a well-worked fourth goal through Jones (79 mins). And so it ended.
SCORERS:
- 32 mins: Paul MULLIN (Wrexham 1 ALTRINCHAM 0)
- 34 mins: Ollie PALMER (Wrexham 2 ALTRINCHAM 0)
- 65 mins: Ollie PALMER (Wrexham 3 ALTRINCHAM 0)
- 79 mins: James JONES (Wrexham 4 ALTRINCHAM 0)
REFEREE: Mr Scott Simpson
ATTENDANCE: 10,107 (285 in away end)
TEAM NEWS:
Altrincham made one change from the midweek victory over Oldham Athletic. Jordan Hulme was replaced in the starting line-up by midfielder Dan Malone, one of the Robins' two loanees from Stoke City, who made his fifth start for the club in all competitions.
Alty remained without the long-term injured Baines, Kosylo, Mullarkey and Marriott but both Marriott and Baines were involved today for Altrincham Reserves today at Winstanley Warriors as they started their return to match fitness.
For the hosts, Jordan Davies replaced Elliot Lee.
LINE-UPS:
WREXHAM (Red shirts, white shorts and socks) 21. Mark Howard, 5. Aaron Hayden, 4. Ben Tozer, 6. Jordan Tunnicliffe, 7. Jordan Davies, 3. Callum McFadzean, 14. Anthony Forde 30. James Jones, 8. Luke Young (c), 10. Paul Mullin, 9. Ollie Palmer. Subs: 31. Rory Watson (gk), 18. Sam Dalby, 38. Elliot Lee, 17. Bryce Hosannah, 22. Thomas O'Connor
ALTRINCHAM (Dark blue shirts with yellow sash, blue shorts and socks): 1. Oliver Byrne, 22. Ross Barrows, 23. Jake Cooper, 26. James Jones, 2. Eddy Jones, 10. Elliot Osborne, 8. Josh Lundstram, 31. Dan Malone, 11. Ryan Colclough (c), 16. Chris Conn-Clarke, 30. Marcus Dinanga. Subs: 21. Matt Gould, 17. Brad Jackson, 18. Ben Pringle, 33. Egli Kaja, 9. Jordan Hulme.
BACKGROUND:
Realistically, the Red Dragons were firm favourites as they went into the match 15 points ahead of Alty. They lay second in the table with Altrincham fifteenth. Also the Welsh club had scored 42 goals compared with Altrincham's 23 this season. And the Welsh side had not dropped a home point this season.
REPORT:
After Altrincham had kicked off, Wrexham started the better with a freekick followed by a Palmer header to goalkeeper Byrne (2 mins). Alty responded with their own freekick before Conn-Clarke lost possession to Mullin but the striker skied his shot over the bar (5 mins).
Tozer's long thows were an expected feature of the afternoon but there was little resembling a good goal chance as play continued fairly routinely, despite two corners being won by the Welsh side (13 mins).
Altrincham did produce a long shot from Colclough which was blocked by Hayden but, despite the home side having the better of things, there was little to set the pulse racing before the game reached halfway in the first half. Altrincham were putting in a decent showing against the league's title chasers.
Things improved for the spectators in a season's high crowd of more than 10,000, after 27 minutes, when Mullin produced the best shot of the afternoon, so far. However, his left-footed effort narrowly cleared the bar and landed on the roof of the net.
Alty's best effort to date came around the half-hour mark when Jake Cooper's header forced a routine save from goalkeeper Howard.
Soon afterwards, however, the game's most decisive moments arrived. Just after Palmer had seen an effort cleared in the Alty goalmouth, the Red Dragons got in a cross from the right by Forde which Mullin met with an overhead kick which beat Byrne as it went into his net just inside his right-hand post (32 mins).
And, just two minutes later, Palmer scored a second Wrexham goal after good build up play (34 mins). It was the sixth time this season, already, that Altrincham had conceded a second time within six minutes of letting in a goal.
Wrexham were now in complete control despite Altrincham not having played badly for the opening half hour.
Ryan Colclough was, as ever, looking Alty's most dangerous player going forward, albeit without creating a clear chance. As half-time neared, Alty won a corner, after which Conn-Clarke had a shot saved (44 mins). In added time McFadzean conceded another corner, unnecessarily, but Altrincham were unable to capitalise.
Half-Time: WREXHAM 2 |
Altrincham did get a rare sight of goal early in the second half as Colclough fed Dinanga, whose well struck shot was saved (50 mins).
At theother end, a poor clearance by Byrne allowed Davies an opening but he wasted the opportunity to score (53 mins). Wrexham were comfortably in control as they soon won a corner which came to naught (58 mins).
Alty did create a good chance to get back in the game when Coclough got up the left and cut the ball back from the byline but Osborne's shot went disappointingly wide (60 mins).
Soon afterwards, Colclough turned well but his shot cleared the bar (61 mins).
But any thoughts of a revival were stymied when McFadzean fed Palmer, who got the better of an Alty defender inside the box to make it 3-0 (65 mins).
Despite their deficit, before the third goal Alty had been enjoying a decent spell and, after it, a well-taken Conn-Clarke freekick forced a good tip over the bar by Howard for a corner (67 mins).
Next Colclough won a freekick on the left after a decent build up but this only led to Conn-Cllarke's shot being easily saved (68 mins).
Each side now made a change, with Hulme replacing Dinanga and O'Connor coming on for Davies for Wrexham (70 mins).
At the other end, Alty's James Jones saw off a Forde cross at the cost off a corner (73 mins) before Kaja came on to replace Malone (76 mins).
Two minutes later Lee replaced Mullin for Wrexham at the same point as Pringle came on for Conn-Clarke for Alty (78 mins).
Unfortunately, it was the newly arrived Pringle who lost the ball leading to Wrexham's fourth goal. This was scored by James Jones, from a Young feed, at the end of a smart passing move by the hosts (79 mins).
Now Dalby replaced Palmer for Wrexham (82 mins). And, soon, the home substitute produced a cross which Byrne had to punch clear (83 mins).
Hulme did win a late corner (89 mins) and Kaja got in a potentially useful 90th-minute cross but three added minutes could not produce a consolation goal for an Altrincham side which was well-beaten by a superior side but which had not played badly for the most part.
Full Time: WREXHAM 4 |