Depleted Robins lose to basement outfit
ALTY ALL AT SEA
ROBINS ON THE RACK
Altrincham (0) 0 Welling United (1) 1
Hone 24
Attendance: 839
by Mike Crockett
ALTRINCHAM came off second best in this Conference relegation six pointer, going down 1-0 to bottom side Welling.
His first-team squad riven with injuries and suspensions, Alty boss Bernard Taylor gave Scott Wilson a start in the number eight jersey, and Darlington trialist Craig Skelton made his debut in midifeld.
It was a baptism of fire for Skelton, who could add nothing to an ineffective Robins attack, and found himself in referee Clattenburg's book for an over-zealous challenge.
In a sense, Altrincham were architects of their own doom, as they failed to make any of their first-half chances count. In addition to this, they seemed unable to compete in any area of the pitch in the second half.
A strong and blustery wind was making life difficult for both sides and it forced them to play the ball on the floor.
Leroy Chambers could have opened the scoring early on, but Welling keeper Paul Wilkerson narrowed the angle well.
Alty broke the deadlock on 11 minutes when Jason Gallagher rose to head in a lofted cross from the left, but the man in the middle halted play for a foul on Wilkerson.
Wilkerson was again involved shortly after, when he had to kick the ball off the line under pressure from several attackers, after Steve Hawse had floated in a corner at the near post.
They were made to rue their missed chances on 24 minutes when ex-Crystal Palace defender Mark Hone netted with a close range first-time shot from a fast-moving corner, sent in by Michael Harney.
The visitor's could have doubled their lead just before the break when Charlie Side latched on to a through-ball from John Budden. He collided with Robins keeper Dean Greygoose when both players went for the 50/50 ball.
Greygoose was to pay a high price for stopping Side, however, as he picked up a knee injury in the collision and played no further part in the game.
Ian Senior, who made his debut in an Altrincham shirt sixteen years ago, deputised and kept a second half clean sheet.
It was a pity that his outfield colleagues could not be as successful. Their best chance of the match fell to Mark Maddox , who disappointingly flashed his shot across the face of goal and out of play.
Referee Clattenburg showed six yellow cards in total, and Welling were good value for their win, just shading it over an indisciplined and out-of-sorts home side.
Altrincham: Greygoose (sub Senior 46), Hodson, Adams, Maddox, Timons, Hawse, Gallagher, Wilson, Chambers (Landon 62), Skelton, Price (Lovelock 54).
Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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