ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS
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ALTRINCHAM (1) 2
GATESHEAD (0) 3
played on Saturday, 23 March, 2024 at 3pm.
SUMMARY:
If Altrincham are going to qualify for the play-offs they are going to have to do it the hard way after this seventh defeat in their last ten league outings.
Without left-back Eddy Jones, later revealed to have been ill, and with Isaac Marriott reduced to watching the game on crutches, Alty were further weakened by striker Regan Linney apparently being only fit enough for a cameo from the bench.
However, they started well enough with Newby putting them ahead after 16 minutes, following a misheader by Jobe. And it remained, deservedly, 1-0 at the interval.
Above: Alty celebrate their opening goal
In a mad seven minutes early in the second half hree goals made the score 2-2. First Dinanga (inevitably) was on hand to score an equaliser from close range after good work from Brown and a superb on-the-line clearance by Jake Cooper had dropped for him (50 mins).
Next came the goal of the match as Wilson set Mooney running inwards from the right wing before the wiger launched a superb shot into the far corner of the net to restore the Altrincham lead (53 mins).
But, just after Kosylo had seen an effort cleared off the line at one end, Gateshead levelled at the other through Evans who seized on a headed clearance by Cooper to score (57 mins).
Gateshead had the better of the second half with Altrincham failing to create much before substitute Adom scored literally seconds after coming on to the pitch as, again, a Cooper header fell for him to volley home (73 mins). Alty never looked like recovering despite the introduction of Linney and they could have no complaint at the final score.
Altrincham dropped to eighth in the league table.
SCORERS:
- 16 mins: Alex NEWBY (ALTRINCHAM 1 Gateshead 0)
- 50 mins: Marcus DINANGA (ALTRINCHAM 1 Gateshead 1)
- 53 mins: Dan MOONEY (ALTRINCHAM 2 Gateshead 1)
- 57 mins: Kieron EVANS (ALTRINCHAM 2 Gateshead 2)
- 72 mins: Kain ADOM (ALTRINCHAM 2 Gateshead 3)
REFEREE: Mr Ruebyen Ricardo
ATTENDANCE: 3,239 (190 in away section)
TEAM NEWS:
Alty welcomed back Regan Linney after his three-match suspension but he was deemed only to be fit for the bench. There was no Eddy Jones, apparently ill, and Isaac Marriott was at the game but on crutches. As for the two recent signings, whilst Mitch Hancox was named in a home match squad for the first time, Max Haygarth was not involved.
So Banks switched to left-back with Donawa on the right and Conn-Clarke led the attack.
For Gateshead, former Altrincham striker Marcus Dinanga started. The Heed had Nathan Harness in goal, a late arrival before the game on loan from MK Dons.
LINE-UPS:
ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 29. Ethan Ross, 17. Justin Donawa, 15. Jake Cooper, 4. Lewis Baines (c), 2. Lewis Banks, 8. Elliot Osborne, 19. George Wilson, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 7. Matty Kosylo, 30. Alex Newby. Subs: 9. Regan Linney, 14. Dior Angus, 16. Sam Roscoe, 44. Dan Mooney, 26. Mitch Hancox .
GATESHEAD (Sky blue shirts and socks, crimson shorts): 31. Nathan Harness, 30. Mamadou Jobe, 2. Robbie Tinkler,5. Kenton ichardson, 8. Ed Frabcis (c), 4. Callum Whelan, 11. Ben Worman, 12. Kieron Evans, 19. Luke Hannant, 9. Marcus Dinanga, 14. Dajaune Brown
BACKGROUND:
After a run of games against teams fighting relegation, Gateshead arrived as rivals of Altrincham for a coveted play-off place. They lay seventh at kickoff, a point and a place below Altrincham but with a game in hand. So an Altrincham win would be important in the Robins gaining the upper hand on their Tyneside rivals.
