Match Report

SUMMARY

Although it did not seem so at the final whistle, things really could have been far worse. Altrincham only lost 0-2 when a margin of four goals could easily have been achieved by Southport but for some woeful finishing by their forwards in the first half. Rarely can so many one-on-one situations between attackers and goalkeeper have gone unconverted. Also, although Kidderminster let slip a three-goal lead against Forest Green Rovers in the last 20 minutes of their game, Welling lost and Altrincham's fate this season still remains within their own hands. One win from the last two games would ensure survival and two draws will be enough unless Welling or Forest Green win their last game by a large margin. But, after nine games without a win, Altrincham's optimism must be muted.

TEAM NEWS

Altrincham fans had feared the worst before kick-off when it was discovered that Keith Russell was out injured with a calf strain, Kevin Ellison was only fit enough to be on the bench and Jason Gallagher took to the pitch with a large bandage round his left knee. The Altrincham benched must have broken the club's old-age record, with Senior, Power, Carmody and Goodwin all keeping a paternal eye on young Kevin Ellison. The team's plight was underlined when a sorry crocodile comprising Coburn, Crowe, Russell, Greygoose and Morrell walked past the main stand to take their places on the terrace. On the contrary Southport were in celebratory mood as their Player of the Season Awards were made before kick-off. As if to rub in the difference between the two sides, the two winners of the trophies were both ex- Altrincham players, Tim Ryan and Phil Bolland.

TEAMS

SOUTHPORT (Old gold and black shirts and shorts): 1. Steve Dickinson 2. Scott Guyett, 3. Mark Stuart 4.Neil Grayston 5. Phil Bolland 6. Tim Ryan 7. Martin Clark 8. Andy Gouck 9. Ian Arnold 10. David McNiven 11. Ade Mike 12. Phil Morgan 13. Kevin Formby 14. Lee Elam 15. Robbie Devereux 16. Takano

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, white shorts): 1. Lance Key; 2. Simeon Hodson, 3. Danny Adams, 4. Mark Maddox 5. Gary Talbot, 6. Steve Hawes, 7. Jason Gallagher, 8. Chris Timons, 9. Leroy Chambers, 10. Richard Landon, 11. Andy Lovelock.

Subs: 12. Phil Power, 13. Ian Senior, 14. Shaun Goodwin, 15. Mick Carmody, 16. Kevin Ellison

THE MATCH

Ellison tries to get in a cross during the second half.

After a scrappy opening few minutes of a game played in warm sunshine, Southport began to dominate after the first quarter of an hour. Before that, however, a long-range header from Dickie Landon went close to Dickinson's right hand post with the Southport keeper rooted to the spot (4 mins). That was to be Altrincham's best attempt of the game and followed good work by Adams, Landon himself, Gallagher and Chambers, before the last-named's cross was cleared to Simeon Hodson. Hodson's centre was met firmly by Landon's head. However, the shape of things to come was seen on six minutes when Andy Gouck's free-kick nearly sprang the off-side trap which Altrincham played unreliably throughout the game. But, after Hodson had been fouled by McNiven, the full-back's free-kick was headed over the bar by Talbot (7 mins).

Folowing a foul by Chambers 35 yards out from his own goal, Gouck's short free-kick led to a Southport corner off Hodson. The corner by Stuart was met firmly by the tall Guyett's head but Key saved well (9 mins). Then, a long-range shot from by the troublesome Stuart was watched well by Key as it passed his right-hand post (11 mins). Stuart took another corner (12 mins) after Talbot knocked the Southport keeper's punt out of play, as Southport began to assert themselves. But then, after good work by Landon, Andy Lovelock was tripped as he raced towards goal. Landon's kick hit the wall (14 mins) and it took a great tackle from Maddox to rob the hesitant McNiven in the Alty box from the resultant breakaway. Had McNiven been quicker Altrincham would have been in trouble. Another foul committed by Chambers, on halfway, allowed McNiven to cross but Talbot headed clear (16 mins). After a foul on Hodson yielded a free-kick which came to nothing (18 mins), great play down their left by Mike, Gouck and Stuart ended when the veteran full-back rolled the ball across the face of the Altrincham goal, but no one could get on the end of it (19 mins). This breakaway arose after Chambers had lost a 50/50 ball on the half-way line. At this stage Maddox was to be thanked for sterling work at the back, as Altrincham came under sustained pressure. When the pressure was relieved it was only temporary, as Lovelock, making a rare start to a game, was dispossessed as he attempted to cut inside from the left. However, Altrincham nearly had some good luck as Dickinson's clearance kick struck Landon but, unfortunately for Altrincham, the ball rebounded to the keeper.

