Match Report

Altrincham won a rugged encounter here late last season, as the Bay fought to evade relegation and, once again, Colwyn Bay were at the wrong end of the table before this match having lost their opening two fixtures. Altrincham, for their part, had won their two opening games.

In an incident-packed first half Alty took a 4-2 lead. A fine volley from Steve Hawes started the scoring after 9 minutes before Sertori knocked over Alun Evans, who got up to equalise from the spot after 23 minutes. Thornley put Alty ahead after 26 minutes from a punt by Coburn. In retrospect, the turning point came after 30 minutes when ex-Alty midfielder Stuart Scheuber's shot came back off the inside of the post for, five minutes later, Rod Thornley got his second by lobbing the Bay's keeper. A fine through ball from Limbert found Evans who smashed it home for the Bay to make it 2-3 after 37 minutes. Then, a minute before the interval, Craney scored with a low shot from just outside the box when a clearance came out to him. Goal number five came just seconds from the end when Furlong was tripped by the keeper and Thornley completed his hat-trick to bring his tally to 12 goals in 12 games for Altrincham. The win took Alty to the top of the table, on goal-difference.

Paul Taylor remained out of the side through injury and Carl Furlong was reduced to the bench as he had bruised ribs. Lee Poland took his place. Steve Hawes continued back in his midfield role with Jason Gallagher at right-back in the customary 4-4-2 set-up. For the Bay, Stuart Scheuber, an ever-present at Moss Lane last season under Mark Ward's regime, was in midfield. The Bay lacked a number of their established players including Deiniol Graham and James McIlvogue. However, Craig Hogg had returned from a recent trial at Kidderminster.

A quiet opening few minutes with throw-ins being exchanged, mostly along the Altrincham left touchline, and a few free-kicks to each side, gave no indication of the excitement to come before half-time. The real action started following a routine throw by Hawes, when Craney made a neat turn and chipped the ball into the box. It came out again and found Adams on the left. His well aimed cross found Hawes who crashed the ball into the net, on the volley, off the underside of the crossbar from just outside the box, to the right of centre (9 mins). Soon after the re-start, Craney and Illingworth combined to win a corner off Limbert on the Alty left but neither this, nor a subsequent free-kick, produced any real threat. In fact, the next danger came when Hulme won the ball and sent it wide, right, to Thornley. Keeper Smith punched clear his cross. A Bay free-kick soon followed but only after Roberts, the Bay captain, had received a lecture for some reason. The sides continued to fight for midfield control, with Limbert looking the most menacing of the Welsh side, on their right flank. Just as Altrincham were looking reasonably comfortable in absorbing what the Bay had to offer, the visitors conceded an equaliser. It came after Poland had been caught offside. The resulting Bay free-kick, from deep inside their own half, pierced the Alty central defence and sent Alun Evans off into the Alty box, left of goal. Sertori's attempt to gain possession consisted of a hefty barge, which charitably could have been judged to be a shoulder-charge, but which left Evans on the deck. After a long pause, whilst he presumably awaited confirmation from his linesman, Mr Simms awarded a penalty. This was much to Alty's annoyance and coach Graham Heathcote rushed from the centre-line to the goal-line to remonstrate with the officials. Evans got up to send Coburn to the right and the ball into the left of the net (23 mins). There was a scare for Altrincham a minute later, too, as Maddox directed a header towards his own goal, with Coburn moving in the opposite direction. The ball looped just wide but, in any case, offside had been given.

A Coburn clearance soon afterwards found Thornley just outside the Colwyn box, left of goal. With his customary excellent control, Thornley went left with the ball, into the area, and as he drew the keeper he mishit the ball but it did enough to trundle into the right-hand bottom corner of the net to restore Altrincham's advantage (26 mins). Soon after the restart a bad tackle left Hulme in a heap and he need treatment to his left knee. The offender escaped without even a free-kick being awarded. The turning point of the match arrived after 30 minutes. A good ball from ex-Robin, Stuart Scheuber, found another ex-Alty man, Marc Limbert. He returned the ball to the young midfielder but Scheuber's good shot thumped against the inside of Coburn's right upright before rebounding across goal to safety. The visitors responded by going to the other end where, from a Hulme pass, Poland rounded the keeper but was then blocked off by a defender. The incidents continued as Caton played a superb ball forward for Alun Evans, which Gallagher alertly dealt with as the rest of the defence seemed to be caught napping (32 mins). The sides continued to trade attacks until a clearance from Coburn was launched towards Poland. Poland had little change from the taller Colwyn defenders and on this occasion, too, Hogg got his head to the ball first but it skimmed off his head straight to Thornley.

Unhesitatingly Thornley took the ball on and lobbed the ball over the keeper from the left side of the penalty area (35 mins). Then Craney set Gallagher racing up the right but Jason's cross was not accurate on this occasion. The Bay got back in the game when a long ball forward found Evans in space, left of goal. Though challenged by a defender, he hammered th ball low past Coburn at the near post (37 mins). The Bay kept up their challenge and twice Coburn had to punch clear threatening crosses from Paul Jones and from Williams (39 mins). Then Jason Jones committed a bad tackle on Hawes just inside the Bay half and earned a booking (40 mins). After treatment, Hawes continued but got himself in the ref's book for third game running, just two minutes later, for a relatively mild foul in midfield. Thornley was the next to be fouled, as he received a pass from Hulme but this went unpunished. With five goals already scored and tackles now flying in thick and fast, the half drew to an end with more excitement.

