Match Report

This was Altrincham's first visit to the Belle Vue stadium which Emley share with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. It is a strange ground in that one end has an impressive, modern multi-storey block of hospitality suites, complete with balconies, whilst the other is a traditional open terrace. Down the flanks there is another open terrace on one aspect and a long, covered stand, with some terracing in front of it on the other. There are no covered standing facilities at all.

SUMMARY

Two years ago, Emley stood between Altrincham and the Unibond Premier title at Moss Lane but today it was Altrincham who were a potential obstacle to Emley's title pretensions. The final score, today, flattered the Yorkshire side who simply took virtually the only three real chances that they had in the game. Emley went ahead after six minutes when the poorly marked Day scored at the second attempt after Coburn had done well to save his initial header from a left-wing cross. When Bowker slipped over on the greasy surface, Day finished well to put Emley 2-0 up after 30 minutes.

Between these goals Altrincham had more than matched their hosts. Altrincham then dominated the first half-hour of the second half. In this period, Edwards's header came off the underside of the bar, Hawes's shot was deflected over the bar, Thornley scored with a header (60 mins) and Cuss finger-tipped another Edwards header just over his own bar. Altrincham then committed suicide when a poor goal-kick from Coburn came back to Farley who woefully underhit his back-pass, allowing Wilson to nip in for an undeserved third goal (77 mins). Referee Salisbury failed to clamp down on Emley's customary cynicism in defence, only showing one yellow card (to Emley's Jones).

Rod Thornley returned to the Altrincham side after work commitments kept him out in midweek. However, Steve Porter's injury, sustained at Colwyn Bay, ruled him out whilst Danny Murphy was again only fit enough to sit on the bench. Also on the bench was Stuart Scheuber, who was preferred to Keith Mairs. Gary Scott moved up to the starting line-up at left-back, with Adam Farley at right-back. Emley were without leading scorer, Simeon Bambrook, as he was starting a three-match suspension.

This was one of the few matches to survive the recent downpours but the pitch was perfectly playable, though obviously slippery. The first threat of the match came from Emley's left wing but Scott saw off the cross at the cost of a throw (3 mins). However, in almost a replica move, Hatto got over another ball from the left wing which this time pinpointed the unmarked Darren Day, about six yards out in the centre of Coburn's goalmouth. The striker's header was well saved by Coburn but he could only parry it out to Day, who kicked it back past the Altrincham keeper for the opening goal (6 mins). Altrincham were unable to create any openings in the early stages, a shot from Craney which bisected the gap between the goal and corner-flag on the right was their only effort in the first 12 minutes.

Then Scott got the ball from Andy Wilson but although Thornley chased his pass, it went to Cuss in the Emley goal. After Day had fouled Maddox, Gary Scott's free-kick came to Finney who won a corner on the left. Craney's corner led to a throw for Altrincham but this, in turn, only led to an Emley goal-kick (18 mins). Hawes and Craney then combined to get Finney free on the left but his cross into the box was nowhere near any team-mate (20 mins). The robust Steve Jones clearly pushed Jason Gallagher on or just inside the Emley penalty area but the referee, not for the last time, chose to ignore the physical contact. Altrincham were now enjoying some good possession as Emley seemed to prefer to counter-attack and looked far from the impressive potential champions that the league table suggests.

Following an Emley throw on half-way, Hawes was blatantly body-checked by Wood. Mr Salisbury chose only to deliver a cursory word of admonishment for a crude foul. Play then stopped for two strange reasons. Firstly, the assistant referee, Mr Nicholson, had to retire to the clubhouse to replace his broken yellow flag and, simultaneously, Nazha retreated to the dugout to change his shorts (25 mins). Thornley, near the left corner-flag, won a throw after he had received Scott's free-kick. However, Farley overhit Thornley's throw. Paul Cuss, whom all Altrincham fans remember for his blatant time-wasting at Moss Lane where his ponderous act of removing his gloves, tying his boot lace and replacing his gloves became a protracted art-form, was already acting true to form.

Even at this early stage of the game his goal-kicks had to be scrupulously placed and replaced on a spot dug out of the pitch with his heel, whilst lumps of mud had to be carefully removed from the soles of his boots. On the contrary, Hatto epitomised what was good about Emley, prompting some good movement down the Emley left and, via Nazha, he got the ball to Wilson but his long shot was very wide of Coburn's left post (28 mins). A miscued clearance by Wood ran back some 30 yards to Cuss who collected the ball amidst claims from the Altrincham fans for a handled back-pass. After Edwards had pushed over Nicholson near half-way, the Emley captain's free-kick was played short to Wood who played in a fine ball from the left which evaded Maddox as he slipped on the greasy surface.

