Witton v Altrincham

First Team On the Park
1

A couple of previews

From the Guardian;

Witton v Altrincham: Senior Cup preview
By Andrew Simpson

Witton Albion v Altrincham (ko 7.45pm)
UniBond Cheshire Senior Cup Round One
Venue: Wincham Park

Witton (from): Kennedy (GK), Coo, Spearritt, Pritchard, Barras, Kearney, Brownhill, Dillon, Lloyd, Brown, Peers, Proffitt, Turley, Brodie, Warlow, Thornley
Doubtful: none
Injured: Royle, Foy
Suspended: none
Last year in Senior Cup: Semi final
Form guide: WLWDWW
Top scorer: Mark Peers (five)

Altrincham (from): Acton (GK), Aspinall, Clancy, Lane, Peyton, Rose, Scott, Tinson, Lawton, Logan, Owen, Potts, Sedgemore, Little, Senior, O’Neill
Doubtful: none
Injured: Whalley (ankle), Saunders (thigh)
Suspended: none
Last year in Senior Cup: Round Two
Form guide: WLLLDLD
Top scorer: Little (three)

Match pointers
Witton boss Jim Vince has told his team to prove how good they are ahead of Altrincham’s visit.
"It’s a chance for us to test ourselves against a team ranked higher than us," he told the Guardian…
"Last year we played Rushden and Northwich, outplayed both of them but lost to both of them.
"I hope we learned something."

Vince should recall club captain Brian Pritchard after he was rested for Saturday’s away day win at Ilkeston. He can also call upon former Alty duo Cavell Coo and Rod Thornley, probably Albion’s two best signings this summer.

Alty head to Wincham on a high after picking up their first win of the season against Droylsden at the weekend. It came at a cost though, with midfield schemer Gareth Whalley and on-loan goalkeeper Russell Saunders both leaving the pitch on a stretcher. Richard Acton should be fit to play in goal tonight.

From the Alty website;

TEAM TONIGHT
Alty travel to Witton Albion in the Cheshire Senior Cup tonight without captain Darren Tinson (right), who has a slight knock. But Darren will be fit for Saturday’s match at Crawley. With loan goalkeeper Russell Saunders awaiting a scan on his leg injury and Stuart Coburn still sidelined through injury it is fortunate that Richard Acton is fit to take his place in goal for the Robins tonight. Missing tonight will be midfielder Gareth Whalley, who like Saunders, was stretchered off at the weekend. Gareth is expected to be out for at least a couple of weeks. Loan defender Ryan Shotton is available for tonight’s game as the CSC rules now allow loan players to take part.

and a comment from the Alty forum;

Point to note about Witton
They’re pretty good you know…

1 Witton Albion 9 7 1 1 17 2 +15 22
2 Guiseley 9 6 3 0 22 8 +14 21
3 Gateshead 7 6 1 0 25 8 +17 19
4 Fleetwood Town 8 6 0 2 17 11 +6 18
5 Matlock Town 8 5 1 2 13 9 +4 16
6 Eastwood Town 9 5 1 3 12 10 +2 16
7 Lincoln United 9 4 2 3 13 14 -1 14

They will be right up for it. A tough game in my book.

Point to note for Witton Fans - We only sing in the CSC Final, other rounds its a bit of a chore before we have the "Alty never sang once post"

And lastly I will be on nights tonight so will be available for updates

2

Team tonight;

Kennedy

Coo
Brownhill
Pritch
Barras

Brodie
Lloyd
Brown
Peers

Warlow
Thornley

Subs
Spearitt
Kearney
Dillon
Proffitt
Foy

3

Just gone 0-1 down against the run of play according to Neil

4

Bad start to the second half, 0-2 on 49 mins

5

0-3

6

First 40 minutes, played some very good football, Peers and Thornley looked lively against some ‘robust’ defending. Ref was as you’d expect from the Cheshire FA.(inept!) Aside from his unfortunate assist for the third goal the challenges on Peers and Brownhill which went unpunised were scandalous.

Alty looked lively going forward and in typical Conference style were strong at the back. Their finishing was also clinical.

