Match Report

The game was effectively decided just 11 seconds after Altrincham had kicked off, attacking the Carole Nash end, when Chris Senior received the ball, just inside the front of the box, from Colin Little. The Alty man jinked clear of a weak challenge and planted the ball into the bottom corner of the net, to the keeper's right. Amongst those who arrived late for kick off, and so sadly missed the goal, were Chris's parents, though many of the decent crowd of Mansfield supporters behind the goal in question may also have wished they had not seen it.

Mansfield responded by winning the game's first corner in the second minute, followed by a second flag-kick just a minute later. But Alty then threatened again when Little almost got on the end of a long punt upfield which ran to Gamble, the 20 year-old on-loan Nottingham Forest keeper. After the unfortunate ending to Saturday's game at Moss Lane, the crowd were in good voice supporting the team and the players themselves were looking far livelier than in their laboured performance against Lewes. The pace was fast and the sides were closing each other down well so the next sniff of a goal did not arrive till the 12th minute when Mansfield got the ball behind McGregor but Arnold, who looked their liveliest attacking player, shot wide of Coburn's left upright. But then, from a Densmore throw, Lawton - leading by example - got to the by-line and his low cross only just evaded Little in the goalmouth (13 mins).

Jeannin, the much travelled full-back, then crossed poorly from the left for the visitors before Young did well to break up a Mansfield attack. In Alty's midfield, Danylyk was again working hard whilst up front both Senior and Little looked alert and lively. Elam, who is improving with every game as he gains full fitness, was also getting forward well to join Little and Senior in what was at times a fluid three-pronged attack. Little then fired in an excellent effort from 25 yards, which was beaten out of his top right-hand corner by the keeper, Gamble. But the loose ball came to Doughty on the left and his testing ball back into the box induced Jeannin to concede an unnecessary corner on the Alty right. This became the first of three Altrincham corners in immediate succession and, from the last of these, Young rose well to meet Doughty's kick from the right. The centre-back's powerful header looked goal-bound till Silk somehow managed to clear it off the line with Gamble beaten (25 mins). Altrincham continued to set the pace, with new right-back Densmore getting forward well up the right flank.

For Mansfield, leading-scorer Stallard was well-shackled by Alty's defence and the big Jason Lee was also not enjoying much success alongside him. But Young was now penalized for an alleged foul on Lee, which might have gone the other way as Lee seemed to be backing into the defender. From the kick, 30 yards out, Arnold's cross found Stallard unmarked, but the 33 year -old former Notts County, Barnsley and Lincoln City man headed badly over the bar, though a free kick was awarded to Alty in any case (32 mins).

Alty's work rate continued to impress and the crowd continued to roar them on but it was Mansfield who gained the game's next corner when former Manchester City man D'Laryea saw his sliced effort take a deflection off a defender (36 mins). The corner came to nothing and, after the hectic pace of the first half hour, the game settled down to a slightly more measured speed. Little then got a half-chance which he sliced wide, before Coburn had to make a fine save from Arnold, after Mansfield had taken advantage of a misplaced McGregor pass and worked the ball into the Alty box. Coburn's save gave Town a corner, which evaded the Alty keeper, but the ball came off Jason Lee for a goalkick (44 mins). One minute of added time was played but Altrincham left the field with a deserved lead.

Visiting manager Billy McEwan is not a man to shilly-shally and he had obviously shaken up his team at the interval, prompting them to deliver their best play of the game in the period just after half-time. Three minutes into the half he took off Jeannin and brought on former Kidderminster man, Gavin Hurren. After Young had conceded a freekick against Lee, Blackwood's freekick gave O'Hare a free header which Coburn tipped expertly over the bar for a corner (51 mins). Soon after this Mansfield brought on Robinson for Lee up front (53 mins). After Lee Elam had been barged off the pitch as he worked hard to cover a Mansfield attack, Chris Senior won his side a corner (57 mins). This came to nothing but Alty did then put together a good attack ending with a Little and Senior interchange.

Robinson won his side a corner just after the hour mark as the visitors enjoyed the better of the game at this stage without seriously threatening to score. Alty were playing on the break with the pace of Elam a key element in this. The referee, who otherwise had a good game, failed to see an elbow from Somner which laid Danylyk low. Nevertheless, Altrincham continued to stifle Mansfield before Warren Peyton came on for Chris Senior in the 73rd Minute, with Alty's popular goalscorer leaving to a generous round of applause.

Following a lecture for Blackwood for a foul, Altrincham continued to match Mansfield as the clock ticked away towards the final ten minutes. Indeed Alty were now getting back on top, though Coburn had to do well to get a hand on a bouncing ball in his penalty area. Alty captain Robbie Lawton epitomised the spirit in the side with a lung-busting 40-yard run out of defence to clear the Alty lines, just before Alty made their second substitution. Though Colin Little came across to be replaced, it was in fact Matt Doughty who was withdrawn to allow Joe O'Neill a run out (85 mins). Indeed Little almost made the most of his reprieve as he almost made it 2-0 moments later with a superb 25-yarder which was deflected out for a corner. Moments later Alex Meechan did come on to replace Little (86 mins) as another corner was won by Alty. Despite three added minutes of play Altrincham held their lead relatively comfortably to record an excellent victory which meant that they had doubled their points tally from six to twelve in the space of three days.

A week may be a long time in politics, as prime-minister Harold Wilson once said, but three days was quite enough in the world of football to transform the team's performance and the mood at Moss Lane. This was certainly Alty's best performance of the season and a perfect demonstration that the squad had the capability to hold its own at this level. The next test could not be tougher - away to Rushden and Diamonds next Monday, many people's tip for the BSP title after their big-spending summer. But a repeat of tonight's showing from Altrincham would provide a stern test for the ambitious Northamptonshire club. Matt Doughty was named Man of the Match on his recall to the side but there were many rival candidates in an excellent all-round team performance.