Match Report

Worksop went ahead, slightly against the run of play, when a cross from the left was missed by Maddox and Worksop's Johnson, at the far post, was allowed to knock the ball back across goal for Kenny Clark to score past Stuart Coburn (25 mins). This came just two minutes after Mark Ward had been substituted. Worksop then had their best period of the match but it took only a minute of the second half for Altrincham to grab the equaliser. A fine move down the middle involving Ellison, Power, Scheuber and Furlong ended with the last-named slotting the ball home from close range (46 mins).

The winner came from another well-worked interchange between Scheuber, Power and Furlong before the ball was laid back for Ellison to sweep it into the bottom right-hand corner, past Ironside's left hand, from the edge of the area (74 mins). Worksop's attempts to get back on level terms were seen off and their fans started drifting from the main stand with ten minutes remaining. Altrincham moved up to second as a consequence of this result whilst Worksop fell to fifth. The visitors racked up another five bookings, making a total of eleven in four days. Apart from Ward, Jason Gallagher also had to be substituted after pulling his hamstring in the second half.

Chris Waddle, seen during this match.

Altrincham restored Phil Power to the attack, alongside Carl Furlong, with Dickie Landon again on the bench alongside Adam Farley and Ian Craney. Yet again, the full-back permutations were rung as Steve Porter came in at left back, whilst Barry Crowe sat the match out. Whether this was for tactical or fitness reasons was unclear. Last Tuesday's debutant, Michael Garrity was not included in the team and the rumoured signing of Steve Morgan does not seem to have materialised.

For Worksop, Ian Ironside (ex-Scarborough, Middlesbrough, Stockport, etc.) made his debut in goal. Also in the home side was the prolific Kirk Jackson and, of course, Chris Waddle. Waddle spent most of the game on the fringe of play out on the right wing.

Ellison and Waddle seen together in today's match. For Alan Johnson's fine action pictures from the match, see the Official Altrincham FC site.

Worksop kicked off with Chris Waddle on the right-wing, a position he held for virtually all of the game. The game started with carbon copy freekick awards; firstly to Worksop some fifteen yards inside Altrincham's half and secondly to Altrincham for a foul on Ward in the corresponding position inside the home half. A ball from Coburn to Power was played on towards Ellison but in what was to become a repetitive feature of the first half, Altrincham were caught by the Worksop off-side trap, Ellison being the first victim. Immediately afterwards it was Furlong who was trapped off-side after creative work by Power and Scheuber; referee Salisbury booked the Altrincham man for his reaction (2 mins) and moments later Furlong was in trouble again and diplomatically collapsed with an injury as the man in black strode over to admonish him. Since the departure of Keith Russell it is good to see that Altrincham have a new dramatic artist in their ranks, though Carl, as yet, has some way to come to match the ex-Alty man's technique.

The untidy nature of the match continued with a foul on Ward in the centre of the pitch (5 mins). Chris Waddle showed one of his rare glimpses of skill when, after moving to the left wing, he crossed for Johnson but the ball came off the Worksop man for a goalkick. Immediately, Furlong was caught offside again (6 mins) before Jason Gallagher ventured into the opposition box and got in a shot at Ironside after a build-up between Porter, Scheuber and Power. Scheuber, who went on to have perhaps his best game for Altrincham to date, then delivered a low, raking cross from a throw on the left by Power but Furlong could not quite get onto the end of it in front of goal (9 mins). Altrincham's early dominance continued with Ellison being the next to be caught offside before a great ball from Ward to the left let Ellison into the box and Ironside did well to smother his shot at the cost of a corner (10 mins). At the other end Gallagher's fine tackle stifled a move by Ludlam and the burly Clark prior to a foul being committed on Ellison in his own half. This led to Furlong being caught once more in the widely applied Worksop offside trap (12 mins). After a Furlong cross was cleared at one end, a Jackson cross was also cleared at the other end as Worksop tried to get back in the game. However, it was the visitors who once more were adjudged offside (Ellison) before Coburn was obliged to deal with a Gallagher back-pass at the other end.

Above: Stu Scheuber in action.

Johnson then clattered Ward, without punishment, before feeding Townsend, who won a corner for Worksop on their left-wing. After being played short from the corner a cross was met by Brookes but the centre-back's good header was saved by Coburn at the expense of a corner. From the corner the ball came to Waddle, whose neat back-heel led to a cross from Ryan Davis which won a further corner on the left from Clark. From the next move upfield, Alty were yet again caught offside (19 mins) and a subsequent move yielded no more than a Worksop goalkick as Power tried to get into a threatening position. Worksop were next to threaten when Townsend beat two men, having won possession from Ward but his progress was blocked off by two defenders.

