Nuneaton Town 2 Altrincham 1 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Nuneaton Town 2 Altrincham 1

4:33pm Monday 2nd April 2012 in Alty FC news

ALTRINCHAM'S hopes of a play-off place were dealt a heavy blow with this defeat at fellow promotion seekers, Nuneaton Town, on Saturday.

Town, formed after the former Nuneaton Borough club had twice hit financial difficulties, went into the match just days after learning that they would be deducted six points for fielding an ineligible player earlier in the season.

But this setback seemed to spur them to a deserved win on a bobbly pitch against an Altrincham side which was decidedly second best in the first half.

Nuneaton took the lead in the 35th minute when their impressive right-winger, Armson, was allowed to advance unchallenged into the box.

He fed striker Danny Glover who miskicked his shot but it somehow found the net. Apart from a couple of speculative efforts from McGivern, Alty scarcely threatened the Nuneaton goal beforre the interval.

It got worse for Alty when Forsdick made it 2-0 after 57 minutes. Alty failed to deal with a long throw from the Nuneaton right and Forsdick was then allowed to turn and fire a low shot into the net. For Altrincham, goalkeeper Stuart Coburn produced several excellent saves to keep Nuneaton out and when Alty got a goal back after 64 minutes it briefly seemed that Alty might turn the game around.

Alty's goal came from good work by substitute Duncan Watmore, who went past a challenge before finding midfielder Scott Phelan. As Phelan advanced into the box he collided with the advancing keeper, Collett, and the ball fell from Damian Reeves who hit the ball home, to record a most impressive 40th goal of the season.

Though Phelan forced a fine save in added time, Altrincham were unable to get a second goal and so lost ground on the six teams above them at kick off, who all won.

It gets no easier as Alty entertain league leaders Hyde at Moss Lane on Saturday (3pm), followed by a trip to second-placed Guiseley on Easter Monday.

ALTRINCHAM: Coburn, Walmsley (Twiss 62), Flynn, C. Lynch, Smart (Miles 81); Richman, Phelan, Densmore (capt), Lawrie; McGivern (Watmore 62), Reeves. Unused subs: M. Lynch, Reid