Terras suffer Alty agony
By Adam Summers

Monday 12th February 2007

THE Terras suffered a frustrating afternoon in front of goal at the Wessex Stadium as Altrincham finally grab-bed their first away win of the season.

Weymouth created plenty of chances but a combination of fine goalkeeping and disappointing finishing cost them as Colin Little’s brace handed the visitors the spoils.

Stuart Beavon and Raphael Nade both went close and Nick Crittenden hit the bar but once Alty took the lead late in the first half it was clear it was not going to be the Dorset outfit’s day.

Terras’ player-boss Jason Tindall made two changes to the starting line up that began the 3-1 victory at Gravesend & Northfleet last midweek. James Coutts, who netted twice in that win, replaced Scott Dixon and Brian Dutton came in for the injured Danny Phillips.

New boy Ezekiel Rink joined Narada Bernard, Callum Ross-Jennins, Louis Bell, and Callum Crawley on the bench.

The hosts began in a 3-5-2 formation with Adam Cottrell, Tony James and skipper Trevor Challis at the back and they enjoyed a bright start. Stuart Beavon was lively up front and Dutton showed some good early touches in midfield, as Alty looked edgy.

On 12 minutes some fine work by home debutante Ishmael Welsh helped set up Simon Weatherstone but he failed to make a good connection with his 20-yard shot which trickled harmlessly wide.

The visitors offered very little in the opening 20 minutes although Little did drive a shot at Jason Matthews after a clever one-two on the edge of the box.

Weymouth responded with a header from Nade at the other end. The Ivory Coast-born forward sent his effort from Crittenden’s free-kick low towards the target but somehow visiting stopper Stuart Coburn dived to his right to push the ball away.

Beavon then went close with two efforts, the second of which was flying into the left corner of the net until it deflected out for a corner off the thigh of an Alty defender.

The Terras now looked full of confidence and on 32 minutes their star striker threatened again. Coutts produced a fine cushioned pass and Beavon met it on the volley only to see his strike fly wide of the far upright.

Beavon was denied again by Coburn seconds later before Crittenden rattled the top of the bar with a fantastic 25-yard volley. The visitors were clearly riding their luck while the Terras were wondering how they were not ahead.

Then came the sucker punch in injury-time. A harsh free- kick given against Trevor Challis allowed Alty to get the ball forward and after a fine run and cut back by substitute Chris Senior, Little arrived to side foot the ball past Matthews.

Having come back from a goal down in both their previous two games to claim a draw and a win, the Terras should have been confident when they came out for the second half but instead their performance dipped dramatically.

Senior was beginning to prove a pain for the Weymouth defence and on 51 minutes his fine cross from the right found Little but he could only poke the ball wide when he should have done better.

The hosts were suddenly looking a bit deflated and it was no surprise to see Tindall on the sidelines screaming at his men to try and inspire them.

Beavon went close with a volley before he then combined with Nade and
dragged a shot wide as another chance went begging.

At the other end Matthews produced a reaction save to deny Little at his near post but the Terras continued pushing forward.

Nade had a shot blocked from a corner before Alty should have made it 2-0. Joseph O’Neill crossed from the right but somehow Little managed to stub the ball wide from six yards when faced with a clear sight of goal.

Tindall replaced Coutts with Bernard on 64 minutes as the hosts reverted to a 4-4-2 system and moments later Beavon fired over after a turn on the edge of the area.

But the hosts’ hopes of getting back into the game were then crushed on 73 minutes when they conceded again. A corner from the left was headed back across goal by Peter Band and Little rose to nod in from close range.

In a last throw of the dice Crawley and Rink were brought on for Weatherstone and Dutton, and the switch very nearly had an instant impact but Crittenden could only shoot straight at Coburn.

Weymouth did pull one back in added-on time through Nade who struck low into the net after a fine lay-off by Beavon but it was too little too late.