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.
After putting in a great performance at Chester on Boxing Day to win 2-0 in difficult conditions, it was really frustrating to lose at home to Nuneaton on Sunday in a game where we had four gilt-edged chances on a silver salver but didn’t taken any of them.
When that happens, you are always susceptible to concede and that’s what happened as Nuneaton took an opportunity that came their way to score the only goal of the game.
We weren’t too harsh on the players after the game as they are not going far wrong. The general performance on Sunday was OK on a surface that was tricky under foot for both teams.
At the higher level that we are playing at now, we need to convert a greater proportion of our chances. We are pretty good at creating opportunities but we must be more clinical when they present themselves and we just didn’t against Nuneaton and paid the price.
Converting one chance in four may have been good enough in Conference North but in the higher league, we need to be converting one in every two to achieve results that match our performances.
Below: Highlights of the defeat to Nuneaton
Too many times this season, particularly against the teams that are below us in the league, we have dominated but ended up losing or drawing… Telford away and both games against Alfreton immediately spring to mind.
We were without three players for Sunday’s game, but hopefully all of them (Shaun Densmore, Simon Richman and Peter Cavanagh) will be available for the return game against Chester at our place on New Year’s Day (kick off 3pm) when a big crowd is expected.
We picked up a couple of injuries late on against Nuneaton, with Nicky Clee getting a kick on his calf and James Lawrie suffering with a tight hamstring, so we will just have to wait and see how they go this week.
After the New Year’s Day game, we face a long trip down to Eastleigh in Hampshire on Sunday for another very tough looking fixture against a side who are now in a play-off position.
Despite the fact that we have lost our final match of the year, 2014 has been a great one. The dramatic promotion via the play-offs was the obvious highlight but the way the players have acquitted themselves in the Vanarama Conference has been pleasing, particularly the improvements shown in the last three months.
I think that there is more to come from this group of players in 2015 and hopefully we can progress further in terms of our league position and have a good run in the FA Trophy, both of which would make for a very Happy New Year for all Alty fans.
