ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS
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ALTRINCHAM (2) 4
EASTLEIGH (0) 0
played on Saturday, 27 January, 2024 at 3pm.
SUMMARY:
It could have been seven. Altrincham totally dominated an Eastleigh side which on this showing looked far from being potential play-off contenders. In mitigation, Eastleigh suffered an early blow when Clampin was injured and had to be subbed by Nwabuokei in only the tenth minute. But Altrincham were already setting the pace, with Matt Gould virtually unemployed at the other end.
However, the hosts did not take the lead till the 32nd minute when a low through-ball tempted McDonnell to rush out of his goal only for a rejuvenated Regan Linney to beat him to it and feed Banks. The right-back netted smartly from the centre of the box.
It looked as if Altrincham might only have a single goal to show for their first-half superiority until Linney fired in a low shot which may have been deflected as it beat the Eastleigh keeper to make it 2-0 (45+2 mins).
It almost became 3-0 immediately following the second-half kick off as an audacious attempt from the centre circle by Conn-Clarke forced McDonnell to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
But Alty did not have much longer to wait for another goal as a superb turn past a defender by Conn-Clarke saw him advance up the left from where he shot at goal and the ball was parried to Newby who powered home Alty's third in what may be his final appearance of his loan spell from Colchester United (52 mins)
With the match's outcome clear, the game was relatively flat for periods after that, as Altrincham continued to dominate possession whilst the league's top scorer Eastleigh's McCallum was deprived of service at the other end.
Alty wrapped up the win with a fourth goal in the 87th minute when Osborne's fine ball put Conn-Clarke in on goal and he made no mistake in completing the scoring.
SCORERS:
- 32 mins: Lewis BANKS (ALTRINCHAM 1 Eastleigh 0)
- 45(+2 mins): Regan LINNEY (ALTRINCHAM 2 Eastleigh 0)
- 52 mins: Alex NEWBY (ALTRINCHAM 3 Eastleigh 0)
- 87 mins: Chris CONN-CLARKE (ALTRINCHAM 4 Eastleigh 0)
REFEREE: Mr John Mulligan
ATTENDANCE: 2,166
TEAM NEWS:
Compared with the defeat at Chesterfield last time out, Dan Mooney here gave way to Justin Amaluzor in the starting eleven.
For the visitors, Francillette was replaced by Langston, whilst Academy graduate Dotse came into the squad on the bench.
LINE-UPS:
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 21. Matt Gould, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Jake Cooper, 4. Lewis Baines, 3. Eddie Jones, 8. Isaac Marriott (c), 6. Elliot Osborne, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 30. Alex Newby, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 9. Regan Linney. Subs: 16. Sam Roscoe, 7. Matty Kosylo, 14. Dior Angus, 19. George Wilson, 44. Dan Mooney.
EASTLEIGH (All blue) 1. Joe McDonnell, 3. Ryan Clampin, 4. Nigel Atangana, 8. Jake Taylor (c), 9. Paul McCallum, 11. Enzio Boldewijn, 12. George Langston, 14. Lee Hodson, 15. Luke Croll, 17. Chris Maguire, 21. Oscar Rutherford. Subs: 13. Tommy Scott (gk), 5. Aaron Martin, 10. Aidan Barlow, 16. Solomon Nwabuokei, 29. Malachi Dotse.
BACKGROUND:
Eastleigh arrived on the back of a pulsating 4-4 midweek draw at Boreham Wood, in which a Paul McCallum goal extended his lead at the top of the National League scoring charts. At kick-off here, the striker now had 23 league goals to his name, 46% of his team's league haul this season.
But despite McCallum's goalscoring prowess, Alty had scored at a slightly better rate than the visitors, netting 49 times from one fewer game played than those played by Eastleigh, who had now scored fifty times.
In defence the Spitfires had conceded sixteen more goals than Alty from one additional fixture played.
So Eastleigh supporters had seen more goals than any other fans in the National League as 104 goals had flown in at either end of the pitch so far this season in league matches in which the Spitfires have been involved. In contrast Alty supporters had seen 87 goals, from one fewer fixture.
In eleven previous league encounters with Eastleigh, Alty had won three matches whilst Eastleigh had won on four occasions. Four other matches had been drawn.
Last season, Alty won the corresponding home game, 2-1 thanks to goals by Elliot Newby and Ryan Colclough.
REPORT:
Eastleigh kicked off, defending the away end, but the hosts had the better of the early possession before play was halted for the injured Clampin, on the Eastleigh left wing in the Alty half. After lengthy treatment the Eastleigh man had to be subbed by Nwabuokei (10 mins).
Soon afterwards Linney and Amaluzor conspired to get Conn-Clarke to the byline but but his low cross went unconverted (12 mins). Moments later a fine run up their right by Eastleigh's Rutherford culminated in a header by Taylor which was off target (14 mins).
