Match Report

This was the final match of Group Five of the UniBond Cup competition. Colwyn Bay were playing for pride as they could not qualify for any of the three UniBond Cup competitions, whilst Alty could qualify for the President's Cup by winning, for the Chairman's Cup by drawing at least 4-4, or for nothing by losing tonight.

This was not a classic. After having the better of the opening stages, Colwyn Bay went two down when Rod Thornley dispossessed the visiting keeper to tap home the opener (14 mins) and then Ian Craney produced a fine goal from nothing after 19 minutes. Stuart Scheuber scored a fine goal for the Bay after 22 minutes. Colwyn Bay enjoyed a lot of possession and passed the ball about well but lacked any real punch up front, whilst for periods of the second half Altrincham were content to coast through to the quarter finals with their narrow lead.

Altrincham were without their captain Steve Hawes, who was presumably serving his one-match ban for five bookings. Missing through injury were Kevin Hulme, Jason Gallagher and Carl Furlong, whilst Danny Murphy had a niggle which reduced him to the bench. Dave Swannick, Ian Craney, Gary Scott and David Wills comprised the midfield, with Ryan, Maddox, Sertori and Taylor at the back. Thornley and Poland were the strikers. The Bay had their top scorer, McIlvogue on the bench whilst ex-Robin Stuart Scheuber played on the right of midfield after playing recently for the Bay at right-back.

Colwyn Bay, attacking the 20/20 (Hale) End, started the more brightly and were soon passing the ball neatly to feet. It was the visitors who also threatened first, a low shot from Evans from a feed by Williams obliging Coburn to make an early save (2 mins). Williams then fed Jason Jones, who advanced into the right side of the box before shooting firmly at goal. The angle made the save for Coburn easier than it might otherwise have been (4 mins). Although Lee Poland got in a shot soon afterwards, it went well over the target (5 mins). For Altrincham, David Wills had a couple of early runs up the right wing but Rod Thornley was obviously having problems on the surface, made slippery by earlier drizzle, so he left the field briefly to change his boots (10 mins). This obviously did the trick for despite Colwyn Bay continuing to have the bulk of the possession, the Alty striker put his side ahead in bizarre circumstances after 14 minutes.

As goalkeeper Smith had the ball at his feet near his six yard line, Rod rushed in to tackle him, won the ball and slid it into the empty net. Nevertheless, the Bay continued to play the ball around after the restart but without causing Sertori and Maddox too much difficulty in the centre of defence. A long ball forward then found Scheuber who volleyed his shot over the bar (17 mins). Poland then got the better of Edwards and found Thornley, who ran in on goal, but Smith did well to beat out his shot for a corner on the Alty right. Following the corner. the ball came to Craney just outside the box in a central position. The midfielder produced a fine and firm lob which went into the net, just under the crossbar, to give Altrincham a rather flattering lead at this early stage (19 mins).

Altrincham soon won another corner, but Ryan's kick was cleared. Then at the other end, Scheuber got the better of Dave Swannick on the Bay right and interchanged passes with Graham Roberts. Scheuber then struck a fine, low shot from just outside the box which beat Coburn's dive to his right and entered the net just inside the post to put a more realistic gloss on the scoreline (22 mins). A foul on Thornley followed one on Scheuber by Swannick. Ryan's free-kick from 30 yards was well delivered to Sertori at the back of the penalty area, left of goal. He showed some good skill to get the ball to Thornley but the striker's shot was blocked (24 mins). Scheuber then fed Alun Evans, who got in a low shot which Coburn saved well (27 mins). A minute later Scheuber himself shot narrowly wide as the game now threatened to replicate the 2-5 scoreline at Colwyn Bay earlier in the season. Graham Roberts then won a corner for the Welshmen off Ryan, on their left flank (28 mins). After Craney had fouled Graham Roberts, Hogg put the free-kick over the bar (30 mins). The Altrincham defence was not clearing its lines effectively at this stage and was also conceding regular free-kicks which the Bay failed to capitalise on. However, Thornley soon received the ball on the outer fringes of the box and smacked a good shot against the outside of the right upright (36 mins). Another Bay free-kick yielded a corner off Sertori on their left (41 mins) before the home defence again gave away possession. As half time approached Poland won a corner when his shot was deflected over the bar. This came to nothing and the half ended with Altrincham leading 2-1 but not yet having produced their best form.

The second half started with a poor challenge by Ryan, who was lectured by Mr Dean (46 mins). The first-half pattern of play resumed as the Bay continued to enjoy possession and pass the ball around well without creating any openings. With Ryan and Taylor more defensively minded full-backs than the early season pairing of Scott and Adams, Altrincham were making little progress on the flanks, especially as the wide midfielders Murphy and Gallagher were also absent. Bay then replaced Evans, with their leading scorer McIlvogue, who had just turned down a move to Aberystwyth in the League of Wales (52 mins). Then Hargreaves replaced Poland at the Alty front end (55 mins). McIlvogue soon got in a cross from the right as Maddox sought to cover him, but Lawton's well hit shot was well stopped by Coburn (57 mins).

Altrincham were now playing the ball around at the back rather than building quickly. After a stoppage for treatment to Jason Jones, Maddox was booked for a tackle on Scheuber which left his former team-mate in a heap (60 mins). Although the Bay continued to have a good share of possession it was Alty who had the next chance. Ryan and Scott got the ball to Thornley, who showed more urgency than some of his team-mates throughout the game, and he fed Hargreaves. Hargreaves's shot came back off the keeper to Craney who shot wide of the left post (63 mins). Thornley then won a corner off Graham Roberts on the right but this was cleared by a defender's header from Ryan's flag-kick. Altrincham were now picking up their game and, soon, Swannick did well to get to the by-line and play the ball back for Thornley, who shot over the bar from the edge of the box (67 mins).

Both sides now made a change with another ex-Alty man, Marc Limbert, coming on for Graham Roberts, whilst Danny Murphy replaced Mark Sertori for Altrincham. Gary Scott moved into the back four at centre-back as a consequence whilst Danny played on the left of midfield (68 mins). Murphy soon got involved in the action and it was a foul on him that earned a booking for Hogg (74 mins). Murphy soon recovered and ran at the defence but his final ball was misplaced. Altrincham were now looking stronger but the match still had something of the air of a practice match about it before Keith Mairs came on for David Wills on the right flank, after 84 minutes. Just after this Dave Swannick was cautioned for a foul tackle (85 mins). Limbert tried an ambitious 40 yard free-kick which he hit well, but wide of the target (85 mins). Murphy took another good run at the defence but was tripped by Jason Jones, who received a booking (88 mins). As the final whistle went, Altrincham had gained second place in Group Five and with it, a place in the last eight of the President's Cup. The draw is to be made on Friday evening on GMR. This was not the most entertaining fare served up at Moss Lane this season but Altrincham did enough to win against a side which could have caused them more trouble had they had some more power up front.