Match Report

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This game had been postponed by bad weather from 26 January. Most of the game was played in lashing rain on a pitch which played remarkably well considering the last fortnight's downpours. A predictably small crowd turned up but at least it was double that which saw us play Vauxhall earlier in the UniBond Cup competition. The prize for the winners was a home semi-final against UniBond First Division side Guiseley.

After a disappointing first half Altrincham took the lead when a Paul Taylor pass sprang the offside trap and Steve Hawes advanced on goal to score well (52 mins). The Robins then looked reasonably comfortable as they showed more zest than had been evident in the first half. Nevertheless, a couple of fine saves were necessary from Coburn as Gainsborough stepped up their game in the closing stages and Hurst equalised from close range, after Norton had done well on the right (78 mins).

A less than clear-cut penalty was then awarded against Taylor and ex-Robins' player Lee Ellington chipped the spot-kick cheekily into the net (85 mins) to clinch the tie.

Altrincham were without both Mark Sertori and Kevin Hulme. They started with Dave Swanick at left-back, Gary Scott at right-back and Paul Taylor partnering Mark Maddox at centre-back. Danny Murphy returned to the side and Carl Furlong was again preferred to Lee Poland up front. Joining Lee on the bench were Barry Guildford and Lee Thompson, a regular with the Reserves and Youth team this season.

Gainsborough kicked off towards the 20/20 (Hale) End and the sides exchanged tentative attacks in the opening minutes. After three minutes a fine ball forward from Swanick was just dropping into the advancing Furlong's path when Dan Brown just managed to get the top of his head to it to avert danger for the visitors (3 mins). Rod Thornley was showing his customary zeal up front, a superb possession-winning tackle on Labocca near half-way epitomising his determination (5 mins). The game continued to flow quite pleasantly, with no interruptions for free-kicks in the early stages. Mark Maddox did well to recover the ball from Lewis after he had initially given the ball away.

Gainsborough's first shot came after 11 minutes when Coburn comfortably saved Williams's low effort. A free-kick awarded against Taylor gave the visitors a free-kick 25 yards out which ended in a header by Hurst at Coburn (13 mins). Graham Heathcote was less than happy with his team at this stage, shouting to them that they had to be "sharper" as they failed to put together much in the way of flowing football and still less in the way of shooting chances. A rasping shot from Hall went wide of Coburn's goal at the other end (18 mins) as the rain now began to lash down across the pitch, driven by a blustery wind.

Things did not improve when Hurst got free on the right and shot from 20 yards, but his effort went wide of Coburn's right post (22 mins). Gainsborough continued to press at this stage before a Hawes interception saw the Alty midfielder surge forward, only to be blocked off. Hawes prompted some improvement a minute later, finding Furlong who, in turn got the ball to Thornley. Though Rod turned well, he was prevented from making further progress on goal (24 mins).

Gainsborough got in a 25 yard shot which Coburn held as the rain now eased a bit before Thornley almost got in on Ingham. Altrincham began at last to show a bit of rhythm. Furlong's pass then led to a good cross from the left by Swanick which Murphy met but he was adjudged to have been offside (29 mins). Graham Heathcote applauded the cross but rightly pointed out that it was the first that Alty had successfully delivered in the opening half hour. The lively Thornley then cut in from the left after a Taylor free-kick, only to slice his shot very wide from outside the box (31 mins).

Ellington and Labocca then combined and Coburn was forced to punch clear the latter's cross, leading to the first corner of the game. The rain had now become heavy again as Craney set off past three opponents only to be stopped by a fourth before Hall's fierce shot was held by Coburn at the second attempt. Altrincham then won a corner on their right (37 mins), which Murphy headed just wide from Ryan's flag-kick. Murphy soon won another corner after receiving a pass forward from Taylor but by now Murphy was hobbling. As half time approached Stanhope shot well wide as Swanick closed him down (42 mins). The break arrived with the score still goalless and neither side having strung together any really incisive moves during the first 45 minutes.

