Match Report

BACKGROUND

Barrow were the last team to be beaten by Altrincham away from Moss Lane, back in October but have been on a good run recently, losing only one of their last ten league matches. Considering it was a damp Tuesday night for this match, Barrow brought a respectable contingent of fans down from Cumbria to give the match a good atmosphere. The match programme revealed that Barrow had won only once at Moss Lane since 1913!

After an even opening few minutes, Altrincham went on to dominate the game up to the hour mark. After taking the lead through Finney, following fine work by Thornley, they should have doubled their lead after the interval but Finney missed badly from close range. Barrow's renaissance began just after the hour mark and they were arguably the better side for much of the final half-hour of the game though Altrincham were far from out of it even then.

The visitors equalised with seven minutes left when a firm cross found Holt unmarked and he headed home. Almost immediately, Thornley spooned the ball over from very close range at the other end to allow Barrow to take away a just-about deserved point. However, it was another good display from the Robins and Thornley well merited his Man of the Match award.

Not surprisingly, the Altrincham team was unchanged from that which beat Accrington 5-2 on Sunday. So, Stuart Scheuber was again omitted and can consider himself unlucky to be so after some useful performances this season. Keith Mairs was once more preferred as the midfield substitute and he joined Landon and Scott on the bench. Barrow's side included Grant Holt, on loan from Halifax Town.

Having conceded a spot-kick on Sunday, Paul Edwards was almost penalised again in the first minute of this game when he shouldered Peverell to the ground just inside the box. As the Barrow number nine was to repeat his collapse twice more in much less questionable circumstances, the referee was probably right in giving the benefit of the doubt to Edwards.

Barrow captain Neil Doherty's early speculative shot from 20 yards was the first attempt on goal of note and this went wide, the ball having reached him via a free-kick. However, Altrincham's Murphy soon won his side's first corner (4 mins) from a cross which was knocked out of play by a defender. Porter, nowadays increasingly employed in taking corners and free-kicks, took the flag-kick which had been earned after the ball had come off a Barrow head and had gone just wide. A neat passing move started by Bowker ended with a fine shot from Thornley from the edge of the box, but Bishop saved it well, low down (6 mins). Next, Hawes's good cross flicked off Finney's head, wide of the goal. Barrow soon won a corner when, following two throw-ins in quick succession on their right, Bullimore's shot was deflected out of play. Hawes headed half-clear from the corner before the danger was finally repulsed. However, the Bluebirds were soon back with Housham chesting down for Doherty, who cut in from the left and his shot rebounded to Housham, again, but he struck the ball badly wide of the target (9 mins).

Altrincham replied with a Finney - Murphy combination from which the latter's under-par cross fortunately won a corner on the Alty right (12 mins). Porter's in-swinger was just too high and looped out of play near the back post.

Shortly after this a good shot from Finney seemed only to be half-fielded by Bishop with Jason Gallagher in close attendance but the referee spotted an infringement and gave Barrow a free-kick (14 mins). The next threat came when Finney fed Thornley and his good shot was hooked off the line by a defender for a corner (16 mins) as the home side began to get on top. Murphy met the corner well with his head but the ball speared narrowly wide (17 mins). Bishop's ball to Rogers was directed up to Peverell who, for the second time, fell somewhat exaggeratedly, just outside the penalty area. A Hawes clip into the box was hit too long and then a Thornley cross was cut out before the same player had a shot blocked at source. Edwards, who until now had not seen much of the ball on the left, now got past his man and relayed the ball to Finney whose cross was deflected to safety.

Then Edwards beat Rogers and fed Finney again, this time in a dangerous position going forward into the box. Finney elected to pass, right, to Thornley when a shot looked the better option as Thornley was closed down before he could shoot and the opening went begging (24 mins). After Finney had been flattened 35 yards out, Porter's free-kick reached Murphy but his header went routinely to Bishop in the visitors' goal. Next, Thornley was elbowed, off the ball, by Hume and although the referee played advantage he then stopped play to lecture Hume and give him a deserved yellow card (26 mins). After treatment to Thornley, play resumed with a throw-in.

Barrow showed some life when a Rogers' cross came off Farley to set up a headed chance but this caused Coburn no problems (28 mins). More troublesome was Ian Craney's 25 yarder which bounced awkwardly in front of Bishop as Altrincham once more reasserted their dominance at this stage (30 mins). The breakthrough came soon afterwards when Thornley got free in the inside-right channel some 30 yards from goal. Just as it looked as if the speedily advancing Thornley might be losing control of the ball under his feet, he slipped it left, inside the box, to Steve Finney who finished well from about 10 yards in a central position (34 mins).

After the goal Thornley soon threatened again but then when Barrow tried to advance they were caught offside. A Porter clearance next found Anthony, who was having a good game in midfield for Barrow. After touches by Housham and Bullimore, Anthony received the ball back but it ran gently to Coburn (37 mins). Soon, a good long ball forward from Hawes found Murphy sneaking round the back of the Barrow defence and the Alty man won a corner on the right. Bishop punched clear the corner and although Altrincham regained possession, Hawes was forced to play it back to Coburn from half-way.

Barrow then gained a corner on the left and a follow-up move, also up their left flank, was cleared well by Gallagher. As the interval approached, Craney shot wide before Gallagher won a free-kick 30 yards out on the right side of the pitch. Porter's free-kick was just too high for Edwards. However, soon afterwards, Edwards was firing in a low cross from the left which a defender got to just in front of Finney, to concede a corner on the Altrincham left. The corner was half-cleared to Hawes, whose shot was blocked. The referee, Mr Page, added little time for the various stoppages and Altrincham went off deservedly ahead having grown more dominant as the half progressed, after a fairly even opening few minutes.

