Altrincham FC manager Lee Sinnott will be giving us the inside track on the Robins’ return to the Conference. Here’s his latest column for Altrincham Today.
Two defeats this week have produced contrasting performances. On Saturday, we defended dreadfully and I feared the worst every time the ball went into our penalty area in the first half and after going in at half time three goals down, we eventually lost 4-1 at home to Wrexham.
It looked at times as if we were already on the beach enjoying our summer holidays and I was annoyed after the game and told the players that we faced a test of character with the long trip to Dover on Tuesday night.
The Dover trip was a huge challenge for the players, all of whom have jobs… in fact, our left back, Adam Griffin, was unable to travel, as he has just started a new job and wasn’t able to get time off. The team coach left the ground at 10am and we had a pre-match meal in Dover.
Below: Goalkeeper Stuart Coburn leads the team out against Wrexham in recognition of setting a new appearance record for the Robins, and (top) Ryan Crowther is tackled (Photos: Michael Ripley)
I thought that the players put in a performance that was full of spirit and endeavour and definitely deserved something out of the game. We trailed to an early goal and having taken 70 minutes to equalise through Luca Havern, it was a bitter pill to swallow, to then concede a late goal.
I’m sure that the hardy souls who made it down to the south coast would agree that the players gave their all, without any ultimate reward.
Some of the lads will have got home and taken the milk in with them, but’s that’s the lot of a part-time player at this level and we have to take the frustration and disappointment on the chin and come back strongly against Halifax on Saturday.
Neil Tolson and I will certainly have more selection options for this game. As well as Adam Griffin, we were without Shaun Densmore, Simon Richman and Stuart Coburn through injury on Tuesday night, but it looks like it will be just Shaun who is missing on Saturday, with a medial ligament injury sustained early in Saturday’s game that may keep our skipper out for the remaining seven games of the season.
I hope that our performance matches our kit on Saturday as we will be taking to the field in the pink shirts that are being used just for the game against Halifax Town, in order to raise Cancer Awareness.
The players’ special shirts, including white goalkeeper shirts, are available to be bid for by contacting the club on 0161 928 1045 or emailing office@altrinchamfootballclub.co.uk with all funds raised and those from the sale of replica shirts (£20) and a half-time bucket collection being donated to St Ann’s Hospice.
With just one win in our last seven games, Saturday would be the perfect time to get back to winning ways.
Below: Highlights from the defeats to Wrexham and Dover
