Match Report

Rod Thornley's penalty goes in to the net. Photo reproduced here by kind permission of Alan Johnson

SUMMARY

Altrincham deservedly took all the points after a gusty wind and torrential rain threatened to ruin the match in the first half. The Robins gave a debut at right-back to Stuart Locke, acquired from Stalybridge on a non-contract basis. The first goal came when Thornley's fine cross found Hulme unmarked and he knocked the ball in from close range (52 mins). Then a case of clear handball in the home penalty area saw a penalty awarded and Lee McEvilly of Burscough was sent off for the second successive game, apparently for swearing at the referee. When the fuss died down, Thornley converted the spot-kick (64 mins). Altrincham contained Burscough's ten men for the remainder of the game and moved back to fifth in the table.

TEAM NEWS

MATCH REPORT

The game was preceded by a minute's silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the USA and when the kick-off came it was in blustery conditions. Apart from a punch clear by Coburn the first event of note was a Burscough corner conceded by Locke after 5 minutes. This ended up with a goal-kick before play stopped for an injury to Locke (7 mins), the first of many such stoppages in this game. The wind was causing Burscough difficulty in clearing their lines but was also troublesome for the Alty defence as high balls were held up in the wind. Burscough's captain Billy Knowles was passing the ball about well but the conditions meant that in general many moves broke down as passes went astray. The first ten minutes saw no real opening at either end but Alty soon won a corner when an Adams cross struck a defender's back.

From Hawes's corner, Hulme was penalised for a challenge which caused Taylor to drop the ball. Play stopped for the keeper to be treated as he writhed in distress. The game developed no rhythm as free-kicks for minor offences and offsides were interspersed with passes misplaced by the wind. Taylor's goal-kicks were simply stopping before the half way line and, in some cases, being blown back towards his end of the pitch (15 mins). Rain was now lashing down to add to the players' discomfort as Illingworth's attempt from the left of the goal was carried wide of the target by the wind (17 mins). A second foul by Hulme, this time on Stanton, conceded a free-kick 40 yards from Coburn's net (19 mins). From this, Burscough created a good chance, the first of the game, with Coburn making an unusual save with his feet as Paul Taylor threatened from the Burscough left (19 mins). Alty continued to give away free-kicks at regular intervals but they also created a good chance of their own after 22 minutes. A kick out by Matt Taylor went straight to Hawes in centre-field. He expertly fed Thornley who would normally have finished cleanly. However, on this occasion, he missed badly from about 15 yards, scuffing his shot across goal and well wide. Altrincham now enjoyed a few minutes of pressure and they won a corner after 24 minutes. Adams's kick, however, went straight out of play behind the crossbar. Sertori then conceded a free-kick for holding, near half-way as the untidy nature of the game continued. A neat multiple passing move by Burscough up the right ended with Coburn being barged over by McEvilly but Mr Bainbridge waved play on and as Coburn got to his feet he made a magnificent reaction-save to a Burscough shot (26 mins) from point blank range.

Altrincham then progressed up the left via three consecutive throw-ins by Adams only for Evans to dispossess Thornley on the edge of the box. Soon after this Coburn made a poor kicked clearance straight to Lawless and from Furlong's cross from the right, McEvilly seemed to hang in the air before planting his header into the back of the net. However, the referee immediately ruled the goal out and indicated that McEvilly had been holding a defender down to gain his height advantage (29 mins). With Coburn's long-term ankle injury troubling him, Sertori took the resulting free-kick. A foul on Hulme by Bowen preceded an over-hit ball forward by Locke which prompted an angry response from Graham Heathcote on the bench. The coach's anger got no better when Hulme clattered Stanton once again in centre-field and was quite rightly booked, Mr Bainbridge clearly signalling to him that this was his third foul of the half (34 mins).

Thornley was caught offside before Alty won another corner, on the left, taken to no avail by Adams. Play continued to be punctuated by throw-ins, petty fouls by both sides and offsides; as a result no rhythm developed. Ian Craney gave away a free-kick just outside the box. From Hennigan's kick the ball came to Evans and then Furlong, both of whose shots were blocked. Furlong then needed treatment as play stopped once more. Craney then won a free-kick whilst Furlong again went down for treatment (40 mins). The Burscough man limped off the field leaving his side a man short till half-time. A well aimed long ball from Adams found Gallagher and he won Alty a corner on the right (41 mins).

As Furlong was carried to the dressing room hail lashed the ground causing yet another Burscough goal-kick to turn through 180 degrees. The half ended with sustained pressure from Altrincham. Locke won a corner on the right from which Sertori rose at the back post to connect with ball but the keeper saved well, one-handed, at the foot of his right upright, conceding a further corner. Again Sertori got on the end of Hawes's kick, but his shot was blocked this time. Just before the break, a mis-kick by Evans let in Illingworth who tried to round the keeper but delayed enough for the ball to be hooked away for another corner. From Adams's flag-kick the keeper missed the ball but from Thornley's pass Maddox could only head wide. The players then retreated to the dry changing rooms for their half-time break after a generally disappointing first half in adverse conditions.

