Altrincham 1-0 Notts County (National League) 25.09.21
Notts County suffered their first major defeat of the season at Altrincham yesterday.
In a contest that for the most part lacked any real quality, the eventual winners turned out to be hosts. The Robins, who were dealt a last-minute blow in their previous game vs Wealdstone, responded with a blow of leaving Notts County and 842 travelling Magpies returning home empty handed for the first time this season.
The opening five minutes of this encounter saw two good opportunities wasted by both outfits. To begin with, Notts winger Cal Roberts checked in on his left foot before striking goal-bound in the opening minute. This happening in the first minute led to the hosts responding with an opportunity of their own in which saw attacker Ryan Colclough fire his effort inches wide of new shot-stopper Anthony Patterson’s goal. In what turned out to be a close opening half an hour, it was the visitors who took the lead at the end of this period through talisman Marcus Dinanga, sliding in inside the six-yard box to turn home Ryan Colclough’s low driven cross. This goal is the striker’s second in five league appearances thus far this season.
As the second half begins at the score-line of 1-0 to the hosts, the expectation of a response in the early stages of the half was felt within the packed away end. However, it was the robins who had the first clear cut opportunity of the half as playmaker Ryan Colclough, assister for the winner in the game, struck from the edge of the box, low and hard but tipped wide by the County keeper. Five minutes on from this opportunity saw another opportunity missed from the hosts, again via evident threat Ryan Colclough who’s well struck free kick was saved by the visitor’s goalkeeper. From inside the ground, you got the feeling that if either of these chances were converted, the game was over as a contest. The later stages of the second half saw two good opportunities wasted for at minimal an equaliser, this time by Notts’ playmaker, Ruben Rodrigues. His first opportunity was a good header which was saved by Robins goalkeeper Tony Thompson. However, his second and most clear-cut opportunity came on the end of Aaron Nemane’s cross which saw the Portuguese maestro turn the ball towards goal but fractions wide of the far post of Altrincham’s goal. At this stage, you started to feel it just wasn’t the visitor’s day and this was furtherly confirmed by the referee’s final whistle resulting the game in a 1-0 victory for the hosts.
After the game, Notts County head coach described his side’s attacking threat as ‘disappointing’ explaining his side tried to be ‘too clever ‘and lacked any signs of showing their clinical ways. Following on from this, he added his disappointment over the matter of the fact that his side have now lost their unbeaten beginning to the new season but suggesting the loss will increase his squad’s hunger in ‘seeking to improve’ that being throughout next week falling into their Vanarama National League fixture with Woking.
As for Altrincham, their players made no secret of their delight of picking up their third league win of the season as well as their first clean sheet of the season as well. As for their post-match reactions, shotstopper Tony Thompson took to social media saying, ‘What a win from the lads! Nice to get our first clean sheet too.’ Midfielder Toby Mullarkey also published his delight for the club’s first clean sheet of the season as well as the delight to pick up all three points against a promotion favourite.
Prior to the beginning of the game, Notts County found themselves in 4th place whereas Altrincham found themselves in 15th. However, due to the result at Moss Lane and other results around the grounds, Notts now find themselves in 6th place whereas Altrincham climb three places into 12th, three points off 8th place Wrexham AFC who have played eight games in comparison to Altrincham’s five.
To round this up, we now look ahead to the following fixtures for either side. For Altrincham, they’ll be looking to build off their win with another win this Tuesday again at Moss Lane for the visit of Kings Lynn Town. A win here for Altrincham will see them move up to 9th place in the Vanarama National League. As for Notts County, the return to home soil next Saturday in quest of righting their wrongs and getting back to winning ways in their visit from Woking. A win here for the Magpies could see them go as high as 2nd, this of course being dependent on results elsewhere.
Altrincham: Thompson, Senior, Pringle (Furman 62), Mullarkey, Moult, Mooney (Peers 75), Kosylo, Hannigan, Dinanga, Colclough (Hancock 69), Bunney.
Notts County: Patterson, Brennan, Brincley, Chicksen, Kelly-Evans (Nemane 60), Francis (O’Brien 54), Palmer, Taylor (Mitchell 76), Roberts, Rodrigues, Wootton.
Venue: Moss Lane
*Article provided by K-Ci Rennicks (Notts County Correspondent).
*Main image @Official_NCFC Ruben Rodrigues in action during County’s defeat.
