Alty and Halifax go toe-to-toe for place at Wembley
By Joe Ward
The Robins will look to seal a place at Wembley on Saturday when we host FC Halifax Town in the semi-final of the Isuzu FA Trophy (3pm kick-off).
Alty have beaten Curzon Ashton, Wrexham, Bracknell Town and York City to reach the last four ahead of our first Trophy semi-final in over 30 years.
And despite falling to title-chasing Notts County earlier in the week, there is no doubt the Robins will be well up for what is likely to be our highest-ever Trophy attendance at The J.Davidson Stadium.
However, Phil Parkinson's side will know the job is not yet done and, first, we must overcome tough opposition in the form of the Shaymen.
Manager's Views
Phil Parkinson spoke with Jonny Crowther following Alty's 2-0 defeat against Notts County.
About The Opposition
FC Halifax Town head into the huge clash on the back of a 2-0 win over Aldershot Town on Tuesday night, following second-half goals from Harvey Gilmour and Millenic Alli.
Alli, who joined from Stockport County at the start of the season, was also on the scoresheet during our last encounter with Halifax, as Chris Millington's side found a late equaliser to deny Alty all three points at The Shay on New Year's Day.
Our last home triumph against Halifax came just six days before New Year's Day as a stoppage-time goal from Chris Conn-Clarke secured a 2-1 victory for the Robins at The J.Davidson Stadium.
The West Yorkshire side currently sit 16th in the Vanarama National League table, possessing the fifth-worst away record in the league, capturing just 15 points from 20 games.
Nevertheless, our opponents have seen off Guiseley, Harrow Borough, Maidenhead United and Aldershot Town en route to Saturday's semi-final.
Alty last faced the Shaymen in this competition back in 2012 when the Robins lost 5-2 at The Shay in the first round.
Just four years later, Halifax clinched their first-ever FA Trophy following a 1-0 win against Grimsby Town in their first final and first visit to Wembley Stadium.
After Tuesday night's game, manager Chris Millington spoke to Shaymen TV to give his thoughts on Saturday's semi-final, saying, "Now, next up it’s Altrincham. I’ve said it before and I’m not trying to be clever but it’s Altrincham’s to lose.
"They’re the team who are at the right end of the table, they’re the ones who are in with a shout of pushing for the play-offs and are having a fantastic season.
"They’ve had some great results recently as well, so it’s theirs to lose. But, we don’t fear anyone, we go into every game expecting to win and doing everything we can to try to win.
"That will be no different on Saturday and it’ll be a great atmosphere and occasion in a tight little ground with a big crowd, so we’re really looking forward to it.”
Recent Meetings
National League 22/23:
FC Halifax Town 2-2 Altrincham, 1st January 2023
Altrincham 2-1 FC Halifax Town, 26th December 2022
National League 21/22:
Altrincham 1-1 FC Halifax Town, 15th April 2022
FC Halifax Town 2-0 Altrincham, 30th August 2021
National League 20/21:
Altrincham 0-1 FC Halifax Town, 10th April 2021
FC Halifax Town 3-2 Altrincham, 28th December 2020
Ticket Information
£19 – Adult
£15 – Concession
£7 – Junior
£2 – Child (U12)
Golf Road End, Main Stand and CSH tickets for this game have now sold out.
The only available home tickets are on the Popular Side, and availability is now low (as of Thursday). So, to avoid disappointment get yours now!
To avoid queueing, please arrive with plenty of time before kick-off!
Please Note: Season tickets are NOT valid for this game and therefore Season Ticket holders wishing to attend will have to purchase a ticket.
Hospitality is now sold out for this fixture.
Matchday Information
Information regarding gate times, ground movement, catering, retail and more will be publicised in a detailed FAQ article tomorrow morning.
Keep your eyes peeled on our social media channels for more updates.
Match Coverage
Radio Robins is broadcasting full live commentary on RadioAlty. You can listen to Radio Robins in any of the following ways:
Listen live on RadioAlty: https://streams.radio.co/s4d51ef3bf/listen
Listen live on RadioAlty: https://www.radioalty.co.uk/listen.html
In addition, the match will be covered on our Twitter page @altrinchamfc.
And last but not least...
A key message from Altrincham co-chairman Bill Waterson: “It is a sign of how far we’ve progressed as a club that we are regularly attracting larger crowds and we anticipate that the semi-final will be another such occasion.
"It will also be the first time that we implement specific allocated areas of the stadium that restrict movement for home fans for a big crowd, so we ask supporters to arrive in a timely manner to help us ensure everyone is comfortably inside the stadium for kick-off.
"Please be patient with club and security staff before, during and after the game itself as we are entering new territory here. These are regulated security measures, and our number one priority is to ensure a safe and enjoyable occasion for all attendees.”