The injured Furlong made a surprising reappearance to kick-off the second half for Burscough. However, it was the visitors who started the better. A good ball from Adams to Hulme, who held it up before laying it off to Craney, was thrashed at goal by the young midfielder only for Taylor to palm it over the crossbar (47 mins). From the corner by Hawes, Thornley fed Hulme but his header went well wide. Furlong now gave up his fight and limped off, Howarth replacing him (49 mins). With Sertori taking a goalkick for Coburn, the ball found its way to Gallagher and on, up the right to Thornley. Thornley's fine cross found an unmarked Hulme, who despite losing his footing managed to poke the ball past the keeper's left-hand into the corner of the net (52 mins). Burscough replied to this goal with a good ball into the Alty box which Sertori back-headed clear expertly whilst under pressure. Play moved to the other end where Hulme beat a defender but the keeper spread himself well to smother the ball.

The end to end play continued with Burscough sweeping past Locke and the move ending with Howarth shooting narrowly wide. Evans then felled Hulme (55 mins). From Adams's dead-ball, Craney combined with Gallagher whose ball into the box was just headed out by Hanson as Illingworth arrived. The corner came to nothing but Altrincham now began to control the proceedings. However, a trip by Illingworth led to a long distance shot which Coburn saved routinely (61 mins). Hawes, who again played well, next fed Thornley who,in turn, beat his opponent to set up Hulme who delayed before shooting straight at the keeper. Then Adams won possession and fed Illingworth, who got round the keeper but a defender got back to clear (62 mins).

Yet another Burscough man went down injured, with Hennigan needing treatment. Alty waited to take a throw in the right hand corner of the pitch at the Burscough end as Hennigan was treated and then Poland came on for Illingworth (62 mins). When the throw was finally taken the ball bounced in the Burscough area and Knowles clearly handled it; Mr Bainbridge immediately gave a penalty. McEvilly must have said something fairly serious for he was called aside and shown a red card for the second successive game. He became the fifth Burscough man to be dismissed this season. Depute the lengthy delay, Thornley beat Taylor coolly; the keeper diving to his right before Rod put the ball into the other side of the net (64 mins).

Altrincham nearly added to their two goals soon afterwards when a Thornley lay-off to Craney resulted in Ian hammering a rising shot just wide (67 mins). Each side then made a change; Leahey coming on for Burscough and a limping Hulme being replaced by Murphy (68 mins). A sweeping diagonal ball found the ever threatening Lawless on Burscough's right and he went past Adams and Murphy but Maddox cleared up, hoofing the ball over the stand. Graham Heathcote now exhorted his players repeatedly to "be patient", directing them to play short passes across the pitch rather than racing at the opposition or pumping long balls forward. Long sequences of passes were woven across, rather then up and down, the pitch before Dave Swannick got his chance, replacing Ian Craney after 74 minutes.

Burscough's ailments continued with two players requiring simultaneous treatment and Alty physio Gary Thompson tending one of them. Alty continued to play the ball around patiently as weather conditions belatedly improved for a while. As Alty took the sting out of the game, Burscough's shortage of an eleventh man was not evident. However, despite some patient approach play the best Burscough could offer was a curling shot from Knowles, wide of the target. Both Murphy and Swannick, the subs, showed one or two nice touches but Poland struggled to get any service with his team-mates content to follow their coach's instructions to pass the ball around the back. The game drifted to an end with yet another Burscough injury. This time, Lawless needed attention after a firm tackle from Maddox but Danny Murphy was also in need of attention. The match ended with Altrincham comfortable in their lead and Burscough ruing a day on which they conceded a penalty, had a man sent off and picked up numerous injuries.

This was a well deserved win in difficult weather conditions and another clean sheet for the Altrincham defence, marshalled by Sertori and Maddox. Debutant Locke had a fairly quiet game, his counterpart Adams being more evident, particularly going forward. He will be missed when he is suspended shortly for his sending off at Emley. In virtually every Altrincham game it can be said that Hawes played well and this match was no exception. Craney, Gallagher, Illingworth and Hulme also played their parts whilst Thornley again impressed and maintained his excellent scoring ratio. With a bit more composure from Hulme and Illingworth in front of goal, the margin could have been greater as Coburn was rarely threatened.

Of the subs, Murphy still looked a bit below par and Poland did not really get into the match but Swannick slotted into midfield well. The next test will be a tough one, with Gateshead our next league opponents, next Saturday at Moss Lane. Before then we meet the old foe, Northwich in the Cheshire Senior Cup on Tuesday.