The floodlighting was not the best we have seen and that plus a fine mist made photography difficult
UniBond Premier
18 March 2003
Harrogate Town 3 Altrincham 0
Summary and other details by John Laidlar. His full report is in the Official Site
If Altrincham could win this match they would go seventh in the table, their highest position of the season. However, Harrogate were starting the game a point ahead of their opponents, with two games in hand. This was Altrincham's first ever match to the well-maintained Wetherby Road ground and it came after a 4-0 drubbing at Moss Lane by Harrogate on the opening day of this season. Conditions were good, with the weather dry but cold.
TEAM NEWS
Mark Maddox's father was ill so he joined Gardner, Thornley, Smith and Murphy as an absentee tonight. Jason Gallagher came back into the starting line-up in which Peter Band was in midfield whilst Sullivan and Craney were the forward players. Stephen Rose joined Talbot at the back in Maddox's absence, and Talbot took over the captain's armband.
For Harrogate, Ashley Connor was making his 100th UniBond appearance in goal. The home side was the same fourteen which formed the squad which won away at Barrow on their last outing.
SUMMARY
After playing well and matching Harrogate for 35 minutes, Altrincham fell behind to a defensive mix up between Scott and Acton which left Hunter to hook the ball home (37 mins). The game was effectively lost two minutes after the interval when Talbot's error let in Smith to score. Alty never seriously threatened Harrogate's goal and Jackson got the third four minutes from the end. Overall, this was a disappointing performance from an Altrincham side lacking Mark Maddox as well as the longer-term injured - Thornley, Smith, Gardner and Murphy.
| For many of us this was our first visit to
Harrogate Town and it is unfortunate that it had to be on a Tuesday
evening rather that a Saturday afternoon because of a postponement earlier
in the season. We were made very welcome not only in their social club and
on terraces but they also provided the best parking area for our coach of
all the grounds we have visited this season. In fact Daren our regular
driver had the right idea he stayed in the coach and watched the match in
warm comfort. A neat tidy ground and stand, but not acceptable to the
standards of the Conference. A distinct slope on the pitch adds to the
interest.
The floodlighting was not the best we have seen and that plus a fine mist made photography difficult |
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| The main stand |
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| Tony Sullivan in the gloom |
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| The Harrogate keeper Ashley Connor had a quite game but when required he saved well. |
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| Substitute Stephen Lunt with Stephen Rose on the right. |
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| Gary Talbot with his eye on the ball |