Altrincham vs Oldham match preview
Words by Joe Ward
Alty are back at The J.Davidson Stadium on Tuesday night when we face Greater Manchester neighbours Oldham Athletic in the Vanarama National League (7:45pm kick-off) in what promises to be a blockbuster crowd.
It was agony for Altrincham in our last game as The Robins were held to a dramatic 4-4 draw thanks to a last-gasp Torquay United equaliser at Plainmoor.
For the neutrals watching along on BT Sports, it was a perfect game. But for Alty and our travelling fans it was heart-breaking to watch as two points slip away right at the death. Particularly after such a dominant performance in the first half which saw us score twice, hit the bar, and miss a penalty.
However, Phil Parkinson must now turn the boys’ attentions to this evening as we play Greater Manchester neighbours and league position neighbours Oldham Athletic, who sit just one point above us in 16th place.
The Latics on the other hand, will be hoping to build on their first league win in five outings as they beat Yeovil Town 2-0 at Boundary Park in their last game.
Managers Views
About The Opposition
Oldham were relegated from the Football League last season after finishing second to bottom in League Two, therefore becoming the first ever former Premier League side to drop into non-league football.
Following the relegation, Oldham started well in their opening two fixtures of their first National League campaign, picking up four points from a possible six. However, as the season continued, The Latics struggled to adjust to their new surroundings and on the 17th of September, former manager John Sheridan stepped down making way for David Unsworth.
Since then, our Greater Manchester neighbours have continued to wrestle for consistency, sporting the worst away record in the league, winless and with just three points on the road.
However, Alty will still have to keep an eye on a couple of players heading into tonight’s game, starting with Ben Tollitt who leads The Latics’ goal scoring charts with four goals so far this campaign. The 27-year-old winger, signed from AFC Fylde, has scored three in his last five and will hope he can continue his good run of form in front of goal tonight.
Another potential threat might arise in the form of forward Mike Fondop. The former Hartlepool player heads into tonight’s game full of confidence with three goals in his last three games.
One thing is for certain, Oldham Athletic will be fired up against us tonight as we look to leapfrog our neighbours in front of what is sure to be a bumper crowd at The J.Davidson Stadium.
Ticket Information
£19 – Adult
£15 – Concession (Over 65 / Students / NHS Workers)
£7 – Junior (12-18)
£2 – Child (Under 12)
Buy your tickets online to reduce queueing times!
Matchday Information
We are delighted to confirm that the Fan Zone will open for the game, with an exciting selection of craft beers on draught and in bottles and cans, as well as a selection of wines, prosecco and soft drinks. We will have Cloudwater Helles and Cloudwater SoCal on Tap, with a range of Pomona Island and others in small pack.
Capacity in the Fan Zone will be limited to 100 at a time to begin with as we put in place the procedures and check the operability of the facility, but we would hope to be able to increase this over time. Introduce yourself to Alty fan and volunteer Frankie Burton who has worked hard to get the offerings in place, supported by the in-house team of Adele Hankinson and Stuart Buchan. And do let us know what you think of the Fan Zone. We would love your feedback to refine and improve the offering.
Away fans have been given around half of the Popular Side. We have done this to meet the demand from Oldham Athletic, and to minimise incursions into the home end by our visitors. In total, Oldham Athletic have been offered, and have sold 1606 tickets for the game. The game is therefore sold out for away fans, and there will be no tickets available in the away end on the gate. Any away fans buying home tickets will be refused admission or ejected and they will not be eligible for a refund.
There is new temporary segregation on the Popular side for this game, which may cause inconvenience for some home fans either not being able to stand in your normal places, or maybe having a slightly restricted view. We apologise for this and we can announce that there will be no segregation for our following two home games, on successive Tuesday nights against Wealdstone (Nov 1st) and Barnet (Nov 8th), both kicking off at 19:45 kick off.
Turnstiles will open at 6:30pm.
Please note we do not accept cards on the turnstiles so please buy online in advance or use the ATM opposite the ground at the convenience store. There will be the pay on the gate option for home fans, subject to online sales in the build up to the match. We reserve the right to amend this and make it all-ticket so please keep a close eye on all our communication channels throughout the day. We recommend buying online to ensure your place.
Tickets for away fans have sold out.
We kindly ask all supporters – home and away – to arrive early to ensure you are in the ground in plenty of time for kick-off and avoid late queues.
Please note, all supporters will be searched with a metal detector on entry to the stadium for your own safety.
Full food menu is available in all three food outlets offering a wide range of options to home and away fans!
The bar in the CSH will be available and the VP Lounge for our LoyAlty VIP and Elite members. Eddie Hussain, Gary Scott, and Robbie Lawton will be special guests in the VP and Sponsors Lounge this evening mixing with Sponsors and LoyAlty members.
For wheelchair or pushchair access please enter gate 5 and you will be looked after.
The matchday programme will be available to purchase around the stadium and the club shop will be open.
Parking is street only.
And last but not least …
We sincerely hope that both sets of fans enjoy the game!