After a Southport corner had been headed over the bar, Hawes jumped into a midfield tackle and was booked (23 mins) but Key caught the freekick. Maddox again had to intercept when McNiven set up a cross for Stuart who was causing havoc down the Altrincham right. Moments later Talbot had to repeat the act from Stuart but McNiven got caught offside to relieve the persistent Southport pressure. Chambers then won the ball to set up a cross by Hodson which Dickinson took easily (26 mins). With the athletic Tim Ryan setting things up at the back, Southport came forward again and Key was forced to hold McNiven's cross from the left at full stretch but offside was given in any case. (29 mins). Then Hawes played a high ball into the home side's box and under a challenge from Chambers, Dickinson dropped it but, unfortunately, it was behind the Altrincham striker (30 mins). Stuart once more gained the benefit of a marginal offside decision to cross the ball for Mike who headed narrowly over Key's bar (32 mins). Played stopped for treatment to the injured Hodson before Mike was pulled up for a foul on Maddox in the visitors' box (33 mins). Stuart yet again sprung the offside trap on the right and won a corner from which Maddox cleared with Arnold in attendance. More interlinking between Stuart and Arnold gave Guyett a free header which Key dealt with easily.

After Talbot failed to clear from McNiven, a weak cross was held by Key. Moments later Clark broke through the middle but was driven slightly left. As Key lost his footing, six yards or more out of his goal, the Southport player put the ball woefull wide of the open goal (39 mins). Then, following a defensive muddle, McNiven miskicked badly wide of Key's right hand post (41 mins). Relief came when Chambers won a free-kick but Talbot's header from Hodson's kick found its way to Dickinson. (42 mins). A minute later, Lovelock chased a through ball and got to it just before the keeper but the ball ran out of play. Played switched to the other end and Mike got clean through the centre but shot wide from six yards! With such repeated good fortune Altrincham fans began to think that this might be their day. The half ended with a token shot from Lovelock from the edge of the penalty area. Half-time came came as a blessed relief for the visitors who could not have complained had they been two or three goals behind.

A measure of Altrincham's injury criss was that the injured Ellison replaced Chambers at half-time. Clark's pass to McNiven led to an immediate Southport corner (46 mins) before a good ball from Lovelock put Ellison free down the left wing but he was pulled up for offside. Ellison then produced a snap shot under pressure from the left of the Southport goal but it was high and wide (49 mins). Whilst the Altrincham back-four, with Adams as usual playing well, were under sustained pressure, the midfield and forwards were unable to relieve the onslaught for any length of time. Indeed, Altrincham went the entire game without winning a corner. A mis-kick by Talbot led to a Southport shot which was firm, but straight at Key (53 mins). However, Gallagher was knocked then over in the Southport box after he had been put through by Hawes and Adams's work, but he gained no reward from the referee (56 mins). Southport's Arnold began to shine and after Timons had given the ball away on the half-way line, after some good work by Landon, Arnold scored a softish goal from close-in following Stuart's cross from the left which evaded Key (59 mins).

Immediately Bernard Taylor sent on Goodwin for Hodson, who had been having a torrid time, whilst Southport's Morley replaced the profligate McNiven. Hawes moved to full-back on Hodson's departure as Goodwin slotted into midfield. Lovelock represented the visitors' most likely threat and one of his surging runs was only stopped by a foul by Ryan for which he was justifiably booked (61 mins). Ellison's free kick hit a defender but Altrincham enjoyed a reasonable spell of attacking for a couple of minutes, with Lovelock switching wings well. Following a free-kick by Adams deep in the Southport half, the home side broke away yet again and it took Gallagher's excellent tackle on the speedy Elam to rescue Altrincham as Adams sought to get back into position. Phil Power then came on for Gallagher (65 mins) and the player-coach helped his team make more of a fight of a very unequal contest. Power soon won a free-kick on the edge of the Southport box, but Ellison's kick came to nothing.

Three minutes later, Power had got round the Southport back-line when the referee blew for an earlier foul by a defender, denying Altrincham their advantage. Andy Lovelock also continued to try to find an equaliser but rarely got further than the fringes of the penalty area. Elam who had replaced Mike (55 mins) was proving a handful, especially down Altrincham's troubled right-hand side and he combined well with the balding Arnold. Things took a turn for the worse when Ellison was booked (74 mins) for a clumsy foul, but even worse followed when Clark nutmegged an Altrincham player and produced a good save from Key. However, the rebound was swept home but, to the delight of Altrincham, the goal was ruled out for offside (78 mins). Immediately play went to the other end and Lovelock knocked the ball on for a snap-shot by Landon.

A disastrous two minutes followed as Maddox clattered Arnold but with the crowd calling for a dismissal, he received a yellow card. Landon was also booked for his protests (80 mins). A minute later, Elam's fierce shot was well saved by Key, but he could only knock it out to the left-back, Stuart, who crowned a fine display by sweeping the ball home (81 mins). The speedy Elam then got past Hawes but Key dived at his feet to intercept (84 mins). A late free-kick by Adams, following a foul on Power led to a challenge on Dickinson by Timons, in the air, which was ruled illegal (86 mins). There was still time, however, for Talbot to commit a foul on a Southport man as he got away from the defender on the half-way line. Talbot was booked. From the free-kick, the irrepressible Stuart headed strongly for goal but Key saved well (89 mins) and then with the last kick of the match Grayston was completely through the Altrincham defence and produced yet another fine save from Lance Key.

This was a match full of goal-scoring chances for Southport and from which few of the Altrincham side emerged with credit. Key, Adams, Power and Lovelock were probably the best of the bunch. However, Bernard Taylor is clearly labouring under great difficulties with so many injured squad members.