Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, October 12 2021, 7.45pm kick-off.
Conditions: A clear night with a bit of mist
Ground: Impressive as usual
Scorers: Joe Quigley 57 (1-0), AJ Leitch-Smith 65 (1-1)
Attendance: 1,640 (30 away supporters)
Referee: Matthew Russell
Bookings:
Yeovil: Robinson 90+2
Altrincham: Hancock 35, Pringle 83
Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)
Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jordan Barnett
Tom Knowles, Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman
Ben Seymour Joe Quigley Adi Yussuf
Subs: Charlie Wakefield (for Knowles, 75), Alex Bradley (for Moss, 86), Jack Robinson (for Worthington, 90), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton Max Evans.
Altrincham: Thompson (for Hampson, 16) , Hannigan, Moult, Jackson, Pringle, Senior, Mullarkey (for Furman, 23), Hancock, Kosylo (for Peers, 70), Leitch-Smith, Mooney . Substitutes: Densmore, Dinanga.
Match Report
Yeovil Town failed to win at Huish Park for the fourth consecutive game after being held to a draw against an Altrincham side who fielded a defender in goal for 74 minutes of the National League fixture.
Joe Quigley had put the Glovers’ ahead after 57 minutes only for the strike to be cancelled out by the old boy curse with former Glover AJ Leitch-Smith snatching an equaliser just eight minutes later.
The home side started brightly and had the first effort on goal after three minutes with Adi Yussuf drawing a good save from Tony Thompson in the visitors’ goal.
Max Hunt was fortunate not to put in his own net shortly after. Ex-Glover AJ Leitch Smith‘s effort towards goal struck Hunt’s hip and trickled past Grant Smith‘s post.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Space opened up nicely for Tom Knowles in the seventh minute but his low effort skidded wide of the left-hand post.
Altrincham were forced into an early change with an injury to keeper Thompson. With no keeper on the bench they were forced to bring on Connor Hampson in his place and it was not long before the left back was called in to action.
A scramble in the box opened up nicely for Yussuf who struck a low effort which Hampson was equal to with an impressive reaction from the stand-in stopper.
Altrincham were forced into another change in their backline in the 22nd minute with Toby Mullarkey going off injured.
In the 45th minute Altrincham had their first effort at goal through top-scorer, Dan Mooney. Good interplay between Leitch-Smith and Josh Hancock set up the winger who cut inside and curled a left-footed effort over Smith’s bar.
The half-time break came with Yeovil having the majority of the ball without doing a great deal with it.
Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Altrincham 0
he Glovers came out strong in the second half and Matt Worthington had a decent effort from the edge of the box which was deflected wide for a corner.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Just before the hour mark Yeovil opened the scoring after Joe QUIGLEY pounced on a free kick that was spilled into the six yard box by Altrincham’s (not) keeper. Yeovil’s top scorer finished with the goal gaping and raced off in front of the raucous Thatchers’ Stand.
That must be the first goal we have scored at the Thatchers end in ages. #YTFC
— Andy Cleave (@CleaveO) October 12, 2021
LEITCH-SMITH equalised for Altrincham in the 65th minute – why wouldn’t he? He was alert after Staunton couldn’t clear his lines allowing The striker to out it into the roof of the net.
Yeovil reacted and came inches from retaking the lead shortly after. The Glovers piled on the pressure from a corner and Hampson in the goal. He saved a header from a corner but put it back into danger and Max Hunt’s head. Altrincham defenders were on the line to clear away from the goal.
In the hosts’ goal, Smith was forced into a reaction save in the 73rd minute, palming the ball over the line after a couple of ricochets.
Quigley nearly had a second moments later with a sharp turn and volley that went wide of the post. Ten minutes from time Quigley’s low header caused problems.
Altrincham were adamant they should have had a penalty a couple of minutes later when Leitch-Smith’s shot was blocked by Staunton. The Altrincham players appealed for handball but the referee awarded a goal kick in the resulting scramble.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Yussuf thought he’d given Yeovil a late lead in the 85th with a back post header that was blocked around the line. Altrincham were awarded a freekick as Yussuf appealed but there was nothing given.
Yeovil kept pressing and searching for a winner but couldn’t break down Altrincham’s back line who managed to earn a draw after defending a goal without a recognised keeper for 70 minutes.
The win moved Darren Sarll’s men up a place to 14th in the National League table, but with an FA Cup tie against local rivals Weymouth coming up at the weekend, Huish Park still expects.
Sarll has a massive game on Saturday now for me. It’s a must win. #ytfc
— Gareth bowden (@therealbean88) October 12, 2021