LINE-UP

ABBEY HEY (All blue): 1. Joel THOMPSON, 2. Salieu BREW-BUTTLER, 3. Gary NAGHTEN, 4. Mark GERMAN, 5. Daniel BOOTH, 6. Saul BREW-BUTTLER, 7. Matthew ROBERTSON, 8. William BAILEY, 9. Ryan MASTERSON, 10. Thomas Masterson (capt) 11. Victor OJO. Sub: 12. Wesley MILLER-SMITH

REPORT

Harry Cain put Altrincham ahead in the 13th minute when he received a pass from the right and finished well from left of centre, with a low shot. But, barely sixty seconds later, Altrincham conceded a leveller when Masterson played a fine ball to Robertson, who scored with a firm shot from right of centre (14 mins).

The game settled into a fairly even pattern. An Arrowsmith cross went across the face of goal (20 mins) before an Abbey Hey cross evaded Burrows but was cleared beyond the back post (28 mins). Cain, on the left wing, was looking Altrincham's main danger as they enjoyed a spell in the ascendancy. Next, Heathcote saw a 31st minute freekick saved before he went even closer from a corner, taken from the right, by Arrowsmith. From this, Heathcote volleyed a well struck shot from the edge of the box. which thumped against the inside of the keeper's left post but came out to safety for Abbey Hey (34 mins).

Two corners followed for Abbey Hey, the second being delayed by the need to excavate a hole for the corner flag to be placed in. After an Altrincham corner, Goldman saw his shot saved (39 mins). Alty then struck the woodwork again when a fine shot from Cain struck the crossbar (43 mins) as Altrincham were setting the pace. But Alty did not heed the warning when Masterson got into the box and was only just halted in the goalmouth (45 mins). For moments later, in the second added minute, Masterson did well to get to the byline, right of goal, and his cut-back left Robertson with a straightforward side-foot into the net to give Abbey Hey a 2-1 lead (45+2 mins).

In terms of possession, Altrincham had had the better of the half but had not made it tell.

Changes were made at the break as Coffey and Reid replaced Dwyer and Goldman for Alty and Abbey Hey introduced Miller-Smith for Ojo.

Abbey Hey started on the front foot before a shot from Coffey went narrowly wide for Altrincham (53 mins). An Alty corner came and went before a freekick routine saw Taylor's shot go wide from a Heathcote feed (62 mins). When Arrowsmith was felled, Bailey was booked (68 mins) before Cain cut in, past Brew-Buttler (no.2), and forced a save (71 mins). In a well contested game, Altrincham were having more of the forward momentum but Abbey Hey looked capable on the counter-attack.

Foy gave way to Crompton (75 mins) as Alty continued to press. SOon Crompton fired over the bar (81 mins) before play had to stop to allow Cain treatment with an inhaler. The lively winger had to come off and Dwyer returned to he pitch in his place (82 mins).

AFter 85 minutes Altrincham won a freekick, just left of the box, when Dwyer was fouled but Abbey Hey responded by woinnoing a corner at the other end. An Arrowsmith run up the right led to a cross which found Coffey towards the back post. But Coffey shot comfortably wide (88 mins). Deep into added time, Clancy was fouled but the offender, Sloan, held onto the ball as he lay on the ground. This prompted a fracas, into which Masterson unnecessarily waded with his arms raised. In the aftermath, the referee showed yellow cards to Clancy and Slaon but did not punish the player who provoked the incident (90+4 mins).

As in the first half, Altrincham had enjoyed a lot of forward momentum but had been unable to unlock the Abbey Hey defence.

Footnote: One of the linesmen for this game, Mr Jordan Crossley, was a spectator at the Altrincham v North Ferriby United match last season in Conference North. He was watching the game with local Premiership referee, Anthony Taylor. When the match referee went lame, Jordan, on Anthony Taylor's recommendation, stepped in to act as assistant referee and performed excellently.