Altrincham started the second half in a more animated fashion than they had shown previously. From Hawes's feed, an early Thornley cross from the right just evaded Furlong as the defence cleared the ball with the aid of a possible handball (47 mins). Next, a 30 yard shot from Lewis was pushed round the post by Coburn for a Gainsborough corner on their right (49 mins). The opening goal of the game came out of nothing when Taylor played a ball forward from the left of the Alty defence which found Hawes unmarked, having timed his run expertly to avoid the offside trap. Hawes kept his head well and as Ingham, the former Stalybridge keeper, came out the Alty captain drove the ball past him (52 mins). Altrincham now settled into a more settled rhythm before player-manager Dave Norton came on to replace Lewis (55 mins).

The rain was now falling torrentially as Lee Thompson (pictured right) took over from the ailing Murphy on the right of midfield (56 mins). A comic interlude followed as Graham Heathcote shouted loudly across the pitch to Carl Furlong "Don't foul!, Don't foul!" as the Alty striker chased a defender; Carl fouled.

Phil Brown was then lectured by the ref for a foul on Ian Craney. Altrincham now looked the better side and a Ryan cross only just cleared Thornley's head to reach goalkeeper Ingham (60 mins). Thompson soon got free up the right and delivered a good cross which was headed out for a corner (63 mins). However, Hall again showed he had a powerful shot with a 25 yarder which was beaten out by Coburn (64 mins). At the other end, Thompson fed Furlong, whose shot hit a defender and was almost deflected to Thornley at the back post (65 mins). Altrincham continued to press, with Scott now in evidence getting forward on the right. Although Altrincham were having the better of things, the closer strikes on goal were coming from the visitors and Coburn did magnificently to make a full-length one-handed save, to his right, from Gareth Williams (71 mins).

Williams prompted another good save from Coburn a few minutes later when he got the better of Taylor (74 mins), as the rain temporarily eased. Ryan responded with an excellent run which led to a snap shot from Ian Craney and an Alty corner (76 mins). This was cleared and at the other end Hurst got in a good low cross from the left which Maddox diverted at a stretch towards his own goal. Coburn managed somehow to jam the ball against the post to stop it crossing the line (77 mins). But Gainsborough had only a minute to wait for the equaliser that they had been seeking. It came when Norton advanced well into the right side of the box and crossed the ball for Hurst to tap in, unmarked and from close range, by the left post (78 mins). Stuart Coburn expressed his anger, presumably at his defence rather than the referee.

Altrincham spurned a chance after 81 minutes when Maddox did well to flick on a Ryan free-kick but none of his colleagues was alert enough to latch onto it inside the six yard box, much to coach Heathcote's annoyance. Stanhope then won a corner for Trinity which ended in a shot over the bar. Steve Hawes was now left in a heap by a challenge on the Alty left touchline but no foul was given. After lengthy treatment Hawes continued, but clearly limping (84 mins). Almost immediately on the resumption, Taylor and a Trinity player challenged for the ball and Mr Gerrard pointed to the spot although the offence was not clear-cut as the Trinity man went down.

Coburn dived, early, to his right as Ellington took a short run and cheekily chipped the ball into the opposite corner of the net (85 mins). Altrincham belatedly replaced the injured Hawes by Poland but two minutes were not enough time for Lee to redeem Altrincham. After Mr Gerrard had blown for full time Carl Furlong had words with the referee in the centre of the pitch. The referee blew his whistle more than once to summon back the Alty striker, but Furlong continued to walk off to the changing rooms. Whether any post-match action was taken against Furlong by Mr Gerrard remains to be seen.

Having enjoyed a home tie for this match and with the benefit of another home match against lower league opposition in the semi-final had they won tonight, Altrincham wasted a good chance of reaching their second cup final this season. Having got ahead early in the second half they failed to press home their advantage and, indeed, it was Coburn who was the busier goalkeeper throughout. Gainsborough stuck to their task and finished strongly to earn their tie against Guiseley. On the positive side, defeat saves Altrincham having to defer yet another league match to accommodate the semi-final on 9 March.