Match Report

Above: Stuart Scheuber in action at Whitby.

Altrincham's supporters' coach took five and a half hours in pouring rain to get to Whitby, thanks to a broken fan-belt but they arrived in time to see their side go ahead early in the game and dominate the opening stages before falling to two first-half goals in seven minutes from Whitby. The first goal was avoidable but the second was an impressive and unstoppable shot from 25 yards out on the left wing, although it was probably unintended as a goal attempt.

After a middle period when Altrincham looked unlikely to redeem themselves, the arrival of substitute Dickie Landon and the transfer of Stuart Quinn from the right to left-wing did the trick in the 72nd minute. Indeed, Altrincham can consider themselves unfortunate not to have won as Mark Quayle struck the uprights no less than three times in the game. However, Whitby, a physically formidable side, fought hard throughout so a draw was perhaps a fair result. Altrincham, with a total of four points, dropped to eleventh as a consequence of the draw; however, consolation may be taken from their 1998/99 Unibond championship year when it took them eight league games to garner four points.

Altrincham made two changes of personnel from the Accrington game. Jason Gallagher carried the can for the defensive frailties in Tuesday's match, and was now reduced to the role of substitute, whilst the unsettled and perennially injured midfielder Shaun Goodwin was replaced by Mark Ward, who returned from injury. Adam Farley switched to right-back from left-back to accommodate the return of Danny Adams following his on-off transfer to Macclesfield. Mark Quayle, despite having five stitches in his head, played up-front with Kevin Ellison.

Altrincham almost made a sensational start to the game when Mark Quayle seized on a defensive error to strike a shot from the right-hand edge of the box onto the inside of Campbell's post in the first minute. Whitby's first threat came from a fourth-minute corner won by Chillingsworth off Gary Talbot, but the resulting short-corner routine broke down harmlessly. Talbot was then turned by Lee Ludlow, another of Whitby's large forwards, but his cross fell short to Stuart Coburn (6 mins).

Following a fine ball from Ward to Quinn, whose cross was cleared, Mark Quayle chased a 50-50 ball but the Whitby goalkeeper just got to it first to flick it away to safety. With Steve Hawes making his presence felt in midfield and the craft of Danny Adams making a welcome return to the side, Altrincham were the better side at this stage. Indeed the home side were fortunate to escape punishment when Ellison appeared to be clearly pushed over as he entered the box (10 mins) but Mr Murphy showed no interest in the penalty appeal. Campbell then needed prolonged treatment, the first of several such stoppages involving Whitby players during the match. Neil Radigan, in midfield, was the pick of the Whitby players but his 25-yard shot (12 mins) caused Coburn little concern. After a free-kick for a foul on Talbot in the Altrincham defence, Kevin Ellison found some space on the left and fed Mark Quayle who intelligently laid the ball off to his right where Steve Hawes smashed the ball into the net from the edge of the box (13 mins).

Shortly afterwards, Mark Ward suffered the indignity of being upended by Whitby's Danny Key, a fate which befell the Alty player-manager three times in the first half as the home-side tried to stem his influence. The teams traded pressure as first a Quinn cross was dropped by Campbell, only to bounce back to him off a defender, and then Radigan, Ludlow and Chillingsworth combined in an abortive move. Whitby almost scored after 18 minutes when Ellison gave away a free-kick some 40 yards from goal. Radigan's free-kick was met firmly by Goodchild's head but the ball passed narrowly over Coburn's bar. Altrincham then won a succession of free-kicks for Whitby fouls- the first for an offence against Hawes in the centre-circle (20 mins) and then Farley was felled (21 mins), prompting a lecture from the referee for the offender. However, Whitby's Key got his just desserts for a number of aggressive challenges when he received a booking, moments later, for a late tackle on Ward (22 mins).

Left: Eddie Turkington awaits the next attack..

Chillingsworth made a run into the left-hand side of the Altrincham penalty area and with the aid of a fortunate rebound off an Altrincham defender, gained a corner on the left (24 mins). The high corner-kick was completely missed by Stuart Coburn as he moved to his right. The ball then sailed over to the feet of Dixon and the big Whitby man prodded it over a crowded goal-line for the equaliser (25 mins). Despite Gary Talbot and Eddie Turkington's solid performances at the back, Whitby now stepped up a gear. Their aggression was particularly felt by Mark Ward who was pushed over, yet again, this time by Radigan (28 mins).

However, Altrincham came back with a lay off from Quayle to Quinn, but the wing-man's cross went over the bar. Scheuber's foul in the centre-circle led to a corner when Turkington cleared the danger from Radigan's free-kick. Scheuber was then himself fouled but play was allowed to go on and Chillingsworth, the offender, got in a long shot, which went out for a corner from which Altrincham were to go behind (31 mins). A short-corner routine was played and the ball came to Radigan some 25 yards from the goal on the Whitby left. His well-hit shot, (or cross?), sailed into the far, left-hand corner of Stuart Coburn's net, past a startled Steve Hawes who was on the goal-line (32 mins).

Just as against Gateshead, a fine start by Altrincham had been squandered and for the third time in three games, Altrincham were chasing a 1-2 scoreline. After another stoppage for a Whitby injury, a mis-hit long shot from Ward found Quayle with such force that he was unable to make anything of it. Whitby then applied some pressure following a free-kick in their own half conceded by Ellison (35 mins), but pressure was relieved when Scheuber was felled in the centre-circle. Ellison and Goodchild then tangled with each other with the referee giving Whitby the benefit of his decision, to the Altrincham man's surprise.

