Altrincham Preview

Match Reports · Reserve team player Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 45

York City bid to continue the excellent recent form that has led to boss Billy McEwan receiving February's Manager of the Month award. The Minstermen have won their last four Conference fixtures, and scored 13 goals in the process. However, it will not be an easy game against a side whose home record has kept them comfortably clear of the relegation dogfight.

Team News

For City, there will probably only be one change to the side that thrashed Forest Green Rovers 5-1 last Saturday. Boss Billy McEwan, commenting on that win and City's prospects for the rest of the season, said "People will be looking at our results and our games will get harder and harder because teams will be respecting us more so we have got to prepare for that." Centre back James Dudgeon will miss out after picking up his fifth booking of the season in the Reds' 2-1 victory against Tamworth last month. Club Captain Mark Hotte is likely to be the player who gets his chance. Otherwise, the side is unlikely to be changed. Keeper David Stockdale has left the club to join Worksop Town on loan, so won't feature for the Minstermen.

For Altrincham, boss Graham Heathcote is worried about the large away support and it's possible effect on the game. He said in an interview with the local SAM site, "York will bring a lot of fans with them on Saturday and it's absolutely vital to get as many of our own fans in as possible so that it doesn't end up feeling like an away game. Support has been fantastic this season and our attendances are up 50 per cent on last year. But my message to all fans would be 'get yourselves down here on Saturday', the job's not done yet and we have to keep picking up points so everyone needs to play their part." James Robinson has left the club to further his career in Australia, after scoring 4 goals in 13 games for Altrincham. Also not featuring will be defender Chris Adams, who has a foot injury.

Possible Teams

City: porter; thomas, mcgurk, hotte, peat; convery, panther, bishop, dunning; donaldson, bishop. Substitutes: reid, o'neill, webster, stewart, merris.

Altrincham: coburn; aspinall, scott, band, maddox; rose, chalmers, owen, thornley; peyton, little. Substitutes: lugsden, talbot, hendley, mcfadden, ??

Current Form Guide

City - DLWWWW - Southport (H), Woking (A), Aldershot Town (H), Exeter City (A), Tamworth (H), Forest Green Rovers (H).

Altrincham - LWWWLL - Forest Green Rovers (A), Aldershot Town (H), Scarborough (A), Cambridge United (H), Crawley Town (A), Halifax Town (H).

Previous Games

This is the first time the two sides have met in the Conference at Moss Lane. Earlier on in the season, City won the home fixture by 5-0.

Other Information

The Altrincham club bar is open to away fans, it opens at 12:30PM and last orders before the match are at 2:45PM. Thanks to "Alty Fan" for this information

Useful Links

http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/ - Official Site
http://www.network54.com/Forum/75616 - Fans Forum
http://yorkcityfc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18394 - "Alty Fan"'s guide
http://yorkcityfc.com/pl - Predictions League
http://yorkcityfc.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4 - Away Travel Forum
[url] http://www.yorkminstermen.org.uk/website.php?page=awaygames&articleid=171[/url] - York Minstermen away travel

Match Reports · Reserve team player Joined: 16 Oct 2004 Posts: 45

On the original date for this fixture, snowy weather meant it was unable to be played and was rearranged for 4th April. The game itself has become far more significant in the last few weeks, with City still on the fringes of the play off zone despite failing to win their last three games, and stuttering form for Altrincham which could drag them into the relegation fight.

Team News

For City, boss Billy McEwan wants a better performance than Saturday's, which was poor by recent standards especially in the first half. "I was very disappointed and angry after the game because of the way we played. We took a point but I'm not happy with that. The players might have been but I wasn't and I wasn't happy with the performance either", said the Minstermen boss. There is likely to be one change to the side that featured against Burton, with full back Jamie Price unlikely to play after picking up a knee injury. Stephen Thomas, who deputised for Price until a few weeks ago, will probably resume that role. Otherwise the team is likely to be unchanged.

For Altrincham, the 3-1 defeat at Exeter City at the weekend means that it is now 6 games without a win for the Cheshire side. After the game, player Karl Munroe told the NL Paper, "If we had stayed with 11 men, it might have been different.. We have not had any luck today but there are still plenty of points to play for". They are currently just 6 points outside the relegation zone which means that, although it is unlikely that they will go down by finishing in the bottom two through on the pitch matters alone, possible points that could be taken off them for fielding a player without clearance could mean that they slip into the relegation zone. They will be without captain Mark Maddox who was sent off against Exeter, and starts a 4 match ban.

Possible Teams

York: porter; thomas, dudgeon, mcgurk, peat; convery, panther, bishop, dunning; donaldson, bishop. Substitutes: reid, merris, o'neill, hotte, webster.

Altrincham: coburn; munroe, band, talbot, adams; scott, owen, aspinall, peyton; thornley, little. Substitutes: potts, lugsden, murphy, norton, mcfadden.

Current Form Guide

York - WWWDLD - Forest Green Rovers (H), Dagenham and Redbridge (A), Gravesend and Northfleet (H), Canvey Island (A), Accrington Stanley (H), Burton Albion (A).

Altrincham - LLLDLL - Crawley Town (A), Halifax Town (H), Canvey Island (H), Southport (A), Burton Albion (H), Exeter City (A).

Previous Games

This is the first meeting between the sides at Moss Lane. York won the reverse fixture 5-0.

Useful Links

http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/ - Altrincham Official Site
http://www.network54.com/Forum/75616 - Message Board
http://yorkcityfc.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4 - Catch A Match Forum
http://yorkcityfc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18394 - "Alty Fan"'s guide
http://yorkcityfc.com/pl - Predictions League