In truth we created very little second half and rarely troubled the keeper.

Disappointed to go out of the competition, it has provided some great memories over the years (recent and distant), and for me is second behind the Trophy in terms of importance.

7

That pretty much sums it up. Alty probably had less of the ball and in terms of territorial advantage we battered them. But they created clear chances which they took well, and we did not. And that’s what matters.

8

Not sure that Alty would agree that we could have got back into it at 2-2. We didn’t really threaten that much when we ‘could be arsed’(to paraphrase).

I don’t buy all that concentrate on the league blox either, whilst three points on Sat would be great, winning in decent competitions is a great habit.

9

One thing to add, while I understand that Thornley had a point to prove last night, I thought he went about it the wrong way. Trying an audacious chip rather than a straight forward finish for example when 2-0 down is really not the way to be doing things.

10

I think we need to be a bit careful about all this ‘concentrate on the league’ talk. We can’t put all our eggs in one basket - and we are out of 2 cup competitions in the space of 2 home games. What message does this send out to the casual supporters? You need a decent cup run to create interest in the club. OK the cheshire cup doesn’t provide that many headlines, and wont get you much in terms of revenue, but it offers a good chance to play the likes of Alty, Vics, Stalybridge, etc. Also if we miss out on promotion, then at least if we had won this competition you could say the season wasn’t a complete failure, and we would hopefully have a night out in Alty to remember the season by.
On the other hand, Telford went out of all the cup comps very early last season, so it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom.
My own opinion is that winning is a good habit, and we should be looking to keep a bit of momentum going. I’m also worried about the fact that once we go behind we never really look like coming back into games. Luckily we have only fallen behind on 3 occasions so far this season, but i would expect it be something that will happen alot more as the season unfolds.

11

From JV To (STU)

'I can’t believe that anyone would suggest the players ‘couldn’t be arsed’ towards the end of last nights game.

At the end of the match the players were making 70 yard runs back to defend, after going up for corners, and having ran for 90 minutes. We were competing with a team 2 divisions higher and on 4 times our wage bill, and we we were as good as them bar the finishing’

12

Had we finished better then we would of been at least 1 - maybe 2 - up by the time they scored.
If we ‘weren’t arsed’ i’m pretty sure we wouldn’t of put a full team out.

Alty winning on Saturday may of lifted them a fair bit.

A bit more luck, and a confident and in-form Adam Warlow, and i reckon we’d of won last night.

I’m sure JV and the players are arsed about every game that they lose. I hope it did hurt them last night, as this may mean that they ensure they aren’t feeling the same way on Saturday.

13

Can’t recall suggesting in my initial post that i expected us to win the Trophy?! I would enjoy a decent run in it though, and the thought of a day out at Oxford, Cambridge, Stevenage, etc etc, is something that appeals to me. I would certainly choose winning the league over making it through a few rounds of the FAT though. My point was if we don’t win the league then it would be nice to have a decent cup run, or a good away day, to look back on.
Burton didn’t win the FA CUp, but i’d hazard a guess that they quite enjoyed their 2 games against Man U…

14

It was hard luck last night, we could have had the gam won in the first 20 minutes. they players ave it their all but it was just one of them nights…lets get behind them on Saturday we OWE ASHTON BIG TIME from last year!

15

I thought we gave a very good account of ourselves and kept pushing until the last few minutes (when the ref got involved).
They are 2 leagues above us despite their form are a much stronger side than us generally.

Consider Saturday - we scored when we were on top and won, we didn’t against Prescot and altrincham - the point about going behind and coming back is a valid one at present.

As for winning, I want us to win every game we play (mid-ches & league cup aside) the CSC is always a good one to play in - anyone claim they werent looking forward to a decent gate last night, and a local game including some away fans?
It may only be money Stu but it keeps us going and allows us to compete at the level we currently are - at the top of the league. For me a run in the trophy is crucial to keep this squad together and long run achieve what we are aiming for in getting out the league.