As Power and a Worksop man tussled for the ball in centrefield, Power reacted aggressively and in some quarters may be regarded as fortunate only to have seen a yellow card (22 mins), especially as he continued to complain even after the booking. Surprisingly, Mark Ward, who had not had treatment, went off and was replaced by Ian Craney in midfield. Proving that bad things come in threes, after Power's booking and Ward's substitution, Worksop went ahead in the 25th minute. A Maddox headed clearance came to Townsend who, with his progress up the left blocked, played it behind him to Davis. He crossed the ball across the visitors' goal, evading Maddox's lunge, to Johnson at the far post. The number six miskicked but nevertheless found Clark coming into the six-yard box to his left and the Worksop man slotted the ball into the gaping net as Coburn sought to regain his ground having previously moved across to his left.

The keeper was incandescent with rage at the lack of cover afforded him, as Worksop took their lead against the run of the play. However, the scorer, Clark shot wide after Porter had lost the ball (26 mins). Soon after, a better clearance by Porter nevertheless fell to Waddle but his cross was cleared then Ludlam won a corner after the ball was laid off to him by Clark as Worksop stepped up a gear. But it was Altrincham who should have scored next when, after winning a corner, Furlong had a clear chance in front of goal after the keeper had dropped the ball. Furlong swung his left foot but only managed to toe-end it well over the bar. In the aftermath of this bad miss (31 mins) Gary Talbot needed treatment in the Worksop goalmouth.

A number of Altrincham and Worksop moves came to nothing, with Ludlam prominent for the home team and Hawes for the visitors. Without Ward, much now rested on Hawes's shoulders in midfield. However, his efforts were initially only rewarded with a booking following a tussle with Davis in midfield (34 mins) and the impressive Worksop man needed treatment before play resumed. With Worksop gaining the ascendancy, some relief came with a foul on Power, 25 yards from his own goal.

As the Worksop fans sang Tom Jones's 'Delilah' a move forward by Scheuber was cut off in the box. Ian Craney showed some good application as Altrincham attempted to recover their earlier initiative and from one of his promptings, Hawes fed Ellison to his left. Kevin's low cross was met by Power, with a defender in close attendance, at the near post and although the Altrincham man got to the ball first he could only direct the ball into the side-netting (40 mins). Furlong and Craney linked soon afterwards but the ball ran to Ironside, the move leaving Furlong requiring treatment. Worksop's top-scorer, Jackson almost got on the end of a through-ball but Coburn gathered it safely (42 mins). Waddle then threatened to get free but Porter closed him down before Clark set up Ludlam. Ludlam prompted a great save out of Coburn, who dived low to his right to concede a corner instead of what would have been a certain goal.

Brookes headed Clark's' flag-kick over the bar. Worksop pressed again and Maddox was forced to concede another corner on the Worksop left from which Clark himself this time headed too high to trouble Coburn. As the half ended, Ellison headed for goal but was driven wide by the excellent Ryan Davis. Most of the Worksop pressure in the first half had come up the left-wing, but it was not the envisaged threat of Waddle that was causing the trouble, for he was largely marooned on the right wing and only rarely flickered into action.

The second half started with Worksop putting together a passing movement involving Townsend and Ludlam, who linked well throughout, as well as Clark, but their threat was cleared by Altrincham. Power countered with a through ball for Furlong which was just too long but almost straightaway an excellent move through the middle of the pitch involving Ellison, Scheuber, Power and Furlong ended with the ball in the net for the equaliser as Furlong finished the move inside the box, to the right of centre (46 mins). In their next move a moderate, deflected shot by Scheuber caused Ironside some unexpected concern when it suddenly veered off at an angle after hitting a divot.

The industrious Hawes had some mixed fortunes as twice in quick succession he lost the ball. Furlong was in the wars again when he appeared to be caught in the face but he recovered to meet a Hawes freekick at the back of the penalty area but his worthy effort landed on top of the net. Kevin Ellison will rue his knocking the ball out with his hand from where it had come to rest on top of the goal, for the referee construed his action as worthy of a yellow card. One can only assume he viewed the act to be timewasting (50 mins). Despite this setback, Altrincham were in the driving seat. Wherever Carl Furlong is, there is action, and the young front-man was once more in the thick of things, being flattened as he played a ball off to a colleague. Rightly, Steve Johnson joined the names in the referee's book for his foul (52 mins). In midfield, Ian Craney twice in succession fed Ellison; the second time Ellison let in Scheuber to win a corner (53 mins).

Steve Porter and Gary Talbot protect Stuart Coburn's goal at Worksop.

