Match Report

Altrincham always looked the more technically accomplished side but were forced to battle hard after Colwyn Bay had levelled the scores late in the first half. Steve Finney had opened the scoring skilfully in the 3rd minute when the surprisingly hard pitch produced a strong bounce of the ball over Edwards's head, leaving the Alty striker in the clear. Colwyn Bay equalised from a penalty after Deiniol Graham had been tackled by Mark Maddox.

The second half became increasingly robust as the Bay fought for some reward from their possession and Alty were penned back into their own half for periods. However, when Gallagher pursued a ball up the right, he seized on keeper Richie Roberts's attempt to receive a back-pass from Jones. The keeper manhandled Gallagher to concede a penalty, which Landon dispatched. This was Alty's first win in their last ten away league matches, their last victory being at Barrow last October.

With Rod Thornley out through work commitments with Manchester United, where he is a masseur, and Danny Murphy reduced to the bench through injury, Altrincham brought in Gary Scott in midfield and relied on Finney and Edwards at the sharp end. Mark Maddox reclaimed a centre-back berth after suspension, with Adam Farley moving to right-back and Jason Gallagher to right-midfield. For the Bay, the experienced Craig Lawton and ex-Alty man, Marc Limbert, were absent, whilst Jonathan Cross was only a substitute. Oddly, Jardine played in a number 16 shirt throughout.

On a mild night, which remained fine throughout the game, it was nevertheless surprising to find the Llanelian Road pitch very dry and firm compared with other recent venues. As a result the ball bobbled unpredictably at times. The Bay had most of the possession for the first three minutes without ever really threatening but it was Altrincham who achieved the first breakthrough. A ball forward for Edwards bounced over the Altrincham man, about 25 yards from goal and also deceived the Bay defence. It landed at the unmarked Finney's feet and he strode forward into the box before finishing well with a firm shot past Richie Roberts's right hand from a position to the right of centre of the goal (3 mins). The goal took him clear at the top of Alty scoring charts this season and he now has an admirable strike rate of 11 goals from 21 starts. After the restart, Altrincham soon put together a fine passing movement which ended with the ball coming out to Porter.

The young left-back unleashed a fierce left-foot shot from a central position which Roberts did well to parry to his right for a corner (6 mins). The pace was fast and furious in these early stages with no one being given time to make considered passes. The Bay were clearly encouraged by their recent win against Spennymoor, their first since last October, and certainly did not look a dispirited side despite that poor record. With quite a few of the same players at the Club over the last few seasons, it is puzzling how they have sunk to such depths but injuries, sendings-off and a financial crisis cannot have helped.

The Bay made heavy use of long balls forward, mostly aimed at ex-Manchester United starlet, Deiniol Graham, who has returned to the Club after a cost-cutting loan spell at Bangor City in the League of Wales. The Bay continued to press forward but after a Dean Williams shot had been blocked on the edge of the Altrincham box, Finney produced a neat turn in the left angle of the pitch to win a corner (14 mins) but Craney's delivery was poor.

Maddox soon had to stop McIlvogue's advance at the cost of a throw-in. Then, after Glen Graham's advance had been cut off, Paul Edwards got past Jardine but produced a sub-standard cross. Although there was plenty of frantic action, it was not producing any clear shots for either side at this stage and the visitors looked reasonably comfortable with their one goal lead. Altrincham's next opportunity came when Craney played in Gallagher up the right but Jason's shot hit the low roof behind the goal (22 mins). Contrary to the second-half pattern of frequent stoppages for free-kicks, when Porter conceded a foul in midfield after 23 minutes it produced one of the few such kicks of the first half-hour. Almost immediately an untidy aerial challenge by Hawes conceded another free-kick on the half-way line (24 mins) and then Craney handled in the same area to give away yet another potential set-piece to the Bay. Altrincham then had a fortunate escape when a routine back-pass from Bowker took an unexpectedly high bounce off the pitch as it ran to Coburn. The ball hit the startled keeper's shins and was eventually cleared (27 mins).

Following a foul on Edwards, Porter's in-swinging free-kick from the right, 25 yards from the host's goal, was headed out. Then Bowker was penalised for a high tackle in a similar position in Altrincham's half but the in-swinging free-kick went straight to Coburn (30 mins). The fouls were now coming with regularity and, next, it was Hawes who was the victim of Owain Roberts, again some 25 yards from the home goal (32 mins). Soon, a Maddox overhead clearance came to Owain Roberts and he fed Deiniol Graham but Porter was alert to the danger, although he conceded a throw. However, the next ball in for Deiniol Graham to pursue produced a challenge from Maddox which took both ball and man, somewhere just left of the penalty spot. After a pause, Mr Dean pointed less than assuredly to the spot, his final decision having possibly been settled by the linesman's flag.

The fourteenth penalty conceded by Altrincham since October was duly taken by Deiniol Graham and he sent Coburn the wrong way, shooting right, as Coburn dived in the other direction (34 mins). Having looked relatively comfortable with their one-goal lead, the equaliser came as something of a surprise to the visitors. Before the restart the referee came over and read the riot act to both of the vociferous managerial benches, instructing them to obey the rule that only one person per team could stand outside the dugouts. Colwyn Bay were now really fired up. Caton made a crunching tackle on Edwards, mistimed his effort and succeeded only in injuring his right foot as it thumped against Edwards's boot rather than the ball. Caton lay injured and needed lengthy treatment whilst Mr Dean hovered with his notebook. As the physio's treatment ended, the referee waved his yellow card at Caton (38 mins). Caton limped off and play resumed with the Bay a man short. Steve Hawes now got Finney to the by-line, via Gary Scott, but his cross was cleared and the half ended with the teams level, Caton having returned to the fray.

