ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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ALTRINCHAM (0) 2
FC HALIFAX TOWN (1) 1

Vanarama National League match
played on Monday, 26 December 2022 at 3pm

SUMMARY:

A strong second-half performance from Altrincham saw them come from a goal behind at the interval to clinch a deserved win with an added-time goal.

Following a James Jones foul, Matty Warburton netted an excellent freekick in the 42nd minute to give the Shaymen the lead.

Alty had much the better of the second half and equalised after 54 minutes from a superb Ryan Colclough goal, struck from an acute angle.

And Chris Conn-Clarke ran through the Halifax defence to score the winner in added time. The win lifted Altrincham to twelfth, just a point off the play-offs though the Robins have played more games than most of the teams in the division.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Michael Barlow

ATTENDANCE: 3,006

TEAM NEWS:

With Elliot Newby having been recalled from his loan by Stockport County in midweek, Brad Jackson came into the starting eleven. Josh Lundstram returned to start in midfield displacing Elliot Osborne, whilst Connor Jennings led the attack as Jordan Hulme dropped to the bench. After a lengthy absence Stoke City loanee Dan Malone returned on the bench.

LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Dark blue shirts with yellow sash, dark blue shorts and socks): 1. Oliver Byrne, 5. Toby Mullarkey (c), 26. James Jones, 6. Lewis Baines, 2. Eddy Jones, 4. Isaac Marriott, 8. Josh Lundstram, 17. Brad Jackson, 11. Ryan Colclough, 16. Chris Conn-Clarke, 35. Connor Jennings. Subs: 9. Jordan Hulme, 10. Elliot Osborne, 18. Ben Pringle, 30. Marcus Dinanga, 31. Dan Malone.

FC HALIFAX TOWN (Yellow) 1.Sam Johnson, 2. Tylor Golden, 16. Jordan Keane, 4. Luke Summerfield, 22. Festus Arthur, 14. Jack Hunter, 18. Angelo Capello, 20. Harvey Gilmour, 8. Kian Spence, 10. Matty Warburton, 9. Manny Dieseruvwe. Subs: 3. Jack Senior, 19. Jamie Cooke, 21. Millenic Alli, 25. Jordan Slew, 35. Osyamen Osawe

BACKGROUND:

Altrincham were taking part in a Shelter-inspired initiative to wear away kits for home matches on Boxing Day in aid of the homeless.

REPORT:

After a minute's silence the game kicked off fully five minutes late and, just inside the first minute, the visitors won a corner.

This came to nothing and the sides went on to trade probes in the opening stages of the match. Alty's best effort came after thirteen minutes when Jackson fed Conn-Clarke but his goalbound shot was blocked by Hunter (13 mins).

A poor challenge by Marriott earned him an early booking (15 mins) before a Halifax cross was slightly too high for Dieseruvwe (18 mins).

Around the midway of the first half, Altrincham earned two corners, the first from a Conn-Clarke cross, and the second from a Colclough crosss (23 mins).

Five minutes later Marriott did well and fired in a decent shot but it cleared the bar (28 mins). Each side had enjoyed spells on the front foot without either keeper being seriously troubled before a Colclough shot was parried by Johnson, who then regathered the ball (33 mins).

It was soon Halifax who were in the ascendant with a Dieseruvwe effort deflecting for a corner (39 mins). Whist a foul on Colclough came to nothing, from the resulting freekick, a foul by James Jones on Diesreuvwe soon afterwards was to have more serious consequences.

From a few yards outside the box, Matty Warburton beat the diving Byrne to his right as it arrowed into the net inside the post (43 mins). Before the break another foul on Colclough, this time by Golden, earned Alty another freekick, taken by Conn-Clarke but this was cleared.

Into added time, good work by Jackson produced a cross which was put out for a corner by Capello (45+1 mins).

From the corner, the ball came to Colclough whose curling shot cleared the bar (45+2 mins).

So, an entertaining half ended with Alty a goal behind though, after the game, manager Chris Millington was not sure that his team had deserved the lead.

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 0
FC HALIFAX TOWN 1

Alty were attacking the Golf Road after the interval and they started well. After just nine minutes they equalised. Lundstram took a quick, short free-kick near the touchline and halfway line. He found Conn-Clarke who swept the ball to Colclough on the left wing. He went past his marker and, from an acute angle, Colclough found the net impressively (54 mins).

The Robins continued to hold the upper hand, with Lundstram and Marriott impressing in midfield whilst Conn-Clarke and Colclough were prominent further forward.

Just after the interval, Dinanga, with his new blond locks, replaced Jennings for Altrincham (61 mins) and then Osawe came on for Dieseruvwe for the visitors (63 mins).

Following a poorly taken Alty corner, there were further changes of personnel as Pringle replaced Jackon and Senior came on for Capello (66 mins).

Halifax remained on the back foot as Colclough fed Dinanga for a shot that was blocked and, then, Johnson had to push away a Mullarkey effort (68 mins).

Golden now found himself in the referee's notebook for a crude block on Colclough (68 mins). Colclough then forced Johnson to divert a speculative long-range effort over his crossbar (72 mins).

Right-back Mullarkey was getting forward with some regularity to underline Altrincham's superiority as the game headed for the final ten minutes (80 mins).

Hunter was soon relieved to see his sliced clearance from a Lundstram cross hit the side netting rather then nestle in the back of the Halifax net (82 mins).

Conn-Clarke continued to be a threat as, for once, he was to be kept on the pitch for the full ninety minutes.

Halifax's final throw of the dice entailed Alli replacing Keane (88 mins).

Aided by Dinaga winning a corner deep into added time, Altrincham got to the final whistle with their 2-1 lead. The win took them above the Shaymen and left them just a point outside the play-offs, albeit having played more games than many other clubs.

Altrincham's dominance of the second half meant that this was a thoroughly merited victory.

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Full Time: ALTRINCHAM 2
FC HALIFAX TOWN 1

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