ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS
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SOLIHULL MOORS (0) 0
ALTRINCHAM (1) 1
played on Saturday, 3 February, 2024 at 3pm.
SUMMARY:
Altrincham moved back to fourth in the National League with a deserved win at Solihull, the venue of heavy defeats in the last three seasons.
After the midweek defeat in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Phil Parkinson predictably made eleven changes to restore the starting eleven to that which beat Eastleigh last time out in the National League.
Following a quick throw by Banks, Amaluzor fed Newby (right) whose shot took a deflection as it found the net to put Alty ahead (32 mins). Alty goalkeeper Gould was barely troubled in the first half.
Still ahead 1-0 at the hour mark, Linney twice went close to adding to the lead. In the final quarter Solihull made changes of personnel and formation and applied pressure which Alty withstood well to secure the win. The Robins move up to fourth in the table.
SCORERS:
- 31 mins: Alex NEWBY (Solihull Moors 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)
REFEREE: Ms Kirsty Dowle
ATTENDANCE: 1,388 (288 in away section)
TEAM NEWS:
After the midweek defeat in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Phil Parkinson predictably made eleven changes to restore the starting eleven to that which beat Eastleigh last time out in the National League.
The Moors had lost leading scorer Josh Kelly in midweek, as he moved to join AFC Wimbledon. They made three changes with Maycock, Mafuta and Stevens coming in to start.
LINE-UPS:
SOLIHULL MOORS (Blue and yellow):32. Nick Hayes, 2. James Clarke, 6. Kyle Morrison, 7. Joe Sbarra, 8. Callum Maycock, 11. Matty Warburton, 12. Gus Mafuta, 14. Jack Stevens, 20. Jay Benn, 27. Kade Craig, 35. Alex Whitmore. Subs: 18. Jon Benton, 36. Tyler Bruck. 9. Mark Beck, 19. Richard Stearman, 17. Joss Labadie.
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.
BACKGROUND:
Altrincham's last three league visits to Solihull had resulted in heavy defeats; 5-1 last season, 5-0 in 2021/22 and 4-0 the season before!
In contrast Alty had won 6-1 an 4-1 in the last two reverse fixtures, so goals could be expected today!
The Moors had gone above Alty into fourth place in midweek, but they had played a game more in gaining their one-point advantage over fifth-placed Altrincham.
REPORT:
Alty kicked off at a ground where they had never previously won and, indeed, where they had suffered a number of heavy defeats on previous visits. But they started promisingly today and Amaluzor might have done better and given them the lead when fed by Conn-Clarke after three minutes.
However, he chose to shoot across goal from the right when Regan Linney clearly thought he should have passed to him.
But there was nothing much else to get the pulse racing in the next ten minutes.
The game's first corner was earned by Solihull (16 mins). Taken by Benn and relayed via Morrison, it came to Whitmore who did not make the most of his header, which was off-target (17 mins).
Alty responded with an off-target effort of their own, from Linney, and then an incursion into the box by the lively Amaluzor which was halted (18 mins).
When Benn fouled Baines he escaped without a booking but when Baines transgressed moments later against Stevens, he found himself in the referee's book but could have no real complaints (22 mins).
An overhit cross from Conn-Clarke now evaded Newby before the impressive Whitmore stymied another Altrincham advance (26 mins).
Alty's best move so far broke down just before the half-hour mark but there was soon to be a breakthrough.
Following a quick throw by Banks, Amaluzor got forward to the right bye-line and fed Newby who scored with a shot that took a slight deflection off a defender (31 mins).
The single goal-superiority was reinforced by more good play but when Linney went down in the box his penalty appeals were probably rightly dismissed (35 mins).
The Moors soon responded, however, as Maycock fed Benn but he shot wildly over the bar (37 mins). Next a stoppage for Amaluzor to receive treatment after a clash with Mafuta gave the players a brief respite from their exertions (40 mins).
Soon Maycock was alert to halt Amaluzor's advance after he had got past Warburton to the edge of the box (43 mins).
Then Newby forced a routine save from Hayes with an underpowered shot after a Conn-Clarke feed (44 mins). In the decreed two added minutes, Benn won and took a corner but half-time arrived with Altrincham maintaining their one-goal advantage.
Half-Time: SOLIHULL MOORS 0 |
After Altrincham had belatedly appeared for the second half, the Moors kicked off.
An uneventful period ended when Amaluzor was tugged back by Mafuta, who was duly booked (53 mins).
Following a first-half of virtual inaction for Matt Gould, the Alty keeper was now called into action to smother the ball smartlyat the feet of a Solihull player on their right side (55 mins).
At the other end, the home keeper was likewise called into action as he got got to the ball just before the advancing Linney (57 mins).
Newby went clos on the hour mark when he poked the ball narrowly wide from Amaluzor's feed. Alty continued on top as the same two players again combined with, on this occasion, Hayes keeping out Linney's effort this time (61 mins).
Manager Whing attempted to improve the Moors' fortunes with a change of personnel as the tall front man Beck replaced Warburton (62 mins).
But Altrincham continued to set the pace before another Moors change arrived, with Benton replacing Maycock (68 mins). Now the changes began to have an effect with Sbarra winning his side a corner (70 mins).
Now Alty responded with Mooney replacing Amaluzor who had played well (71 mins).
Solihull now gained the upper hand, having reinforced their attacking threat from the bench, with Alty being reduced to intermittent counter attacks. But Alty defended effectively as the game went into its final ten minutes.
At this stage Altrincham finally won their first corner of the afternoon when a Linney shot was diverted by Whitmore. At this point Dior Angus came on to face his former club, replacing Linney (80 mins).
After a stoppage for treatment to Morrison, another forward, Bruck replaced the injured man (84 mins).
Altrincham now regrouped and won a freekick in the centre circle before defender Roscoe came on to replace Conn-Clarke (86 mins).
Five added minutes were announced which Altrincham saw out without too much alarm before they celebrated an important win which took them back above their opponents into fourth place and which was their first ever win at Solihull.
With three home games in eight days starting on Tuesday, next week could be a vital one in Altrincham's quest for a play-off place. But with their second successive league win, they go into that sequence in good form.
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Full-Time: SOLIHULL MOORS 0 |