Altrincham 1–0 Southend United: chances left behind after the Rochdale high

After beating Forest Green and Rochdale, this was a frustrating way to bring the week back down to earth. Southend had chances at Altrincham. What we did not have was a finish.

Liam Humbles scored the only goal in the 14th minute, and for all the opportunities that followed, The Shrimpers could not find a way past Luke Hutchinson. The unbeaten run through March is over, and we are back outside the play-off places.

That is the part that stings. Tuesday’s win over the leaders had put us seventh and given us something to build on. Four days later, a match in which we had enough openings to take something ended with nothing.

There is no need to pretend the Rochdale result counts for less because of this. It was a good win. But this was a chance to follow it up, and we have let it go.

One corner, and a lead to chase

Southend began with Keenan Appiah-Forson trying his luck from distance and bringing Hutchinson into the game. At the other end, Collin Andeng-Ndi produced an excellent save to keep out Lucas Weaver’s header from close range.

Unfortunately, the reprieve lasted only until the resulting corner. Southend did not clear, Humbles was able to strike from 12 yards and Altrincham had their lead.

It is always irritating to concede from the next phase after your goalkeeper has made a save like that. Andeng-Ndi had done his bit. We then needed to finish the defensive job, and did not.

At 1–0 there was still plenty of time. The problem was that Southend were now chasing a match that Altrincham could protect, rather than making the home side respond to us.

The openings were there

Joe Gubbins had a good opportunity after Andrew Dallas flicked the ball on, only for Hutchinson to save with his legs. Dallas then headed wide from Oli Coker’s cross.

Those moments offered encouragement because we were getting into positions where an equaliser was possible. They also became more frustrating as the afternoon wore on. Getting there is one thing; making the chance count is the bit that changes the score.

Harry Boyes brought another save from Hutchinson early in the second half with a low shot. Then came the opportunity that will probably stay with us longest: Boyes delivered for Tom Hopper, but the close-range volley went wide.

That was Southend’s best chance. After three goals against Rochdale, we could not find one here, even with an opening as inviting as that.

Changes, pressure and no equaliser

Kevin Maher used all five changes as he looked for a way back. Jack Bridge and Slavi Spasov came on after 61 minutes, with Josh Walker, Ben Goodliffe and debutant Alfie Massey following later.

Massey showed some promise in midfield on his first appearance. In a game that ended this way, it is easy for a debut to get lost among the missed chances, but it was still a moment worth noting.

Boyes and Gubbins forced Hutchinson to work again. Coker and Bridge also went close. There was no shortage of attempts to put things right, but the equaliser remained out of reach.

I find these defeats particularly hard to take. There are afternoons when you know you have been well beaten and can identify exactly why. Here, the chances were there to change the result. Each one that went begging left us needing the next.

A late appeal, but the damage was already done

Bridge’s booking for simulation in stoppage time added one last layer of frustration. He appeared to have been tripped in the penalty area, but the decision went against him and there was no late route back from the spot.

It was a contentious ending, although I would not want the whole report to turn on that incident. We had opportunities before stoppage time to take the decision out of the referee’s hands. Hopper’s chance, Dallas’s header and the saves Hutchinson made are part of the story too.

Altrincham kept their lead. Southend left the J. Davidson Stadium beaten for a fourth successive visit, which is a record we would very much like to stop adding to.

A missed chance, with another game close behind

The table puts Southend eighth on 61 points, one behind Halifax with two games in hand. That leaves us in the argument, but games in hand only help when we turn them into points.

My frustration is with the opportunity missed here. We had arrived after two wins against strong opposition and had enough chances to avoid defeat. Instead, Humbles’s early goal was enough to settle it.

Woking come to Roots Hall on Wednesday, before the FA Trophy semi-final at Southport on Saturday. There is plenty to look forward to, but the league game needs our attention first. A response at home would be a useful place to start. Up the Shrimpers.