However, the visitors had some good fortune when an apparent hand-ball clearance outside the box by Farley went undetected (41 mins). For a big man, Whitby's Goodchild seemed to require a lot of the physio's attention and another stoppage ensued for treatment of the Whitby captain as the visiting fans barracked him. After play resumed, Danny Adams snuffed out a Whitby move after Ludlow had got the better of Talbot. Stuart Quinn began to try his luck on the left after a quiet game on the right and a promising move by Altrincham broke down when, not for the first time, Kevin Ellison's first touch let him down.

A cross from Quinn forced a good save from Campbell and then an even better one from Hawes's follow-up (44 mins). At the other end Adams was again to the visitors' rescue, cutting off Ludlow as he progressed down the left side before the half-time whistle came and, somewhat bizarrely, a sponsor's car was driven onto the pitch and manoeuvred around the centre-circle prior to its presentation to Whitby's manager.

As Whitby's big men (notably Chillingsworth, Ludlow, Robinson, Dixon and Goodchild) came out for the second half, alongside Altrincham's vertically challenged Ward, Hawes and Quinn, the visitors' task looked daunting. However, Ellison soon cut in from the left and after beating a defender his shot was well saved by Campbell on the six-yard line (49 mins). Hawes then fed Farley on the right but his cross was poor, but when the industrious Hawes fed Quinn he let in Ellison to win a corner on the left (54 mins).

After this was cleared, Radigan raced away on the right and his cross was hooked wide of Coburn's left-hand post by the advancing Chillingsworth. Coburn then saved from Chillingsworth following a Whitby throw before Ellison, who was having a good spell on the left, was fouled. But the next danger was at Altrincham's end when, after Ward had given the ball to Chillingsworth, and following a interchange with Ewart, Chillingsworth forced a save from Coburn. The keeper got the ball away when he might have been expected to gather it but soon Quayle was in a one-on-one situation with the Whitby keeper but the forward's flick was not strong enough to take the ball past Campbell (55 mins). Ward's patience finally snapped when he was fouled yet again, this time by Robinson. The Altrincham player-manager's reaction to Robinson's refusal to give up the ball for the free-kick earned him a booking (56 mins). Turkington limped off to be replaced by Mark Maddox (56 mins) as the cricketers from the adjacent pitch joined the crowd.

Coburn again disconcertingly allowed a corner to pass him but the Whitby attacker headed over the top at the far post before, yet again, play was held up for treatment to a Whitby player. This time Radigan's injury was genuine and he was replaced soon afterwards by Donnelly (62 mins). Whitby's robust approach continued as Adams was fouled but when Hawes was unceremoniously knocked over, Whitby were allowed to break away. However, Stuart Quinn then won the ball on the left, crossed well and Quayle met the ball with a measured header from 15 yards which came back off the post to safety, with the keeper beaten (67 mins).

Scheuber, who had a quiet match in midfield, was replaced by Dickie Landon who went up front, as ellison moved back into midfield (67 mins). The previously booked Key than felled Ellison without being punished other than by a free-kick. At a subsequent free-kick to Altrincham, as Robinson yet again refused to give the ball back, Hawes kicked it off him but escaped punishment. Altrincham were in control now as Quayle produced a fine cross but from a long-throw on the left by Quinn, Altrincham equalised as first, Hawes's shot was beaten out only for two Whitby defenders to get in a muddle and allow the ball to run through, with Quayle's help, to Dickie Landon who finished neatly from close range (72 mins).

Play then went from end to end; Quayle heading over before Maddox cut off Chillingsworth threatening advance. After Talbot intercepted from Ure, his back pass was weakly hit and Coburn did well to knock the ball away (80 mins).The dangerous Chillingsworth then sent a diving header just wide from a cross by Donnelly as Whitby finished the game strongly. However, Altrincham's Landon got in a glancing header at Campbell and a Quinn corner was held by Campbell (84 mins). The tall Messer then replaced the tall Chillingsworth before a Landon volley was saved by Campbell (87 mins). As rain started to fall, an awkward bounce allowed Rennison to get past Adams and his cross was met by Donnelly at the far post but was cleared. However, Altrincham almost snatched victory when Quinn fed Quayle who beat a defender before his shot struck the outside of the Whitby goalpost, to Campbell's left (89 mins).

Left: Stuart Quinn has not played in Alty colours since being seen in this game at Whitby.

Altrincham will be disappointed to have lost another two points and this match underlined that this will be a difficult division to win. Whilst the defence was an improvement over that which started so poorly at Accrington, Stuart Coburn will be disappointed with the opening goal. Danny Adams was dependable at left-back and Steve Hawes had an excellent game. Mark Quayle was desperately unlucky not to score and both Ellison and Quinn had good moments.

Scheuber still has some way to go to impose himself on opponents and it would be interesting to see Crowe have a full game at right back where Farley had a fair game in a back four which has varied in its make-up in each game so far. Maddox did well after coming on and Dickie Landon performed his 'super-sub' role to perfection yet again.

It was a long day for Altrincham fans whose supporters' coach, on this occasion, was provided by a normally reliable firm called Goodwin. The vehicle, which had only entered service with the company the previous day, unfortunately emulated its Alty-player namesake in making a promising start but breaking down at the half-way point and having to be substituted by a fitter model.

However,the entertaining cabaret provided by Kenny Palin as we sat for two hours on the rainswept vehicle, marooned on a central reservation of the A639 at Leeds, will remain a memory to savour for all those who witnessed his lively rendition of "Old Macdonald had a farm", complete with animal impressions! Our thanks too, to the Goodwin's driver for his good humour despite a soaking whilst the coach was worked on.