Emirates FA Cup First Round
Full time: Altrincham 1-0 Barnsley
Barnsley are out of the Emirates FA Cup at the first round after losing 1-0 to Altrincham at The J Davidson Stadium.
The Reds were left shellshocked after a single goal in the 47th minute from Damian Reeves gave the home-side the win. Reeves tapped home from a couple of yards after a good run and shot from Ryan Crowther, which created the chance for him.
The goal sparked a triple substitution from Head Coach Lee Johnson with Conor Hourihane, Conor Wilkinson and Lloyd Isgrove coming on for George Maris, Josh Scowen and Marc Roberts. The game did change on the substitutions and the Reds looked dangerous, with the best chance falling to Wilkinson who hit his volley just wide.
The Reds had a late onslaught into the Altrincham box but couldn’t find an equaliser after some good saves from Tim Deasy in goal. Hourihane hit the bar with a free kick, and Wilkinson had a late volley trickle just wide. In a match that saw lots of stoppages in play, many free kicks, torrential rain and a bobbly surface, the home-side came through winners by the single goal.
The First real chance fell to the Reds after four minutes. George Maris broke into the Alty box and looked certain to score until he was crowded out by multiple defenders.
Just a minute later Sam Winnall had an effort on target, but the bodies on the line blocked his effort. On seventeen minutes Altrincham appealed for a penalty against Marc Roberts after a ball in the box hit him, the home side shouted for a handball but the referee correctly waved the protests away.
Altrincham had their first real effort of the match on twenty-two minutes from Jake Moult. The defender hit a half volley which Adam Davies tipped over his bar and out for a corner.
This was quickly followed by the Reds attacking again, this time Alfie Mawson curled his shot just wide from twenty-five yards. The Reds then had their own penalty appeal after Sam Winnall ran into the box and went down, but again the referee gave nothing.
On thirty-one minutes the hosts had their best chance. Jake Moult again with the effort from the edge of the area but he curled over the bar despite having lots of time and space.
Just before half time, Winnall came close after he smashed an effort at the front post but Deasy saved well again.
Half time: Altrincham 0-0 Barnsley.
The second half started disastrously for the Reds as Altrincham scored. A slip from Ben Pearson allowed Ryan Crowther to run through on goal, and the winger hit a low shot which Davies saved well, but the rebound was turned home from Damian Reeves.
Lee Johnson made three substitutions at once following the goal. Hourihane, Wilkinson and Isgrove replaced Scowen, Roberts and Maris. The subs had an instant impace as Isgrove’s trickery beat his man on many occasions.
Many shots from different areas followed with Conor Wilkinson having most the chances from Sam Winnall’s headed knock downs. In the 75th minute, Conor Hourihane hit the bar from a 25 yard free-kick. In the 83rd minute, Wilkinson had another chance but his left footed volley went narrowly wide. In the 89th minute, yet another good save from Deasy in the Altrincham goal denied Hourihane an equaliser.
Multiple free-kick’s from Hourihane into the Altrincham box following persistent fouls, caused trouble but the ball just didn’t bounce kindly for the Reds to finish.
Adam Davies came up for a corner in the last minute of stoppage time but even the extra body didn’t get the Reds an equaliser they had pressed so hard for.
Reds Team: Davies, Wabara, G Smith, Nyatanga, Mawson (c), Scowen (Isgrove 53), Pearson, Winnall, Watkins, Maris (Wilkinson 53) , Roberts (Hourihane 53)
Unused Subs: Townsend, Bree, Jackson, White
Full time: Altrincham 1-0 Barnsley.
Attendance: 2,571 (814 Reds).