Sertori played the ball out of defence to Thornley, on the right. Rod relayed the ball neatly to the overlapping Gallagher, who cut left into the box, but the ball was then half-cleared. However, it came to Craney, just outside the box, close to the spot from which Hawes had scored earlier. Craney appeared to slip as he received the ball but as he fell he managed to steer the ball expertly low inside Smith's right-hand post to put Altrincham 4-2 up (44 mins). Mr Simms blew for half-time and left to some mild barracking from the Bay fans. The ref. will certainly have needed a breather after contending with six goals, two bookings and a number of robust tackles.

Player-manager Colin Caton substituted himself at half-time, Owain Roberts taking his place. However, Mr Simms was soon in action again, stopping play to lecture Graham Heathcote at his dugout (48 mins). On the field, Marc Limbert was soon in evidence trying to prompt a Bay revival from the right side, but for Altrincham Chris Adams was also looking useful as he moved forward. A fine turn by Craney got the ball to Hawes and he played in Gallagher on the right. Jason's crashing shot was punched out with both fists by the keeper. After Illingworth had got the better of Scheuber Thornley got in a shot which the keeper saved well with his legs (52 mins). Gallagher soon went up the right and got the better of Graham Jones before Smith cleared into touch. The Bay captain, Roberts, now went off to be replaced up front by Davies (54 mins) as Altrincham continued to press. However, a Sertori mis-kick almost let in the Welsh side but Gallagher, who had a fine match, cleared up the danger at the back. Another bad tackle was made on Hawes near the half-way line, this time by Limbert. After a melee had been broken up, Limbert was justifiably booked (56 mins). After treatment Hawes carried on. However, Paul Jones soon needed treatment and Gallagher took advantage of the pause to have his left groin sprayed with physio Gary Thompson's "magic spray". Poland's unhappy afternoon continued as he was upended by Hogg. From Hawes's free-kick on the right, a corner was won on the left, again taken by Hawes. A Sertori foul ended any danger from this. After Thornley had been pulled over by a shirt-hold, Adams's free kick was narrowly diverted over the bar. Scheuber prompted a response when he fed Evans, who beat two defenders in the box but eventually a goal kick resulted. Carl Furlong now came on for Poland (65 mins).

Although Colwyn won a succession of throws, the Alty midfield and defence were preventing any serious threat to Coburn's goal. Danny Murphy now replaced Hawes, who had taken a couple of heavy knocks (70 mins). Colwyn did threaten when Evans and Jason Jones combined but the latter's shot hit one of his team-mates (72 mins). Alty then replaced Craney by Gary Scott, who slotted into midfield (73 mins). Thornley was then flattened as the tackles continued to fly in. The Bay won a rare corner, on the right, after 75 minutes before Murphy made his first contribution, winning a corner from an Illingworth feed on the left. In the next few minutes Illingworth had two shots; one was blocked, the other very wide of the target (79 mins). A Gallagher cross from the right came to Furlong but his shot, as he fell, only rolled to the keeper. Murphy and Illingworth continued to combine well before Richards came on for Dean Williams (84 mins).

The Bay won another corner off Adams which Hogg won in the air, knocking the ball on for Calvin Davies. the sub's snap shot was magnificently saved, point blank, by Coburn (86 mins). After a foul on Illingworth a well rehearsed free-kick involving Thornley and Illingworth contrived to get Adams to the by-line, where he won a corner (88 mins). Then, in the final minute, Limbert played a misdirected pass from just inside his own half to Furlong. Carl took off towards goal and after entering the right side of the penalty area, was brought down as the keeper dived, to his left, at Furlong's feet. A penalty was awarded and Thornley completed his hat-trick, sidefooting the ball to the right as the keeper went the other way. Barely ten seconds of play occurred after the restart before the final whistle sounded.

This was another good performance from Altrincham who seem to have found a settled squad which has enough depth to cope with the absence from the starting line-up through injury of Paul Taylor, Danny Murphy and Carl Furlong. The defence had one or two lapses, which a more clinical opposition might have punished, but generally played well and although Coburn was underemployed he made a magnificent save near the end. Hawes had another good game but left the pitch minus a sock and displaying a nasty looking graze to his lower leg. Adams and Gallagher both got forward well and both Furlong and Murphy played well in their brief periods on the pitch. Hulme had a quieter game than at Worksop but still produced some good moments and Craney goes from strength to strength. Illingworth too has seized his chance to impress in Murphy's absence and the team can go into their clash with Burton on Monday full of confidence. Three straight wins mark Altrincham's best start to a season for well over a decade and The team left the pitch to an ovation from the strong travelling contingent. For Colwyn Bay, better days should come when their many absent players are back to match fitness.