After the sides exchanged a couple of routine forward movements, it was Thornley who posed the first real threat of the second period, carrying on where he left off by troubling the Barrow defence with his pace, neat turns and good control. This time, a Finney lay-off set him up for a fierce shot which Bishop saved well (47 mins). Peverell and Bullimore responded, however, by combining well to get the ball over the Alty defence to Holt but he hit a tame shot wide of the left post (48 mins). A throw by Altrincham, ten yards inside the Barrow half, went backwards, eventually to Coburn, before a Barrow move was halted down the right for offside. Housham then inexplicably closed down an Altrincham free-kick to such an extent that he touched the ball before Altrincham had even taken the kick.

Amazingly he escaped the referee's little book. When it was finally taken, Craney's free-kick was headed out. As the game wore on Craney was increasingly being used for dead-ball kicks and with Porter also being used for corners and free-kicks, Steve Hawes's role in this department seems to be in decline. Indeed, Craney next took a left-wing corner and Bowker flicked it across goal with his head, at the near post, but it just cleared the back upright (53 mins). Altrincham should have doubled their lead soon after this when Thornley expertly span off a defender and got clear before committing the keeper, and slipping the ball inside, to his right, to Finney. Finney, from very close in, went for placement rather than power but, with two defenders on the line, contrived to put the ball wide of the left post; a bad miss (55 mins)! Immediately Danny Murphy, who had been wearing cycling shorts to protect a presumably twinging muscle, gave way to Gary Scott, allowing Gallagher to press further forward.

Altrincham continued to have the better of the game, with Thornley looking sharp every time he touched the ball. A foul on him won a free-kick, 25 yards out, which Craney took. This was cleared as was another threat when Craney fed Gallagher up the right wing. Hume then was all over Steve Hawes to concede another free-kick and this time Craney's 25 yard freekick was struck straight at Bishop. Barrow showed their first signs of their revival when, following a free-kick for them, Peverell put in a scissor kick which went just wide, though Coburn had it covered (62 mins).

Altrincham were then caught offside three times in the next five minutes and although Barrow were pressing hard they were not creating clear chances. Ainsley came on for Anthony (67 mins) and with Altrincham now on the back foot Doherty made a hash of the final ball of a move up the left, a goal-kick resulting. Altrincham's best threat of this period was a well-hit 30 yard shot from Craney which Bishop parried well (72 mins) but then Scott and Craney got the ball to Thornley. He beat Hall on the right and his long cross was met well on the half-volley by Edwards but his shot crashed into the side netting from the left (73 mins). Doherty was now replaced by Ellison for Barrow (73 mins) and the newcomer went straight up-front. Thornley threatened again but Bishop saved well and Finney's follow-up was also cleared (73 mins).

Despite the improvement in Barrow's play, Altrincham looked as if they would hold on but Graham Heathcote was becoming increasingly animated on the Altrincham bench. However, after a Bullimore cross had been cut out by Bowker, Altrincham attempted to break along the right touchline, near half-way. A ball was clipped over Hall who clearly raised his hand to intercept it but his offence went unspotted by the nearby linesman or referee. However, Thornley, who would have benefited had the ball not been handled became involved in a fracas with the Barrow centre-back and received a long lecture as well as a free-kick against him from Mr Page (76 mins). Edwards was soon going up the other flank, getting past Ainsley, but shooting well over the bar.

Jason Gallagher then won three successive throws in the Barrow half, on the right and from the last, Finney turned well and put in a cross to the back post where a defender put it out for a corner. Craney's corner was eventually cleared and Barrow themselves then sprang the offside trap on the Alty right with Ainsley firing in a bullet-like shot from 25 yards which Coburn did well to punch out some distance (81 mins). Altrincham's respite was short, however. After an impressive passing move, Maxfield crossed firmly from the left touchline and the incoming Holt, who had got in front of the defence, headed the ball cleanly past Coburn from close range (83 mins). Almost immediately, however, Altrincham should have restored their lead. After a Gallagher cross had found no one in the opposition goal area, Craney and Hawes fed Finney. He slotted the ball, from the left, across the front of goal to Thornley who seemed to have no option but to score, despite the presence of a defender. However, he contrived to loop the ball over the bar from six yards or fewer and he reacted by holding his head in anguish (84 mins).

Altrincham had one or two scares in the closing stages as, first, Ainsley shot over the bar and then both Farley and Coburn had to be alert to cut off potential threats. Soon, however, a poor cross from Scott, on the right, undeservedly won a corner on the left for Altrincham. Craney's corner came out to Hawes who flashed a shot well off target from outside the box (87 mins). Barrow were now seeking to string out time and three consecutive throws by Maxfield allowed them to do so.

Despite Altrincham's attempts, the hosts were unable seriously to threaten the goal in the final minutes and the game ended in a draw. Though Altrincham had had the better of the game, Barrow had probably done enough in the last half-hour to warrant some return from the match. The Robins paid for spurning two easy chances but, nevertheless, could take heart from another good overall performance. Rod Thornley deservedly lifted the Man of the Match award; his pace and ability to turn past defenders was particularly impressive. After three consecutive home games from which seven points have derived, Altrincham now have three away games. These are at Gainsborough followed by two contrasting away games at struggling Colwyn Bay (who won tonight for the first time in months) and then at table-topping Emley.