REPORT:
Gateshead kicked off towards Golf Road but it was Alty who won the first corner (5 mins). And it was the hosts who had the better of the opening stages, although Jake Cooper's 35 yarder, which flew miles over the bar was as good as it got in terms of firepower.
It got better as Banks held off a challenge before mis-hitting a low shot just wide of the far post (15 mins). However, moments later Alty took the lead. An aerial ball was headed upwards rather than forwards by Jobe and, behind him, Newby controlled the ball before making space cleverly and sliding the ball across the keeper into the net to make it 1-0 (16 mins).
Although Conn-Clarke, deployed in the striker's role, was not his usual efective self, he did now win a corner which came back out to Osborne who lifted his shot over the bar from 15 yards (21 mins).
Alty continued to have the better of things before Worman upended Kosylo and earned the first yellow card of the match (30 mins).
The card was flashed again two minutes later with Alty's Wilson the recipient for a block on an opponent (32 mins).
Gateshead were passing the ball around well and, next, Evans got in a good shot which was deflected just wide of Ross's right-hand upright, earning a corner (33 mins). The visitors were now having a better spell and Brown won the Tynesiders another corner (35 mins).
Alty responded with a corner of their own from which Donawa had a shot blocked (37 mins) but there was soon danger at the other end as Evans's effort from the left kissed the Altrincham crossbar.
The first half ended with Alty still ahead but the visitors had had the better of the final ten minutes or so before the interval.
Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1 |
Alty made a change for the second half as Amaluzor was replaced by Mooney.
Gateshead grabbed an early equaliser in the second half when Brown got behind Baines and the resulting shot was goalbound till Cooper made an acrobatic clearance. But the ball fell for Dinanga to score against his former employers for the second season on the run (50 mins).
Parity barely lasted three minutes before the goal of the game arrived. Wilson located Mooney ahead of him, to the right. The Alty wingman ran at the defence, cutting in towards the centre before blasting a trademark shot across the keeper into the net to restore the lead for his side (53 mins).
The game became very lively as, moments later, Gateshead went inches wide of a second equaliser before play switched again with Banks and Newby feeding Kosylo whose effort from an acute angle on the left was cleared off the line (55 mins). The end to end play continued as a cross from the visitors' left was headed clear by Cooper but fell for Evans to sweep into the net and make it 2-2 (57 mins).
Next Banks fed Kosylo who was threatening to get clear inside the box but an excellent challenge from Jobe halted him .
Gateshead now won a corner, which was headed narrowly wide, as the visitors began to get the upper hand (60 mins). Alty were looking insecure at the back but they managed to keep the Heed at bay. The hosts were haiving trouble clearing their lines and no one was able to keep the ball upfield until a Banks cross earned a corner (65 mins).
Midway through the half Olley replaced Dinanga (67 mins) and the game went through a quieter spell. Conn-Clarke was struggling to have any impact in his striker role but it was Kosylo who was withdrawn in favour of striker Linney when the change was made (72 mins).
A minute later Adon came on for Worman before his side took a throw from the left. The ball was headed out by Cooper but fell for Adon to volley home with his first touch, putting Gateshead 3-2 up (72 mins). Following the goal Ross raced 40 yards from his goal to berate Osborne who he deemed to have been at fault.
Alty's second change saw Hancox replace Wilson in the holding midfield role (76 mins). After this, Gateshead won a corner through Jobe before Booty replaced Whelan.
Soon afterwards Mooney was taken down in full flight and Adom was deservedly booked (85 mins). As Gateshead slowed the game down and Alty laboured to fashion any openings, Banks was booked for a foul (87 mins).
As time ticked away Gateshead won a orner and weathered five additionl minutes comfortably. Indeed, they went the closer of the two sides to scoring again as Evans shot inches wide (90+4 mins).
Whilst Alty had led deservedly at the interval they had offered very little in the final twenty-five minutes and the visitors were the deserved winners. It was a result which blew a large hole in Altrincham's play-off hopes which, after seven defeats in ten fixtures have left those aspirations hanging by a thread.
Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 2 |