Match Report

This match was rearranged from 6th November because of Altrincham's Trophy replay with Spalding United. Altrincham lost the reverse fixture 0-1 at Crosby on 29 January when they put in a disappointing performance.

Alty dominated the early stages and went ahead after 20 minutes through Rod Thornley, after keeper Clarke had failed to hold Craney's shot. However, they could not add to this goal despite having much the better of the second half until the final stages when Marine put in some belated but unproductive pressure.

Altrincham were without the suspended Mark Maddox at centre-back, but Paul Taylor returned from an absence with a knee injury to take his place. Dave Swanick made his second League start, playing at left-back in a defence lacking Jason Gallagher, who has suffered an adverse reaction after his recent return from a double-hernia operation. Neil Ryan and Gary Scott switched positions yet again with Neil in defence and Gary in right midfield today. Rod Thornley was supported up front by Kevin Hulme. Danny Murphy was also included for his first league start since the away game at Marine. Keith Mairs, the Reserves' captain (seen left), made his first league appearance of the season, on the bench.

Altrincham started brightly and after some initial moves had come to nothing, Thornley won a corner on the right (6 mins) but this kick ended up producing a Marine goal-kick. However, Alty soon won a second flag-kick when Hulme's feed again saw a Thornley effort blocked off by a defender. Once more, nothing came of this but the home side continued to press with Murphy looking lively on the left. A neat back-heel by Scott then set Craney going forward and his fine delivery to Thornley led to a return pass. Craney, in turn, played a good ball left to Hulme in the centre of the box but Kevin's control for once let him down and the ball ended up with the keeper (10 mins). Coburn's only piece of early action saw him out smartly to kick clear when a slightly underhit back pass from Taylor threatened some danger (11 mins).

The sustained Alty pressure brought them their third corner after 14 minutes. Marine's nearest efforts at this point were a toe poke, very wide of goal by Bainbridge, after Douglas had made progress up the left past Hawes (15 mins), followed by Townsend's 20-yard shot which caused Coburn no problems. Altrincham then got the goal their pressure had deserved. Ryan and then Hawes played the ball forward to Hulme, who won a header well to feed Craney. Craney surged past Rimmer into the right side of the box and shot at goal from 12 yards or so. Clarke failed to hold the ball and it spilled out to Thornley who neatly scored his thirteenth league goal of the season (20 mins).

Soon after the re-start Clarke had to be down promptly at Hulme's feet before Marine belatedly began to get their play together. Following a throw by Gelling on the right, Black fed Townsend and his low diagonal shot only just went by the outside of Coburn's right post from outside the box (25 mins). Spurred into action by the goal, Marine now began to play the ball about and put together some neat passing as they had done at Rossett Park, two weeks ago. Indeed, Coburn twice had to rush smartly from goal to clear as the half-hour mark approached. Some relief for Alty came when a 75 yard punt by Coburn found Hulme, who shot well but over the target (31 mins). Things improved when Craney won the ball and fed Thornley, whose low shot was narrowly wide of goal (32 mins). The two sides traded movements before a foul by Ryan led to a lengthy stoppage for treatment to Randles (37 mins). A great punch by Coburn cleared a subsequent Bainbridge cross before Thornley got into the box at the other end, only to slip as he did so.

After Gelling had fouled Murphy, Taylor's freekick ended in the arms of Clarke (40 mins). The referee nearly prompted a second Alty goal when a Marine pass bounced off him to Hulme, who passed to Murphy. the ball then found Hawes whose shot seemed to be deflected for a corner but a goal-kick was given (43 mins). Altrincham had now picked up the initiative again after Marine's post-goal improvement and Clarke had to head the ball clear from a back pass as Thornley threatened just before the interval whistle. Alty were good value for their lead as Marine had scarcely troubled Coburn in the opening 45 minutes.

