Match Report

Alty kicked off on a sunny but very cold Thursday lunchtime and, within 25 seconds, Vics' keeper Tynan slipped bizarrely as he kicked clear but Alty saved him any embarrassment as they were offside in any case. The visitors started the game the better, with Johnson soon impressing on his recall to the starting line-up but, overall, play was scrappy. However, Coburn had to be alert to save from Stamp's snap shot (11 mins).

A Price effort then found the side-netting as the Vics improved on their poor start. But Alty had a better chance when Johnson and Little set Senior free but he delayed his shot and only a corner resulted (13 mins). Northwich's defence looked shaky but Vics won a corner when Densmore took a touch rather than putting his foot through the ball (20 mins).

When Johnson brought the ball down well,setting up Peyton on the edge of the box, the midfielder executed an air-shot, to Northwich's relief. Alty wasted an even better chance when they won a penalty as Senior, fed by Little, was brought down in the box by Brown. Doughty seemed poised to take the spot-kick but in the delay caused by the booking of Tynan for protesting, Little took over the job but placed his kick too close to Tynan's dive to his left. The keeper pushed the ball out for a corner, which came to nothing (33 mins)

Above: Colin Little, off picture, sees Scott Tynan save his penalty kick.

But Altrincham still looked the better side, though even their play was less than fluid. They threatened again in the 39th minute when Senior was set free on the right but his cross came to nothing. Colin Little continued to have a disappointing afternoon as he gave away possession on several occasions. A fierce drive across the box by Densmore was then deflected clear by Northwich. In the period of added time at the conclusion of the first half, Alty won a corner but went into the interval having failed to make their superiority count in a generally disappointing game.

Doughty was having a good game on the Alty left whilst the visitors' backline looked solid, with McGregor again performing faultlessly. Play was approaching the hour mark when Densmore was fouled by Winn, who was rightly booked (59 mins). Altrincham won a corner a minute later and then Little got in behind the defence to the right of goal but his cross went to an opponent. This was the signal for his withdrawal, with Elam replacing him (64 mins). Two minutes later Vics brought on Jonny Allan to replace Price (66 mins).

Altrincham continued to press and won two corners, the first coming from a Densmore cross and the second when Tynan fumbled a defender's slice out of play. Peyton's over-ambitious effort from 35 yards hit a defender before Alty won another corner when a fine shot by Elam from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar (72 mins). When Elam was fouled just after this, Alty gained a freekick 25 yards out right of centre. A well rehearsed freekick routine saw Doughty slide the ball forward to Senior who, from the right by-line, got the ball acrpss the face of goal where Young tapped it into the net to give Alty the lead (73 mins).

Densmore, just back from suspension for a sending-off, then picked up his fifth yellow card of the season for a foul in midfield (75 mins). Winn got in a very wild shot at Coburn which went out for a throw-in. Vics had the ball in the net soon afterwards but there had been a foul on Coburn in the build up so it was ruled out. At this point, Joe O'Neill replaced Chris Senior (77 mins). Then, former Alty trialist Aaron Burns came on for Vics' Stamp (80 mins). Next Steele replaced Lodge as Vics played their final card (82 mins). Vics soon won a corner but it was Alty who should have added to their lead when O'Neill was put clear by Johnson but the ball ran to Tynan (88 mins).

Alex Meechan now replaced Johnson (89 mins). Burns sliced a half chance well over the bar with the game into added time (90+2 mins) but Alty saw out the remaining minute to record a vital away win which lifted them back into the top half of the table - before the rest of today's fixtures had started.

Altrincham were deserved winners but it was disappointing that they did not impose themselves more on a Northwich side which looked short on confidence. But with nine wins under their belt after just 24 games, Altrincham have already matched last season's total of league wins in 46 matches.