ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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EASTLEIGH (2) 3
ALTRINCHAM (1) 2

Vanarama National League match
played on Saturday, 18 March 2023 at 3pm.

SUMMARY:

Altrincham found themselves two down inside ten minutes. The opener was a disaster for Alty as Byrne lost his footing trying to clear a James Jones back pass and the ball rolled into the net (6 mins). And four minutes later Kairo Mitchell made it 2-0 after Whitehall had got past Ferguson.

However, Alty got back into things after 29 minutes when keeper McDonnell could only push away an Eddy Jones shot and Hulme headed home the loose ball to make it 2-1.

But the curse of the corners struck again when Eastleigh scored from one as Byrne did not come for the ball at the near post and James Jones was unable to head it clear. Maghoma was left with a simple conversion to make it 3-1 (75 mins).

With the game petering out Alty scored as Eddy Jones netted after McDonnell again pushed out a shot, this time from Linney (90+4 mins). The Spitfires survived a strong penalty appeal for hands after that but they held out for a 3-2 win.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Sam Mulhall

ATTENDANCE: 2,045
TEAM NEWS:

Jordan Hulme returned as Regan Linney moved to the bench, where Aaron Bennett replaced Danny Cashman

For Eastleigh, Mitchell return in place of McDonough in the starters' list.

LINE-UPS:

EASTLEIGH (Blue): 1. Joe McDonnell, 3. Michael Kelly, 5. Aaron Martin (c), 6. Christian Maghoma, 7. Charlie Carter, 8. Ousseynou Cissé, 9. Danny Whitehall, 12. George Langston, 16. JJ McKiernan, 21. Oscar Rutherford, `8. Kairo Mitchell. Subs: 11. Ryan Hill, 2. Brennan Camp, 17. Vincent Harper, 30. Jake Scrimshaw, 33. Gerry McDonagh.

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black blue shorts and red socks): 1. Oliver Byrne, 26. James Jones, 5. Kyle Ferguson, 6. Lewis Baines, 2. Eddy Jones, 8. Josh Lundstram, 10. Elliot Osborne, 4. Isaac Marriott, 28. Maxi Oyedele, 9. Jordan Hulme, 39. Joe Hugill. Subs: 29. Regan Linney, 18. Ben Pringle, 30. Harry Perritt, 35. Tyrese Sinclair, 27. Aaron Bennett

BACKGROUND:

This was Altrincham's sixth successive away game, five of which have been in the league.

REPORT:

Altrincham got off to a disastrous start, conceding twice inside ten minutes.

The first goal was a shambles. James Jones's backpass to his keeper ended up in the back of his own net after goalkeeper Byrne appeared to lose his footing whilst trying to get the ball cleared by his favoured left foot.

The second goal was well contructed as Whitehall fed Carter on the left. He got past Ferguson before squaring the ball for Mitchell to score easily from close range.

Alty were fortnate not to concede again after 21 minutes when McKiernan's free header from a Carter cross missed the target.

But Altrincham had begun to settle and, in the 29th minute, they got themselves back into the match by scoring. The goal came when Hulme laid the ball off to left-back Eddy Jones. His fierce shot wa saved by McDonnell but he could only push the ball out towards Hulme who headed home.

Alty might have got level had Hugill not miskicked from an Osborne pass and had an Eddy Jones corner not eluded James Jones at the back post.

At the other end, Whitehall volleyed a Whitehall cross over the bar (34 mins).

Hugill then had another chance, following a driving run by Oyedele, when he cut inside but curled a left-footed shot wide on 41 minutes.

So the half ended with Altrincham looking a reasonable bet to restore parity after the interval despite their poor start to the match.

Half-Time: EASTLEIGH 2
ALTRINCHAM 1

Four minutes after the break, Hulme had the ball in the net but he was flagged offside.

After Oyedele had fired a freekick well over the bar (51 mins), Osborne was replaced by Pringle (54 mins) as Alty started the second period well.

Just before the hour mark a Lundstram cross almost evaded McDonnell before the game went through a scrappy period. Midway through the half Linney came on for Hugill (67 mins).

Next, a long clearance from Byrne found Linney who, in turn fed Eddy Jones but he delayed his shot and only a corner resulted. But with Alty still in the hunt to gain at least a point, their Achilles heel of conceding goals from corners manifested itself again.

The corner came off Ferguson as he dealt with a Whitehall cross on the left. Kelly's corner avaded James Jones at the near post and, with Byrne rooted to his line, Maghoma headed home fom four yards (75 mins). It was a second poor goal for Alty to concede.

Immediately Oyedele was replaced by Bennett (76 mins). Camp then replaced Rutherford for the hosts (77 mins) and McDonagh came on for Whitehall (81 mins).

A stoppage was needed after 83 minutes when James Jones clashed heads with Camp.

And with the game slipping away from them. Marriott was booked for a sliding tackle (88 mins). And as the game drifted away from Altrincham there was almost a second farcical own goal as Byrne was slow to react to a Lundtsram backpass but fortunately, this time, the pass was not on target (90+2 mins).

Thee was to be unexpected drama deep in the added time as Bennett fed Linney. The striker's shot was, as with Alty's first goal, only pushed away by McDonnell, the keeper, to Eddy Jones who tapped the ball home to make it 3-2 (90+4 mins).

Neither keeper covered himself with glory in this match with four of its five goals owing much to their shortcomings.

Alty pressed for an even later equaliser as Bennett had a shot blocked and the visitors also made strong but unanswered appeals for a penalty as an Eastleigh player allegedly handled the ball.

Two of the Eastleigh goals had been poorly defended so there could well have been a better outcome for Altrincham as they completed their fifth successive away game in the league from which four points have been gleaned.

Full Time: EASTLEIGH 3
ALTRINCHAM 2

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