A neat lay off by Hulme for a shot by Craney opened the second half but keeper Clarke caught the rising ball (46 mins). Craney was soon involved again, feeding Thornley, who got the ball to Hulme, who was then tripped 30 yards from goal and needed treatment (47 mins). Marine were committing a few fouls at this stage with Ryan the next victim but Altrincham were not able to capitalise on the free-kicks. However, Altrincham's pressure won them a corner through Craney (51 mins). This came out to Hawes whose fine shot was tipped out by the keeper for another corner, on the right. Marine's response to the pressure saw them pick up three bookings in as many minutes. Firstly, Taylor was fouled crudely by his own by-line by Hussin, who was cautioned (53 mins).

Then Thornley was pushed over on the edge of the Marine box by Gelling, who also saw yellow (54 mins). Next, Scott won a header in the air but was elbowed in the face as he did so by Douglas, whom the referee also cautioned after a discussion with the linesman (56 mins). After treatment for what looked like an eye injury, Scott resumed. A neat interception from Swanick stopped any thoughts of a Marine counter-attack at this stage before another Swanick clearance reached Murphy via Hawes and a fine ball into the box by Ryan. Murphy could only just get a touch on the ball however and the ball went wide. Danny was immediately withdrawn, still suffering with his hernia injury which awaits an operation. His replacement was Lee Poland (59 mins).

Lee was soon involved on the left winning two successive throws. From the second. one of Hulme's many fine lay-offs gave Ryan a 25 yard blast at goal which was only narrowly wide (61 mins). After an accidental Taylor-Hussin collision, the latter needed treatment before a fine move nearly saw Alty double their lead. Hawes's cross found Hulme's head to the right of goal and his nod to the left was met by Thornley's firm header which just cleared the bar (65 mins). Still the second goal would not come. Another Alty corner came and went (67 mins) before Marine replaced Douglas by Morgan (68 mins). The sub immediately got past Ryan but Sertori cleared the danger. Soon afterwards Hawes surged out of defence but played a disappointing pass. He did better a minute or two later from a similar run out of defence. This time he found Thornley who seemed to be pushed from behind inside the box and though he went down, neither the referee nor linesman gave anything (72 mins).

Marine responded with an attack of their own which ended in Townsend's miskick. After a freekick for a foul on Scott, Thornley was then brought down two yards outside the box. With Poland lining up to have a pot at goal, Coach Graham Heathcote instructed Ian Craney to take it. Sadly, Ian drove the ball into the wall to earn a reproach from Graham for not curling it round the barrier (75 mins). The free-kicks continued with Scott the next victim near the Marine by-line. From Ryan's kick Sertori's header was narrowly too high. At this stage Marine had yet to trouble Coburn seriously in the match.

However, Alty almost threw away their lead when a poor pass by Ryan saw Craney dispossessed by Townsend 35 yards out. However, Townsend shot well over from 25 yards (79 mins). Steve Hawes then found himself booked for a relatively innocuous foul (80 mins) and at the same time Hussin gave way to Robinson for Marine. From Lally's freekick, Coburn only got a touch as he came from his line and a corner resulted on the Marine right; their first of the half. Mark Maddox, sitting in the stand shouted "watch the fourteen" but it was too late as the unmarked Marine no.14, Robinson, received the corner and his header produced Coburn's first good save of the day (81 mins). However, Marine now stepped up their game and after Robinson had made progress on the left, Coburn dropped Morgan's low shot and a corner resulted (83 mins). Rimmer headed the corner over the bar.

Altrincham responded with a corner of their own won by Scott (84 mins) but from Hawes's flag-kick, Thornley's downward header went wide. Another low shot from Robinson saw Coburn hold cleanly this time as Altrincham found difficulty in clearing their lines. Keith Mairs came on for his first league appearance of the season, replacing Hulme (87 mins). After Sertori had pushed over Robinson to the left of goal, Alty only half cleared the ball and in the end Sertori had to hack the ball out for a Marine corner on the left. Altrincham were now on the back foot in a game which they should have sewn up earlier. However, they got through the final few minutes to record their second win of the week and move into third place. Altrincham were undoubtedly the better side but their pressure was not converted into goals. However, they gained revenge for their 0-1 reverse in January and kept up the pressure on Burton Albion and Lancaster City.