Dean Williams's pass to Deiniol Graham was the first noteworthy action of the second half but the Welsh side's striker mis-kicked with his left foot. A cross by Hawes was punched out by Roberts before the Bay won a free-kick near half-way. Jones's free-kick came off a Bay head for a goal-kick to Coburn. A foul by Gary Scott near the centre-line produced not only the first booking of the Taylor-Heathcote managerial regime but the first for Gary Scott after 33 unblemished appearances this season (48 mins). Owain Roberts fouled Farley shortly after this as the game continued in its robust fashion. Following this, Gallagher got past Jones but his cross was not a good one and went to Richie Roberts.

Farley was soon fouled again, this time by McIlvogue as Altrincham remained largely on the back foot in this opening period of the second half. Coburn then had to rush out to kick clear a curling ball towards the box from Jones before Bowker was booked for a foul on Owain Roberts, 25 yards from the Alty goal (53 mins). The free-kick came off a defender for a corner on the left which Coburn caught before being knocked off the ball, earning a free-kick in the process. Caton and Jardine continued to head clear such forward punts as Altrincham could muster at this stage. The Robins' forward players failed to win anything in the air in a manner reminiscent of last Saturday's second half at Gainsborough.

After Richie Roberts had collected a forward pass from Edwards on the left, McIlvogue got in a cross which Graham Roberts met with a fierce shot which, thankfully for Altrincham, went straight at Coburn from 25 yards. The Bay continued to press forward using their strength and speculative balls rather than crafted passing movements. For a side in dire straits in the league, they were showing commendable spirit. There was some respite for Altrincham when they won two throws near half way, the first gained by Finney, the second by Edwards (62 mins). This led to Altrincham's first corner of the half which Porter wasted by striking it into the box at too low an elevation. From the half-clearance, Maddox looped a gentle header to the keeper. Soon, Bay were back at the other end, Farley losing the ball and Graham Roberts sending a curler towards Coburn which went well wide from 25 yards (64 mins). T

he Bay continued to hold the upper hand until a quick throw by Finney to Hawes led to a cross which rebounded off Scott to Richie Roberts (68 mins). But Colwyn Bay won a corner shortly after this, on the right. Before this could be taken Kelvin Davies replaced Woods for the home side (69 mins). The corner immediately fell for the new substitute but Davies shot wide from the edge of the box. Altrincham immediately made their first substitution with Dickie Landon replacing Steve Finney (70 mins). Three minutes later, against the run of play, Altrincham went ahead. Gallagher had chased the keeper, Roberts, as he received a back pass from Jones on the left edge of his box. As the Altrincham man appeared to be about to gain possession, the keeper manhandled him and a clear penalty was awarded.

Roberts's heart must have missed a beat as he had been sent off the previous Saturday for bringing down a player against Bishop Auckland. In that same game, Glen Graham had also been dismissed for the Bay. However, as with the earlier penalty in this match, Mr Dean took no further action after pointing to the spot. Dickie Landon put the penalty kick into the bottom right-hand corner as the keeper remained more or less motionless. Caton and his keeper then exchanged heated pleasantries before play resumed.

Jones's role in conceding the spot-kick had clearly rattled him and he went in hard on Gallagher, earning himself a yellow card (75 mins). Gallagher then made a fine break from his own half but was crudely chopped down by Jardine who joined his colleagues in the referee's notebook, quite deservedly (77 mins). Having gone behind against the run of play, Colwyn Bay were clearly losing their composure at this stage. Porter's free-kick, some 45 yards from the Bay goal, almost reached Bowker but the danger was cleared. Owain Roberts took a long shot at Coburn which the keeper fielded at the second attempt before Dickie Landon rather ambitiously chose to shoot at goal from 35 yards out on the right touchline (79 mins). Edwards was now belatedly getting some change down the left side but an agricultural tackle by Caton stopped his progress (80 mins) near half-way.

It was Porter's turned to be chopped down next when Graham Roberts tackled him on the left wing. After treatment Porter, already carrying a knee injury, hobbled off to be substituted by the less than fit Danny Murphy (81 mins). In the closing stages, Maddox moved to left back and Gallagher went to right-back, with Farley moving to centre-back. From the free-kick Hawes produced a wild shot which went for a goal-kick. Altrincham were now looking more comfortable than they had in the first 20 minutes of the second period. Next, Edwards set up a shot for Craney which went wide of the left post (83 mins). It was Edwards again who now got round the keeper on the left and laid the ball back for Murphy whose shot lacked power and was cleared by a defender who had rushed back to cover the vacated goal (84 mins).

Mr Dean, who did not endear himself to the home fans for one or two of his decisions, then lost any allies from the Altrincham side when he judged Kelvin Davies to have been fouled when he clearly simply fell over (85 mins). The free-kick was unproductive and soon Edwards and Murphy were again trying to combine down the left but a Bay goal-kick was the outcome (87 mins).

A Graham Roberts shot was deflected to Coburn, followed by a cross from Kelvin Davies running off Farley for a Colwyn corner on the left. Coburn's punch led to a second corner, on the right side this time, but this final threat was cleared. Altrincham had held on to record their first away win in 23 weeks and 10 attempts. They had played better this season and got worse results- last Saturday's visit to Gainsborough being a case in point. However, they had stood up well to the physical challenge of Colwyn Bay and it was the Altrincham defence which probably came out of this match with the most credit, despite the conceding of the penalty.

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Compiled by John Laidlar