Worksop came back into the game with Clark making his presence felt and then Jackson produced an excellent save from Coburn, diving to his left, but the whistle had already gone for a foul by Hawes on the edge of the box (56 mins). The freekick struck the wall and as Alty cleared their lines, Gallagher pulled up in obvious pain with a hamstring injury and had to leave the pitch, with support, to be substituted by Farley (57 mins). Hawes gave away another freekick soon after this but he was also working hard in more positive ways. Worksop brought on Hibbins to replace Clark, who had played well (59 mins), before Hawes cut off Waddle as he attempted to gain ground, for once, on the left. The young Alty midfielder then sent in a long ball which Davis, uncharacteristically, missed and Furlong was presented with a gaping goal.

From five yards, Furlong made his second bad miss of the game as he scuffed his shot to one of the two defenders on the line and the chance was gone (63 mins). Porter, then Maddox swept up Worksop forward movements with Whitehead, the captain, coming off worse from Maddox's headed clearance and requiring treatment. Play resumed with a bounce-up upfield at the point where the action had stopped. The long-haired Hibbins ran gamely at the Alty defence without achieving a breakthrough but a chip-cum-cross from a Worksop man caused Coburn some trouble but he saved at the second attempt (66 mins). The keeper also kicked clear a through ball from Jackson a minute later as Worksop sought to make the most of Furlong's glaring miss a few minutes earlier. The referee stopped play for a moment to alert the Worksop stewards to something or other in the Worksop crowd behind Coburn's goal and Maddox took advantage of the breather to bellow words of encouragement to his colleagues (69 mins). What followed was a succession of fouls awarded against Talbot (hand-ball), then Ellison (lectured for a foul on Davis) but the nearest to a Worksop equaliser was a left to right movement involving Waddle which ruffled the sidenetting of Coburn's goal (70 mins).

The fifth Altrincham man to be booked was Craney for a foul. As Waddle tried his luck again , Stu Scheuber stuck to him like a leech and only conceded a throw but at this stage the visitors were penned in their own half. So, it was against the run of play when a fine movement between Scheuber, Power, Furlong and Power, again, ended with ball being laid back to Ellison on the edge of the box. Ellison's left foot drove the ball firmly into the bottom corner of the net, to the left of Ironside, to give Altrincham the lead (74 mins).

After an Ellison through-ball had proved too long for Furlong, the referee stopped play to book Whitehead for dissent of some kind (76 mins) before Maddox cleared well from Hibbins. Furlong's shot on the run went over the bar from Ellison's pass before a foul on Scheuber produced a free-kick. Johnson was replaced by Marsh, for Worksop (78 mins) before the foul count against Altrincham rose still further when Porter handled an awkwardly bouncing ball and Ellison transgressed with a challenge. Porter headed clear Waddle's free-kick from 35 yards out. On a more positive note, Hawes, Power and Craney combined with Hawes to set up a right-footer from Ellison which Ironside saved well.

However, the keeper's block came to Furlong and his goalbound shot was also blocked, this time by a defender, at the cost of a corner on the Alty left. Worksop fans started to leave the stand in growing numbers (81 mins) before Worksop won a corner off Scheuber (83 mins), which Waddle took. His curler was punched out by Coburn. Altrincham's response was a sweeping ball from Farley to Hawes on the right and then Power dispossessed Whitehead but only a throw resulted. Power, Craney and Farley then linked well and, although Farley trod on the ball as he entered the box, he still managed a reasonable shot which went wide of the Worksop goal (86 mins). Maddox cleared the next attack into the adjacent roadway but then Farley, Porter, Furlong and Hawes strung together a long passing movement.

Power was fouled from behind and Smith was booked for the challenge (89 mins) as Ryan Davis was rightly named the home side's Man of the Match. Waddle's throw on the left led to a cross from the ex-England man which gained a corner off Maddox. Coburn produced a magnificent save to keep out a header from Brookes from the corner but there was no time for further action as the referee blew for full-time.

Altrincham enjoyed an easier ride against Worksop than might have been expected but with Chris Waddle only a fleeting presence, the homeside produced a disappointing performance for their fans. Nevertheless they did enough to make Stuart Coburn a leading candidate for Altrincham Man of the Match. It was gratifying to see newcomers such as Porter, Scheuber, Farley and Craney all performing well and with the injuries to Ward and Gallagher, it is important that they continue to do so. All the team today worked hard but it is worrying that so many fouls were conceded and bookings accrued. The defence is looking more solid than earlier in the season, with Gary Talbot as impressive as we have come to expect him always to be. This was a fine, spirited performance from Altrincham which, if sustained, should seem them mounting a strong challenge for the title as the season draws to an end.