16

The first 20 minutes in particular we were the better side. The timing of their goal was crucial, it allowed them to play a different game in the second half and they were a better side after the break.

I thought the lads gave a good account of themselves, if anything they were frustrated more than anything. We had done enough to score at times and just didn’t get the break. One for one our players still were the ones playing football, Lloyd and Brown were class (against players two leagues higher). Thought The Dozzler had a good crack at it when he came on. Adam ironically needs to stop trying as hard!!! His workrate has been exceptional and he should not put himself under pressure - just enjoy his football.

I have said on previous occasions that whilst I want us to win every game I would rather us get beaten in the cups than the league. Winning the CSC in my opinion will not define the season.

We do owe Ashton so let’s go and play them off the park on Saturday.

17

UniBond Cheshire Senior Cup – 1st Qualifying Round - 25th September 2007

WITTON ALBION 0 ALTRINCHAM 3 - attendance 351

TEAM: Kennedy; Coo, Pritchard, Barras, Brownhill (Kearney 51 mins); Peers, Brown, Lloyd, Brodie (Proffitt 62 mins.); Warlow, Thornley. Subs not used Spearitt, Dillon & Foy.

Former Robin Rod Thornley was given the captain’s armband and carried his 2 year old son Louie, mascot for the match onto the pitch. Cavell Coo began well against his former employers dancing down the right several times. Keeper Richard Acton had to make a save at the near post from Mark Peers as we constantly took the game to the side, two divisions higher.

On the quarter hour mark New Brighton referee Doug Stewart appeared to be totally confused as to whom had done what when, with Liam Brownhill writing in agony following a horrendous tackle, he spoke at length to his assistant, then to our bench before finally just having a word to Colin Potts when it transpired that it was in fact Gary Scott that committed the offence. Ehmm! I well remember the same match official losing the plot when Ashton visited us, then under the management of John Coleman & Jimmy Bell, some years back – some things never change eh?

When play eventually restarted Adam Warlow produced a good move down the right his cross evading Acton to find Thornley on the by-line who played the ball back into the path of Steve Brodie who drove his shot over the bar. The Alty bench were by now furious that Albion were totally dominating and a few choice words were exchanged. The pace of Peers soon created a chance for Thornley but he shot wide from right of goal. When Peyton tried to dribble out of defence and lost the ball, the home crowd chanted "You’re not very good" and in Altrincham website’s own report that was a fair reflection of the Alty performance at this stage.

Unfortunately the jibes rebounded as slowly but surely the visitors got their passing game going and within 10 minutes had taken the lead when in the 42nd minute Chris Senior burst into the goalmouth before laying the ball to his left for Colin Little to poke home from close range.

Four minutes into the 2nd half what looked a very promising move down the right broke down and with several defensive players caught upfield Potts was able to find Chris Senior who scampered down the centre of the park before placing his shot perfectly just out of Jon Kennedy’s left hand reach. Mr Stewart was again in the forefront when Brodie’s intended pass struck the arm of Peyton but the official waved play on before Acton was nearly caught out trying a stupid dribble with Warlow in very close attendance. Thornley, who by now had handed the armband back to Tony Barras, had several minutes when chances came his way but his lobbed attempt was too weak and then he shot narrowly wide before he sliced his shot straight at Acton. Warlow also should have done better when he lifted his shot over the target following Brian Pritchard’s lovely knock-on from a Rob Lloyd free-kick. A fine tackle by the now vocally persecuted Peyton saw off the next attack but another corner followed afterwards and Chris Lane’s desperate headed clearance almost saw an own goal. Peers then tried a good effort but his shot drifted just wide of the far right post.

In stoppage time though it was to be the visitors that were able to put a totally false impression to the match score. Coo’s intended pass struck Mr Stewart falling nicely to substitute Sean Clancy who found fellow sub Joe O’Neill, he seemed to have taken the ball to too acute an angle, left of goal, but his low shot somehow squirmed through Kennedy’s legs into the net to give Alty a flattering 3-0 lead. In added time Alex Brown summed up Albion’s night when he missed a virtually open goal as Alty held on for their first clean sheet since last April.