ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS


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ALTRINCHAM FC RESERVES (0) 1
WHALEY BRIDGE ATHLETIC (0) 0

Cheshire Football League Premier Division match
played at the J Davidson Stadium
on Tuesday, 1 May, 2018, at 7.45pm


LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Andrew JONES, 2. Joe ROEBUCK, 3. James O'HARA, 4. Callum JONES, 5. Sam HEATHCOTE, 6. Ethan BROOKS, 7. Dylan SCANLAN, 8. Rob KENNERLEY, 9. Max POUNCEY, 10. Joel SWIFT (c), 11. Alex LOVELL. Subs: 12. Matthew GRAETZER, 14. Cade PRESTON, 15. Chris ROWLEY.

WHALEY BRIDGE ATHLETIC (Blue & white striped shirts, blue shorts and socks): 1. Tattersall, 2. Bailey, 3. Kay, 4. Streets, 5. Hodge, 6. Gilbride, 7. Sutton, 8. Burgess, 9. O'Donnell, 10. Morris, 11. Leadbetter. Subs 12. Longden, 14. Connell, 15. Gemmell, 16. Wier, 17. Broome


REPORT

Alty's opponents, Whaley Bridge Athletic, lay second in the league table before kick-off, whilst Altrincham were eleventh inthe fifteen-strong division. Whaley Bridge kicked off and they had the better fo the opening exchanges, with Lovell's shot going close after three minutes. Altrincham soon settled but there was precious little goalmouth action in the opening quarter of an hour.

However, Alty goalkeeper Andrew Jones was called into action after 17 minutes when he had to save Gilbride's 25 yarder. Soon afterwards, the ball was kicked out of the stadium for the fourth time, keeping Alty kitman Steve Foster busy in retrieving it from the nearby allotments. Alty now won a corner, through youth team defender O'Hara, but this only led to an Atheltic counter-attack (23 mins).

Altrincham were getting on top but they then suffered the game's first booking as Heathcote was cautioned for reasons that were not altogether clear (27 mins). The game continued to exhibit endeavour rather than flowing action before Callum Jones's name was added to the referee's notebook for a foul. Just after this a Whaley Bridge shot went close (36 mins).

At the other end, a shot from Scanlan ran to the keeper before the visitors went close again (40 mins). Next, after a defensive error by Alty, Whaley spurned a good chanceto go ahead with a shot straight at Andrew Jones (41 mins).

At the other end, O'Hara did well inside the opposition box before a foul on Pouncey yielded a freekick but this came to nothing. Shortly afterwards, Pouncey became the third Alty player to be booked (45+1 mins). The half soon ended, with a fine point-blank save by Andrew Jones from Leadbetter being the final meaningful action. Jones had to make a better save moments later from Leadbetter's shot.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC RESERVES 0
WHALEY BRIDGE ATHLETIC 0

An early corner was won by O'Hara on the left, after which a Lovell shot just cleared the bar. But Andrew Jones was also soon in action, saving from O'Donnell (50 mins).

On 55 minutes, Graetzer came on at the back, with Lovell cpomeing off. Next, there were two bookings in as many minutes for the visitors when, firstly, Swift was fouled by a Whaley Bridge man and then Bailey followed his team-mate into the book for felling Kennerley (56 mins). Heathcote's freekick just cleared the bar after the latter offence.

Brooks's fine ball then gave Sanalan a sight of goal, but his shot was svaed before a spat involving several players ended with Sutton being booked (63 mins).

Swift evaded a card for a foul before Pouncey got onto a loose ball but his effort ended on the roof of the net (67 mins). Next, a fine diagonal, long ball from Heathcote located O'Hara on the left and he won a corner. Following the corner, the ball came out to Graetzer who opened the scoring with his low shot (71 mins).

Another corner soon followed for Altrincham, who had had the btter if the second half. But Alty were soon again indebted to Andrew Jones as he saved well from Sutton after a good Whaley Bridge move (78 mins).

Whaley now made a double substitution as Connell and Gemmell came on and a third change arrived a few minutes later when Wier joined the game (86 mins).

Soon afterwards, Scanlan's fine ball allowed Swift to shoot, with the keeper parrying the ball away for a corner.

Two minutes from the end of normal time Pouncey gave way to Preston before Alty reached the final whistle without further alarm.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1
WHALEY BRIDGE ATHLETIC 0