Blue Square Premier
At: Moss Lane
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 1135
A first-half double from Altrincham leading scorer Colin Little proved crucial in the Easter Monday clash at Moss Lane between two old rivals.
Injuries to Neil Grayson and Kevin Street forced manager Steve Bull MBE to make two changes to the starting line-up with Marco Adaggio and Ross Draper both recalled. Ryan Lynch, who made four appearances for Stafford back in January, started for the home side.
Altrincham chose to attack the away end (Carol Nash and Family End) at Moss Lane with Stafford getting proceedings underway in cold but dry conditions.
Inside the first minute, Liam King got into a good position and Danny Alcock did well to parry a rising right-foot drive from 15 yards. The offside flag went up as John O'Neill went for the loose ball.
O'Neill soon had a better chance but, fortunately for Stafford, dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post from just 10 yards out in front of goal.
After Stafford won the first corner of the game, Alcock bravely blocked at the feet of Chris Senior inside the area.
A mistake in the 9th minute presented Rangers with a change. Home keeper Stuart Coburn reacted to turn round a well-struck shot from Adaggio at the near left-hand post.
Chris Flynn tried his luck from the edge of the area and saw his effort loop over the bar off a defender.
Altrincham took the lead in the 14th minute. A long throw from Ryan Shotton ended up at the far post where Little headed home.
Chances became scarce and the only serious effort for getting on for 15 minutes was a shot by Senior from Lynch's corner which Djoumin Sangare bravely blocked.
Rangers were awarded a free-kick which Steve Hopkinson delivered forward into the area. The ball fell to Sangare who volleyed towards goal only to hit one of his teammates.
Just after the half-hour mark, Nick Wellecombe, on his second start, flicked the ball into the path of Adaggio. The striker raced forward between two defenders and his low shot presumably took a deflection as the referee awarded a corner.
Altrincham was forced to make a change with Val Owen replacing the injured Liam King in the 33rd minute.
Stafford continued to create opportunities and Wellecombe headed Alex Gibson's cross straight at Coburn. Agaggio shot over from a cross from Hazley.
From another long throw by Shotton, defender Greg Young headed over.
Altrincham doubled their lead in the 42nd minute. From a corner by Lynch Alcock punched the ball back out to the right and Robbie Lawton crossed low into the crowded area. O'Neill set up Little who netted with a low shot from just six yards out.
Bull made a double change at the interval with Seb Arnolin and Samy Mawene replacing Steve Hopkinson and Richie Sutton.
Snow started to fall at the start of the second half but there was no hope of it falling in sufficient quantities to cause an abandonment!
Alcock again rescued Boro shortly after the restart, blocking Lynch's low driven ball into the area which may have taken a deflection. The Rangers keeper then gathered up a long-range effort from Warren Peyton. Altrincham appealed for a penalty when Greg Young went down in the area under Flynn's challenge.
The snow stopped, much to the delight of the travelling Stafford fans on the open away terrace, but they still had to ensure a cold wind.
In the 59th minute, O'Neill beat Alcock from 20 yards out but his shot, fortunately, rebounded off the bar. In the next attack, Senior lifted his shot over as Alcock dived at his feet. Little, looked for his hat-trick, succeeding only to fire over the bar.
Both sides made further changes and Nathan Smith replaced Matt Hazley in the 68th minute. His arrival set up a three-pronged forward line and Rangers started to threaten again. Smith fired straight at Coburn through a crowd from 15 yards out.
A corner from Mawene wasn't cleared and Draper's 15-yard shot was blocked by a defender. Smith cut in from the left, went for goal, and won a corner with a deflection of Darren Tinson. From it, Adaggio shot wide at the near post.
Arnolin and Draper was booked in quick succession before Altrincham replaced Senior with Chris Lane.
Stafford continued for what would have been a first goal since the draw at Woking. Arnolin fed Adaggio who shot wide. Adaggio limped off near the end and Rangers finished with ten men. In stoppage time, Wellecombe tested Coburn from 35 yard out who made a comfortable catch.
There was time before the final whistle for Gary Scott to go into the book for a foul on Daniel.
Teams
Altrincham (red and white stripes / black / red): 1. Stuart Coburn, 16. Ryan Shotton, 5. Darren Tinson (capt), 10. Greg Young, 4. Ryan Lynch, 7. Robbie Lawton, 11. Warren Peyton, 25. Liam King, 9. Colin Little, 19. Chris Senior, 12. Joe O'Neill. Subs: 8. Val Owen (for King, 33), 3. Gary Scott (for O'Neill, 66), 15. Chris Lane (for Senior, 86), 2. Steve Aspinall, 6. Jake Sedgemore
Stafford Rangers (blue / white / blue): 1. Danny Alcock, 2. Richie Sutton, 5. Wayne Daniel (capt), 6. Djoumin Sangare, 38. Alex Gibson, 24. Steve Hopkinson, 7. Chris Flynn, 17. Ross Draper, 37. Matt Hazley, 20. Marco Adaggio, 42. Nick Wellecombe. Subs: 19. Seb Arnolin (for Hopkinson, ht), 22. Samy Mawene (for Sutton, ht), 15. Nathan Smith (for Hazley, 68), 30. Ishmale Reid, 33. Danny Allen (gk)
Referee: D. Richardson (West Yorkshire)
Attendance: 1135
This match report was originally written for and published on the now defunct www.staffordrangers.co.uk
