HYDE UNITED RES. (0) 2 ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (2) 2
Lancashire League (East) Match
played on Monday, 26 February 2007 at 7.45pm
LINE-UP
HYDE UNITED RESERVES (All red): 1. Jean-Paul NDJEBAYI, 2. Paul HOWARTH, 3. Chris LYNCH, 17. Earl DAVIS, 5. Danny GLENNON (capt), 6. Steve PICKFORD, 7. Andy WAINE, 8. Matty LANDREGAN, 9. Rob MONAGHAN, 10. Lee RICK, 11. Danny CALDECOTT. Subs: 12. Lee HAMPSON, 14. Danny GRAY, 15. Adam WILLIAMS, 16. Tom HILTON, 17. Liam WRIGHT.
ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (Pale blue shirts; dark blue shorts & socks) : 1. Richard ACTON, 2. Keith WEDGE (capt), 3. Colin McALLISTER, 4. Stephen ROSE, 5. Danny HEFFERNAN, 6. Astley MULHOLLAND, 7. Chris SENIOR, 8. Pat McFADDEN, 9. Rod THORNLEY, 10. Peter THOMSON, 11. Justin BOWLER. Subs: 12. John MALONEY, 14. Rick CHETCUTI, 15. Ben DEEGAN, GK. Chris ROWLEY.
REPORT
As for last Saturday's Reserves' game, Alty first-team boss Graham Heathcote tonight wanted to give a run out to many of his first-team squad players, though those involved were not ones who had not started regularly in the Conference in recent weeks. Andy Scott and Gary Talbot had picked up knocks in Saturday's game, but the first-team squad representation tonight nevertheless totalled seven (Acton, Rose, McFadden, Bowler, Senior, Thomson and Thornley). Into the starting line up to replace Scott and Talbot came Colin McAllister and Danny Heffernan, both of whom played in the back four, whilst Astley Mulholland replaced Rick Chetcuti in midfield. On the bench Ben Deegan, returning after illness, replaced Aaron Edwards. Positionally, Rod Thornley moved to join Peter Thomson as striker, with Justin Bowler switching flanks from right to left. So, striker Pat McFadden was obliged to continue in central midfield.
Hyde also included a number of experienced first-team players with the likes of Earl Davis, Danny Caldecott, Chris Lynch and Steve Pickford being the names best-known to Altrincham supporters. Surprisingly, this was their last league game of the season, with the month of February not yet complete.
After the constraints at away games in the Conference National where away supporters generally have to go where they are told and where certain grounds have only two or three sides for spectators, it was a pleasure to come Hyde and have the choice of four covered sides from which to watch the match, all with unobstructed views. Amongst those watching the game was Graham Heathcote and, also in the crowd, was Alty striker Kieran Lugsden, currently on a loan-type arrangement with Leigh RMI.
After an early freekick when Senior was brought down, Alty's first shot at goal came from the unlikely source of centre-back Stephen Rose who had gone upfield for the freekick, taken by Pat McFadden from 35 yards out. Soon afterwards, Senior won Alty's first corner from McFadden's feed (6 mins). But in the opening stages it was Hyde who were looking the more direct in their attacks, though their end product was not causing major problems to goalkeeper Acton. At the other end, a foul by Glennon gave Alty a freekick from just inside the Hyde half, taken by Wedge on the right side of the field. Following this, the ball came to Thornley, advancing to the right of goal. He put in a low cross from which Mulholland netted at the back post (22 mins). And just four minutes later Altrincham has doubled their lead. This time, a slip by a defender allowed Thornley to get possession and the quick-thinking striker curled an excellent shot from 25 yards over the stranded goalkeeper (26 mins).
Hyde forced a good save from Acton with a long-range shot on the half-hour mark but Altrincham responded as Senior got to the by-line, right of goal, but his cross was cleared (34 mins). Senior was looking lively for Altrincham on the right wing but, on the left, Bowler was seeing little of the action. The game was being played at a fast pace, with end to end action, but the nearest to a goal came when Rick fired in an excellent shot from 25 yards which Acton did very well to help over the bar for a corner (40 mins). Before the break, Acton did even better when he stopped a point-blank header from Earl Davis (44 mins). Despite a late corner from Hyde, the home side went in to the half-time break still trailing by two goals.
| Half-Time: HYDE UNITED RES. 0 ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 2 |
At the interval Hyde brought on Williams for Monaghan, whilst Altrincham's John Maloney replaced Stephen Rose. McAllister moved to centre-back as Maloney slotted in at right-back. Senior won an early corner for Alty before a controversial incident occurred. Richard Acton came to gather a ball on the front edge of the box and was judged by the linesman to have collected the ball outside the penalty area. The referee awarded a freekick but took no further action against the goalkeeper (49 mins). After the freekick had been repelled by the Alty wall, Hyde brought on Hampson for Landregan (52 mins). Hyde's Rick was then booked for reasons which were not very clear (53 mins). The sides continued to trade attacks but Alty won the game's next corner. This was taken by Thornley from the right but McFadden headed well wide from a good position in the centre of the box. Thomson then drove a freekick at a defender, following a foul by Rick on Bowler. Each side then won a corner apiece before Rick Chetcuti came on for Mulholland in the Altrincham midfield (73 mins).
Caldecott fired narrowly wide for the Tigers before a neat turn and shot from Thomson forced a save at the second attempt from Tschbotko (76 mins). But Acton had to make a better save not long afterwards when a good ball from Caldecott set up Hampson for a shot from close range left of goal but the Alty keeper advanced quickly to block the shot (77 mins). However, the save brought only a brief respite as two minutes Hyde had the ball in the net. This goal came when Maloney was dispossessed and a long, low cross came in from the Hyde left from Williams. Hampson met this with an excellent volley from the edge of the box which thudded against Acton's right upright before rebounding to Waine, who converted from close range (79 mins).
Alty almost immediately could have restored their two-goal lead when McFadden fed Bowler on the left. His low crossed flashed across goal and seemed to pass under Thornley's feet near the goal line before being cleared (80 mins). With nine minutes left Alty brought on Ben Deegan up front, with Senior being withdrawn and Thornley moving to the right wing. Hyde's Howarth then fell awkwardly in a challenge with Bowler and was unable to continue, so Hyde brought on former Alty Youth defender Danny Gray (85 mins).
Hyde continued to press but had to survive a shot from Chetcuti, which was saved, as the game went into added time. Deegan then threatened to seal the match when he advanced inside the box but he elected to feed Thomson who was unable to get in a shot. Moments later, in the third added minute, Hyde equalised when a fine ball over the defence from Rick found Steve Pickford in the inside right position and he kept his head to knock the ball past Acton to make it 2-2. Altrincham literally only had time to re-start the game before the referee immediately blew his whistle. Altrincham will rue the loss of two points in the game as it now makes their task of catching Farsley at the top of the league a very difficult one, but Hyde were ultimately good value for their point.
| Full-Time: HYDE UNITED RES. 2 ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 2 |