United 4
(Hall 48′, 71′, Lapslie 81′, Crowe 90+7′)
Altrincham 4
(Conn-Clarke 6′, Dinanga 29′, Hulme 85′, Cooper 90′)
An eight goal thriller in front of the BT Sport Cameras ended with a last-gasp equaliser securing a share of the points against Altrincham at Plainmoor.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring six minutes in through Chris Conn-Clarke, before Altrincham doubled the advantage on 29 minutes. After the restart Gary Johnson’s men were quick to respond, with a brace from captain Asa Hall establishing a level playing field. Moments after being subbed on Tom Lapslie made it 3-2, before United were pegged back by Altrincham’s captain Jordan Hulme in the 85th minute. After going down to ten men in the latter stages, Jake Cooper put Altrincham ahead, before a last minute strike from Dylan Crowe made it 4-4.
United Manager Gary Johnson named two changes in the starting line-up that progressed into the FA Cup First Round on Tuesday evening, Ali Omar and Dillon De Silva replaced by Ross Marshall and Scott Smith in the starting eleven.
The first five minutes saw a lot of end-to-end play with no real clear-cut chances for either side, before it was the visitors who took the lead on 6 minutes. Ryan Colclough picked up the ball on the left before driving forward and cutting into the left edge of the United box, his cross fell to the feet of Conn-Clarke whose close range effort looked to be saved by Lovett, but an unfortunate bounce saw the ball cross the line.
A few minutes later, the team in red and white who went close again. A dangerous cross from the right found Dinanga whose header was just over the bar.
On 13th minutes, it looked as if the scores could’ve been levelled when Brett McGavin curled his corner in and despite being under pressure by the Altrincham ‘keeper, found Chin Okoli who was only able to get his header wide.
Five minutes later Gary Johnson’s men threatened again. Scott Smith drove through the centre of the Altrincham before a pass full of vision saw the midfielder try and play Will Goodwin through into the left edge of the box, who had his low-driven effort saved by Oliver Byrne at the near-post.
On 23 minutes there was controversy as Jordan Hulme drove into the left side of the United box, and tried to play a pass beyond Ross Marshall, before the Altrincham skipper went down, with the referee deeming Marshall to have fouled Hulme, and pointed to the spot. Up stepped Dinanga, who looked to steer his effort into the bottom right corner, to be denied by Rhys Lovett.
United continued to press, but were unable to find the final ball to level the scores, and in the 29th minute it was Altrincham who doubled the advantage. After a great save by Lovett denied Barrows, Dinanga was quick to pounce on the rebound.
United were quick out of the blocks in the second half, and just three minutes into the half, Gary Johnson’s side reduced the deficit. After Dylan Crowe sprinted through the United half, he played a long ball forward down the right wing for Aaron Jarvis to chase, who kept hold of the ball and advanced into the box, before having his effort saved by Byrne and put out for the corner.
It was from this corner it was made 1-2. McGavin curled the corner in from the right, and up rose Asa Hall who directed his header into the bottom left corner, beyond the reach of Byrne.
A great run by Smith has to be acknowledged in the build-up to the equaliser after the midfielder drove through the Altrincham half, before playing the ball out to his left for Goodwin, who set up Dean Moxey’s cross to find Hall arriving at the far-post, who was able to bundle home in the 71st minute, 2-2.
It was clear neither side wanted to settle for a point, and a lot of end-to-end play pursued, with Gary Johnson’s men enjoying much of the possession. After only being on the pitch for a matter of seconds, it was substitute Lapslie who put United ahead in the 81st minute. Moxey’s cross-shot found itself in the path of Lapslie, who was able to bundle home, 3-2.
Three minutes later Altrincham levelled the scores through Hulme. Conn-Clarke drove down the right flank before squaring for Hulme, who evaded the United defence to slot past Lovett. In the final minute of normal time, following the dismissal of Marshall an Altrincham free-kick was curled into the box and found Cooper rising beyond the far-post who nodded down to make it 4-3 to the men in red and white.
United continued to press for an equaliser in additional time, and it was Dylan Crowe who struck in the final moments of the match. A long throw from Moxey was half-cleared back out to the defender, who squared the ball to Aaron Jarvis in the box, who teed the ball up for Crowe who launched his shot into top left corner, 4-4.
A point apiece, but what a game.
United: 22. Rhys Lovett, 2. Dylan Crowe, 6. Ross Marshall, 8. Asa Hall (c) (4. Tom Lapslie 79′), 9. Aaron Jarvis, 14. Brett McGavin (5. Ali Omar 90′), 16. Shaun Donnellan, 19. Will Goodwin, 21. Dean Moxey, 29. Chin Okoli, 36. Scott Smith.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 23. Ollie Tomlinson.
Yellow Cards: Hall 64′, Crowe 90+7′
Red Card: Marshall 88′
Altrincham: 1. Oliver Byrne, 2. Edward Jones, 8. Josh Lundstram, 9. Jordan Hulme (c), 10. Elliot Osborne, 11. Ryan Colclough, 16. Chris Conn-Clarke (17. Bradley Jackson 70′), 22. Ross Barrows, 23. Jake Cooper, 26. James Jones, 30. Marcus Dinanga (33. Egli Kaja 75′).
SUBS NOT USED: 18. Ben Pringle, 21. Matt Gould, 31. Daniel Malone.
Yellow Card: Byrne 59′
Attendance: 2,262 (40 away)