Match Report

BACKGROUND AND TEAM NEWS

This Nationwide Conference league match kicked off at 3.06pm as a mark of respect to the victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989. Conditions were heavy and rain continued to fall throughout the match.

Lance Key being 'moved along' by a Rushden steward for practising in the penalty area

Altrincham supporters could not fail to be impressed by the magnificent Nene Stadium. However, the bag searches, the segregated 'social' clubs, the cordoning off of visiting fans, the video screen injunctions to behave and the actions of the army of stewards, who even demanded that Altrincham's keeper move six feet so that his practice routines took place outside the penalty area, lent an air of authoritarianism to the experience of watching football.

The referee, Mr Cooper only lasted till half-time when he was replaced by his Assistant, Mr Cann. However neither official booked anyone- a rarity for Altrincham. Altrincham were without former Diamonds skipper Simeon Hodson, who remains injured, but Mike Morrell and Shaun Goodwin returned to the side after playing in last Thursday's friendly versus Manchester City Reserves. Mark Maddox also returned after injury, albeit to the bench. This was the first of eight League games for Altrincham in the next three weeks and followed three weeks without a League game. Rushden were also without first-team members, including McElhatton and Sale.

TEAMS

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts): 1. Lance Key; 2. Steve Hawse, 3. Danny Adams, 4. Chris Timons (capt), 5. Gary Talbot, 6. Keith Russell 7. Jason Gallagher, 8. Shaun Goodwin, 9. Leory Chambers, 10. Mick Morrell, 11. Kevin Ellison

Subs: 12. Richard Landon, 13. Ian Senior, 14. Andy Lovelock, 15. Phil Power, 16. Mark Maddox

RUSHDEN AND DIAMONDS (White shirts, blue shorts): 1. Billy Turley, 2. Mark Peters, 3. John Hamsher 4. Gary Mills, 5. Jim Rodwell, 6, Ray Warburton, 7. Gary Butterworth 8. Simon Wormull, 9. David Town, 10. Jean-Michel Sigere, 11. Paul Underwood.

Subs: 12. Mequel de Souza, 13. Stuart Naylor 14. Stowell, 15. Darren Bradshaw, 16. Jon Brady

SUMMARY

This was a disappointing match in which Altrincham rarely looked like scoring and Rushden were less than impressive, though deserving of their narrow win.

THE MATCH

Altrincham started well, winning four corners in the first 14 minutes but Rushden also had their moments, the earliest being some good work by Sigere which ended with the Frenchman's wild cross cum shot. Rushden were causing trouble to the visitors' defence, especially down the Altrincham left where Rushden repeatedly got behind the defence. Altrincham's failure to clear the ball on a number of occasions only heightened the pressure. Sigere missed a sitter from a few feet after 10 minutes but then Morrell had a chance at the other end but elected to pass rather than shoot (14 mins). Following a free-kick for a foul by Timons near the half-way line, Key was obliged to produce a wonderful diving save, to his right, from a Rodwell header.

Rushden went ahead on 21 minutes when Town found himself through on goal, after good work by Sigere, and went round the diving Key, before he slotted the ball into the net. Hamsher was proving dangerous down the Rushden right and on 26 minutes Butterworth fired in a strong shot from 20 yards, but straight at Key. Although Rushden were on top, they were lucky not to give away a penalty on 29 minutes when Warburton appeared to handle the ball. Following the half-hour mark, Altrincham came back into the game but it was Gallagher and Chambers on the right, rather than Adams and Ellison on the left who were creating the better openings. However, all the Altrincham pressure was petering out near the penalty area, with few if any shots of note being recorded. Ellison's first noteworthy contribution was a fine tackle on Hamsher (38 mins) as the full-back again threatened the Altrincham goal.

Gallagher limped through the last ten minutes of the half with what appeared to be a hamstring strain. However Altrincham pressed forward but two good headers by Talbot in the Rushden box failed to set up a shooting opportunity (41 mins). Keith Russell then needed lengthy treatment for an injury but he resumed play. For the only time in the half, Ellison threatened one of his touchline runs but was cynically taken out by a defender, who was not booked. Shortly before the break, a Rushden corner produced a header over the bar, which Key had covered.

Half-time saw the substitution of the injured Gallagher by Andy Lovelock and, more surprisingly, of the referee, Mr Cooper, by Mr Cann. Although Altrincham had the majority of the possession in the second half, they lacked any bite and moves broke down time and again with aimless balls towards the box.

On 59 minutes De Souza replaced Sigere, who had emerged for the second half with his right thigh heavily strapped. Two minutes later Gary Talbot, who had a fine game, tackled the lively De Souza at the cost of a corner which he himself cleared from Wormull's kick, only for Butterworth to shoot firmly but narrowly wide of Key's left hand post. De Souza also put himself about and committed two fouls within five minutes of appearing on the pitch. An Altrincham corner (62 mins) was held by Turley before Steve Hawse produced two excellent tackles in quick succession to thwart the home side.

On 66 minutes Town beat Timons but his shot was straightforward for Key. Yet another unpunished foul by De Souza on Timons (69 mins) led to a free-kick by Adams near the centre circle but an offside decision followed. Altrincham continued to give the ball away too easily, with Ellison, Chambers and Goodwin all at fault before Talbot produced another fine saving tackle on De Souza (73 mins) inside the visitors' penalty area. This elicited another chorus of 'Gary Talbot, ooh, ooh; He's better than Jaap Stam; And he plays for Altrincham' from the visiting fans. For Rushden, Stowell replaced Underwood on 74 minutes and a minute later it was Richard Landon's turn to displace Mick Morrell. Altrincham were still unable to turn their greater share of possession into any serious threat, whilst De Souza broke away (77 mins) but shot wide. Phil Power came on for Goodwin after 80 minutes before a rare Altrincham chance was headed over the Rushden bar by Lovelock (83 mins). A foul by Timons on De Souza (84 mins) elicited a lecture but no booking from Mr Cann, out on the Altrincham right. Phil Power then handled over on the left, (86 mins) but unlike the last time he did this (against Macclesfield in the Cheshire Senior Cup) the resulting free-kick did not produce a goal. A bad tackle on Hawse by Town, whom the young defender had just dispossessed, again brought no booking. Time ticked away to Altrincham's first defeat in eight league games.

Whilst Altrincham tried hard in the second half, there is a worryingly lack of thrust in the final third of the field. Chambers, who was the butt of some fans' comments, nevertheless applied himself diligently but lacked the guile or pace to escape the Rushden defence. Landon saw little of the ball during his brief appearance and Morrell faded after a promising first half. Kevin Ellison had a poor first half but he got a little more involved after the interval. The back four performed well, especially Hawse and Talbot. Key did all that was asked of him whilst Goodwin and Russell beavered away in midfield.

Gallagher made some promising thrusts down the right in the first half-hour and it is to be hoped that his injury is not serious. Danny Adamas had a good second half but was caught out of position several times in the first half hour. Chris Timons and Gary Talbot played well, with the latter sahding the unofficial man of the match for Altrincham from Steve Hawse, who put in a superb performance, out of position at right-back. Altrincham now face Hayes on Tuesday (18 April), with both sides still needing points for survival. The defeat of Doncaster by Morecambe meant that Altrincham remained in 13th position, whilst Rushden stayed second in the League.