Day took advantage but lashed his shot just wide of the post, to Coburn's left. In almost a replica of this piece of action, it was next the turn of Bowker to lose his footing, also in the centre outer area of the penalty box but this time with more dire consequences for the Robins. Bowker's slip gave Day time to control and aim his shot. This time it went just inside the keeper's left upright, although Coburn did seem to get a hand to it as it entered the bottom corner of his net (31 mins).

After a Wilson, Hatto and Thorpe move had been stifled, Gallagher was fouled by Nazha just inside the Emley half. The free-kick ended with a Hawes punt tamely to the keeper. Thorpe than played a fine ball to Hatto on the left. Day chested back Hatto's pass for Wilson but his shot was very wayward to the left of the target (34 mins). After Gallagher had passed back to Coburn, the keeper's kick went straight to Nicholson and from him, wide to Day, but Scott intercepted with a header to Edwards. Emley were now having their best period of the game so far, mainly up the left flank, utilising Hatto. Day and Nazha then combined well but Coburn was alert to smother the danger. An Altrincham ball into the Emley box produced a slice from Jones, under no pressure, for a corner to Altrincham on their right. Craney's short corner was cleared but shortly afterwards Craney went past David only to be cynically hacked down by David who conceded a free-kick but he should have been booked too.

Soon, Nazha, who had a generally ineffective game, threatened to break down the middle but Edwards tackled back well. At the other end, Finney's pass to Craney produced a shot from the midfielder from outside the box but although it was straight at Cuss, low down, it took the keeper two attempts to hold it (41 mins). Emley then won a free-kick 25 yards out after Hawes had fouled Day on the right. Day soon won another free-kick when he headed towards the corner flag and Farley pushed the Emley man as he sought to play for time. (44 mins). From the corner, Paul Edwards broke through the centre where he was felled by Nazha but the lenient referee saw no problem with the challenge. There was time before the interval for Finney to put in a wild cross cum shot from the left and for Thornley to be tripped as he headed for goal- again without any free-kick award.

Mark Wilson replaced Wood for Emley at the interval but within seconds of Emley's kick-off they had lost possession. Gallagher went racing up the right touchline past Jones and delivered a fine cross which Edwards leapt to meet with his head. His header smacked against the underside of the bar with Cuss well beaten but rebounded to safety for Emley (46 mins). After David lost the ball Hawes was in for a clear shot at goal from ten yards but his rising shot was deflected over the bar by Cuss. With these two chances going begging inside three minutes, it looked like it was not to be Altrincham's day (48 mins).

With Altrincham enjoying a lot of possession, Finney was replaced by the still not fully-fit Murphy (51 mins). Murphy went to the left flank. Emley's only effort of note at this stage was an overhead attempt by Mark Wilson which ran easily to Coburn (52 mins). Thornley than chased down Jones and the lightning-quick Edwards pounced to round the keeper. Unfortunately he had no chance of turning the ball back into the net from his position on the by-line to the right of the goal. Edwards was also doing sterling work in breaking up Emley moves with some good tackling. From one such interception, Gallagher again went cantering up the right wing past Jones and his cross found Murphy at the back post but the ball was cleared. Murphy, however, soon won a corner with a blocked cross but Craney's delivery was poor, the ball being struck at too low a trajectory. Mark Wilson began to show some pace and nice touches for Emley, his first chance to shine arising after Farley gave away possession and Hatto and Day combined to feed him on the right flank. With play held up whilst Coburn had to trek to an adjacent building site to retrieve the ball (56 mins) Altrincham were well on top.

Craney's delivery from a free kick 22 yards out was no better than from his previous corner and the ball ran tamely to Cuss (58 mins). Murphy skipped round Tonks in midfield only to be tripped from behind but yet again Mr Salisbury allowed cynicism to escape unpunished other than by a free-kick. However, Altrincham exacted just retribution when Scott's free-kick went to Murphy and his ball into the box was met by a brave header from Thornley who looped the ball over Cuss into the net for a deserved goal for the visitors on the hour mark. It was Thornley's fifth goal in his five games for Altrincham. Altrincham continued to apply the pressure with Emley relying on very intermittent breaks. From one of these Day beat Bowker, who had slipped again, but the central defender recovered to concede a corner (62 mins). Coburn was fouled as he went to collect Hatto's inswinger and a free-kick resulted. From this goalmouth melee Gallagher emerged limping and Coburn needed treatment to his face (63 mins).

