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BAD START TO 2008 FOR VICS! |
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Written by Brian Edge
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Tuesday, 01 January 2008 |
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Northwich 1-2 Altrincham
Vics may have deservedly won the three points at Altrincham on Boxing Day and today as the score line was the same the points most certainly belonged with Altrincham who by far and away were the better and more eager side today at the Victoria Stadium in a game that Vics players, management and supporters will quickly want to forget.
Altrincham introduced no less than FIVE new players into their starting line-up but you wouldn't have thought so as they immediately took the game to Vics and had it not been for some outstanding saves by Scot Tynan the visitors could quite easily have enjoyed a commanding half time lead.
Three of Alty's new boys were causing Vics trouble - Jennings, Touson and particularly Shotton who looked assured all afternoon and possessed an extremely long throw that created difficulties for Vics' defenders.
As early as the 10th minute Vics should have gone behind - that they didn't was due entirely to a brilliant double point blank save from Tynan as he thwarted two strikers' shots from inside the 6-yard box.
Vics were not offering much up front as the first touch by Akins was letting him down too often whilst Steels was finding little change out of his markers and in truth Steele didn't look match fit and it was no surprise when he was substituted quite early on.
Vics couldn't seem to put 3 passes together whilst Altrincham did look quite god going forward and played the ball around with some real purpose. They had a few more chances in the opening 45 minutes but 2 more saves form Tynan, an excellent last-ditch tackle from Welch and another timely intervention form Morning denied the visitors.
In the second half Vics did try to up the tempo and indeed in the 47th minute they took the lead against the run of play when WELCH headed home from 8 yards following an excellent turn and cross by Akins.
It is probably not disputable that Vics perceived to lose this game when Wilson was rightly red-carded following a two-footed lunge on one of Altrincham's players. From the free kick the ball bounced about in the home defence allowing SHOTTON to fire up the equaliser from close range - but in fairness better defending would have seen the ball cleared earlier.
Maamria introduced Byrne and Battersby into the fray but soon after Speight went down injured and as he had to be stretchered off it left Vics with only nine men.
In fairness the nine men defended valiantly in two banks of four but it was surely only a matter of time before the eleven men took the lead. However, football being the funny old game that it is, Altrincham seemed a little clueless in their efforts to break down the Vics barriers. They were a much better side against eleven opponents!
Then in the 87th minute the winner did arrive and not surprisingly it was subject to a fair bit of disputing as the assistant referee declared that O'NEILL's shot had crossed the line whilst Tynan and Kerr thought otherwise.
Just when we thought that it could get no worse Ryan Brown was shown a red card in the 90th minute - again for a very reckless tackle.
Yes a game to forget for Vics on a day when results elsewhere went their way and 3 points today would have seen another move up the ladder to safety.
Now manager, Maamria will surely have to be wheeling and dealing - like Heathcote has done - in the transfer window to improve Vics' chances of avoiding relegation
Northwich: Tynan, Rusk, Kerr, Welch, Brown, Danny Williams (Byrne 59), Wilson, Carr, Morning, Akins (Battersby 55), Steele (Speight 39).
Subs Not Used: Connett and Strong.
Altrincham: Coburn, Lane, Tinson, Shotton, Peyton, Jennings (Scott 76), Toulson (O'Neill 79), Lawton (Sedgemore 90), King, Little, Cahill
Subs Not Used: McFadden & Aspinall
Attendance:1447
Referee: Mr O Langford
Man of the Match - Scott Tynan his many saves meant Vics maintained some hope!
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 March 2008 )
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