Blyth Spartans 1 Altrincham 1

Brief report John Laidlar from his Alty Pages where a full report can be found

Photographs by Alan Johnson

20 January 2001

BLYTH SPARTANS (0) 1 ALTRINCHAM (0) 1

UnBond League Match, played on Saturday, 20 January 2001, at 3p.m.

SCORERS

74 mins: Jason GALLAGHER (Blyth Spartans 0 Altrincham 1)

84 mins: Richard FORSTER (pen.)(Blyth Spartans 1 Altrincham 1)

REFEREE: Mr Gary WALLACE (Houghton-le-Spring)

ATTENDANCE: 383

TEAMS

20.1.01	BLYTH SPARTANS	versus.	ALTRINCHAM
3pm	Green and white striped shirts, black shorts, white socks	---.	Blue and white shirts and shorts, blue socks
1.	Terry BURKE (capt.)	1.	Stuart COBURN
2.	Paddy LITTLE	2.	Adam FARLEY
3.	Mark DUNKERLEY	3.	James GLENDENNING
4.	Gary INNES	4.	Mark MADDOX
5.	Richard FORSTER	5.	Gary TALBOT (capt.)
6.	Justin KEEGAN	6.	Mark WARD
7.	Carl PEPPER	7.	Danny MURPHY
8.	Ian DIXON	8.	Stuart SCHEUBER
9.	Craig PERRY	9.	Steve FINNEY
10.	Ian CHANDLER	10.	Ian CRANEY
11.	Neil RADIGAN	11.	Kevin ELLISON
12.	Steven STUART	12.	Jason GALLAGHER
14.	Andy HAY	14.	Keith MAIRS
15.	Shaun COLLINS	15.	Gary SCOTT

BACKGROUND
This was Altrincham's second successive Saturday trip to the North-East, after last week's match at Gateshead and once again Altrincham failed to come home with three points against a team further down the table. Despite the forecast of snow the match went ahead on a slippery but nevertheless playable surface. Croft Park is a neat and tidy ground with a good club house which housed about 100 people over and above the match attendance. They were watching the Leeds-Newcastle match on live TV screens. Alty had won the encounter at Moss Lane 3-1 back in October, but Blyth have been an improving side of late though they still lay 17th at kick-off.

SUMMARY
A draw was a fair outcome of this match although Altrincham came within six minutes of taking all three points. After Murphy and Finney had missed two clear chances in the opening six minutes, the first half was fairly even. However, it was against the run of play when Alty took the lead after 74 minutes. A corner from Scheuber was headed against the underside of the bar by Talbot and after a scramble, the ball was poked home by Gallagher, though the keeper may have had the last touch. Six minutes from the end Talbot and Glendenning between them brought down Perry in the left corner of the Alty box and Forster sent Coburn the wrong way from the spot.

TEAM NEWS
Just six Alty players who started this match had begun the match at Moss Lane between these sides in October, whilst Blyth fielded eight of the same starters. The surprise for Alty fans was not so much that we fielded yet another new back four permutation, but that it comprised four players who are exclusively or primarily centre-backs. Captain Gary Talbot played at left-back with Farley on the right. Glendenning and Maddox were in the centre, as full-backs Scott and Gallagher sat on the subs' bench. Up front Murphy and Ellison supported Finney from the wings. With Steve Hawes suspended, Ward, Scheuber and Craney patrolled the midfield. Blyth were without striker Glen Robson as well as Martin, Dixon and Pepper who had figured in recent games.

FINAL SCORE: BLYTH SPARTANS 1 ALTRINCHAM 1

Photographs by Alan Johnson

	I am sure that this lady, the Angel of the North is protecting North East sides at their home grounds because, with the exception of Spennymoor, Altrincham have failed to beat a NE team, and have lost on three occasions and drawn once
Keeper and captain Terry Burke has this ball well in control in front of a full stand
	There was not a great deal of action in front of the Blyth goal in the first half. Here Burke cleanly catches the ball
Danny Murphy makes a diving header to no avail
	More action.
A high ball in the clouds, not much action but I liked the cloud effect
	The stars are out. Did he catch the ball and where is it?
A Blyth defender collects the ball from the back of the net after Jason Gallagher scores. The Alty fans behind the goal are for the moment ecstatic!

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