Next, Farley played a fine ball forward to Gallagher up the right wing. Jason got round a defender and his cross nearly found Thornley at the near post, the striker getting a foot on the ball but no more, the ball running to Cuss who punted it 100 yards upfield. Coburn met it to hoof it out of the ground as Day closed in. Altrincham were soon pressing again and another good ball from Farley set Thornley racing forward to the right of goal. Yet again cynicism prevailed and Jones took Thornley out from behind when there was a case for his being viewed as the last defender. Even Mr Salisbury must have though that this was a bad one for he actually produced a yellow card to brandish at the ginger-haired full-back (65 mins).

It is now three years since Jones was dismissed at Moss Lane in a 7-1 drubbing by Altrincham and the Emley club announced that he would never play for them again because of his bad disciplinary record- a decision they soon rescinded. Craney's free-kick was awful so just punishment was not exacted for the foul. However, Altrincham then put together the move of the match and Craney was the instigator. He fed Farley who produced another lovely pass for Gallagher to chase up the right wing. Gallagher's excellent cross was met by Edwards's head and the ball appeared to be goal bound till Cuss got a touch on it to push it just over the bar (68 mins). Sadly, Craney again delivered a sub-standard corner.

Hatto then committed a calculated foul on Gallagher, from behind, but predictably no yellow card was produced. Emley really do not win any friends with their no nonsense defensive tactics. In a rare foray at the other end, Nazha got a lucky rebound and set up Day for an attempted lob which went over the goal (71 mins). David's cynical body-check on Murphy was the next offence to be disregarded by Mr Salisbury but he did spot Hawes's foul on Nazha on the left wing (72 mins). It looked odds on an Altrincham equaliser as they enjoyed vastly more possession than the home side and it was the Altrincham fans behind the goal who were making all the noise.

From Hatto's free-kick Day shot wide from 22 yards. Just after a ball in to the box hit Farley but ran to Coburn the same two players were involved in the pivotal incident of the match. Coburn's kicked clearance was struck too low and bounced off a player towards the centre circle and went back towards goal. There appeared to be minimal danger as Farley made to play it back to this keeper but, not for the first time this season, the young defender underhit his pass and presented Mark Wilson with a clear opening which he did not squander, striking the ball cleanly into the net to Coburn's left to give Emley an undeserved two-goal cushion (77 mins).

Though Altrincham tried to recover their composure they were clearly deflated by this give-away goal. But within three minutes they carved another opening when Thornley's fine run and cross, from left of goal, saw Gallagher with only the keeper to beat. Jason contrived to knock the ball sideways and was probably mightily relieved to see the linesman's flag up for offside (80 mins). Stuart Scheuber, the only ever-present in Mark Ward's period of managership, made his first appearance under the new managerial regime when he replaced the unfortunate Adam Farley. Unfortunately, this meant the marauding Gallagher had to move back into the defence to replace Farley. Cuss restarted play with a free-kick for offside, taking his time as usual in doing so. Emley were now able to show a little, very belated second-half enterprise as Altrincham realised that they had given the game away with defensive errors. Everyone seemed to be going through the motions in the closing minutes.

Altrincham's last threat came when Thornley got free on the right but ran straight into a tackle by Jones and lost possession (89 mins). Edwards was fouled soon afterwards 30 yards from goal but nothing came of this and the final whistle went just as Emley won a corner on their right after Scott had lost possession.

Emley's ability to take their chances and Altrincham's defensive lapses were the explanations for the 3-1 scoreline which did Altrincham little justice. They dominated most of the second half but were unable to get the ball into the net more than once. Emley still have the championship in their own hands but their clash with their nearest challengers, a robust Stalybridge Celtic side, later this month will need firmer refereeing than was evident today.

Altrincham's best performers today were at the forward end of the team; Jason Gallagher racing up the right wing, Rod Thornley probing in the centre and Paul Edwards whose pace and hard work deserved the reward of at least one goal from his two fine second-half headers. Altrincham have now lost 14 games out of 40 this season, the same number as they lost from 42 games when relegated last year; but with 17 wins this season instead of 9 all last season, they stand fifth in the table. This may have been Altrincham's first and last visit to Belle Vue for some time; not everyone will be sorry about that.