Alty won the game's first corner as a defender prevented Eddy Jones latching on to an intended pass on the Alty left. Following this, Linney headed wide from a Cooper ball but another Altrincham corner soon followed, this time on the right. Jones took this diagonally and low to the incoming Linney whose first-time effort flew inches wide of McDonnell's left-hand upright (17 mins).
Next, after Conn-Clarke's trickery had put a defender on his bottom, the no.10 saw his shot blocked (21 mins).
It was all Alty now and, soon, following a freekick for a foul on Linney, another corner arrived. Newby, whose corners are either good or dreadful sadly now produced one of the latter category, low and short of the near post before it drifted out of play (24 mins).
The pressure continued as Conn-Clarke won a freekick. This was taken short and ended in a wild shot from the Northern Irishman (27 mins). Next, Amaluzor swapped passes with Newby before he fired just wide (29 mins).
At last Altrincham turned their dominance into a lead. A through ball led to Linney chasing the ball as goalkeeper McDonnell raced out for the same ball. The striker reached it first and calmly fed Banks, to his right, near the centre of the box. Alty's right-back struck the ball cleanly into the net to make it 1-0 (32 mins).
The pattern of the game continued with play predominantly heading towards the Eastleigh half. However, there was finally some action for Matt Gould at the other end as he caught a routine cross (42 mins). And the Alty keeper saw some more menaingful action son afterwards when Maguire's effort from 25 yards had to be pushed over the bar by the Alty keeper for a corner. From this Gould was fouled (45 mins).
Four added minutes were displayed on the fourth official's board and in the second of those minutes, Alty finally doubled their lead. Linney struck a firm low shot at goal which beat McDonnell, probably with the help of a deflection (45+2 mins).
After the restart Alty threatened again as a Conn-Clarke shot earned a corner. From Newby's corner, the ball came out to Eddy Jones who, from a central position a good 25 yards out, smashed a shot at full-power which struck an unfortunate defender (45+5 mins).
So half-time was reached with a two goal advantage, which was the least that Alty deserved after a dominant first-half display.
Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 |
Eastleigh were out early for the second half and they made a change as Martin replaced Croll. There was almost a sensational start to the half as Conn-Clarke launched a fine shot at goal straight from the kick-off and it took a good save from McDonnell to get it over the bar for a corner (46 mins).
Amaluzor then missed a good chance after a team-mate's blocked shot came to him (47 mins). Eastleigh now got into the game and earned a corner but nothing came of it (50 mins).
Two minutes later it was 3-0 to Altrincham as Conn-Clarke executed a superb turn on the left wing and advanced towards goal. His shot from the left was parried by the keeper and came to Newby who fired it into the net (52 mins). It was the Colchester loanee's sixth league goal in 18 National League appearances.
Taylor now picked up a yellow card for a foul on Conn-Clarke (58 mins) after which the Spitfires won a corner following which Taylor needed treatment (61 mins). Play was now uneventful with Alty comfortable with their lead and Eastleigh unable to pose much of a threat. They attempted to shake things up when Dotse came on for the crocked Taylor (67 mins)
Play meandered on without too much excitement before Mcallum sat down for treatment. After that Linney was clearly held in the box but the referee showed no interest (73 mins).
Alty continued to get forward as a Linney shot just cleared the bar from 25 yards (75 mins). When Baines and Dotse both went down off the ball, the ref stopped the action but only to allow treatment for the Eastliegh man. The visitors clearly thought Baines had fouled their man and Martin found himself in the book presumably for dissent. After treatment the annoyed Dotse had a go at the linesman presumably for not signalling a foul (79 mins).
Belatedly Gould had to make a sertious save when McCallum, for once, managed to get in a goalbound effort, the Alty keeper conceding a corner as he pushed the ball round his left post (84 mins).
Any hopes of an Eastleigh consolation goal were soon undone when Osborne played a fine ball to Conn-Clarke who buried his shot in the back of the net to make it 4-0 (87 mins).
Moments later it was almost five as another Conn-Clarke shot just cleared the bar from some twenty yards (90 mins).
Seven added minutes were proclaimed and they started with Linney forcing a save before being given offside (90+1 mins).
Altrincham finally used a substitute when Wilson replaced Amaluzor who left the field to deserved applause (90+3 mins). There was still time for Conn-Clarke to get in another excellent shot but McDonnell beat this away to leave the score at 4-0 (90+5 mins).
This was an impressive, dominant performance from Altrincham, albeit against a very disappointing Eastleigh side who barely threatened throughout the afternoon.
The win lifted Altrincham up to fourth place. As things stand it will four weeks before their next Saturday home fixture.
Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 4 |