For the first time since 2006, and at the thirteenth attempt, Altrincham won a home game to kick off their season by beating an unimpressive Woking side by the only goal of a game punctuated by frequent interruptions by a whistle-happy referee.

The afternoon started badly for Alty as Eddy Jones was shown a straight red card after just 12 minutes for a challenge on Cian Harries.

Ironically it was his replacement from the bench, Tylor Golden, who struck a superb shot into the top corner of the Woking net fourteen minutes later to give his side the lead on his debut. Max Haygarth had been the unfortunate player substituted to cover for Jones's dismissal.

The match became ten-aside eight minutes after the interval when Gorman's foul on Crawford earned him a second yellow card, having been booked for grabbing hold of Eddy Jones after the red-card incident.

The Cards created little in the way of a goal threat and, after a second half punctuated by frequent freekicks for petty fouls Altrincham were deserved winners.

SCORERS:

• 27 mins: Tylor GOLDEN (ALTRINCHAM 1 Woking 0)

Altrincham started the season without the long-term injured duo of Isaac Marriott and Ollie Crankshaw. In addition Matty Kosylo was unfit to be included and Regan Linney was only fit enough for the bench.

As for the new summer signings, only Tom Crawford started the game, whist the now permitted seven on the bench included four players (Golden, Reddin, Weaver and Fallon) who had yet to make their Altrincham debuts.

LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, white socks): 1. Ethan ROSS, 2. Lewis BANKS, 4. Lewis BAINES (c), 5. Jake COOPER, 3. Eddy JONES, 6. Elliot OSBORNE, 22. Tom CRAWFORD, 10. Alex NEWBY, 21. Max HAYGARTH, 11. Justin AMALUZOR, 24. Joe NUTTALL. Subs: 9. Regan LINNEY, 19. George WILSON, 23. Tylor GOLDEN, 15. Kahrel REDDIN, 16. James JONES, 17. Luke WEAVER, 27. Louie FALLON (gk)

WOKING (Yellow shirts, blue shorts and socks) 22. Will Jaaskelainen, 6. Jamie Andrews, 35. Max Dyche, 8. Dale Gorman (c), 4. Cian Harries, 2. D. Kelly-Evans, 9. Charley Kendall, 11. Dennon Lewis, 14. Deon Moore, 2. Dan Moss, 5. Timi Odusina. Subs. 16. Tunji Akinola, 23. Jermaine Anderson, 10. Harry Beautyman, 3. Jacob Jones

Woking were only able to name four substitutes, presumably a side-effect of their financial woes.

This was the ninth opening match of a season to be played at home in the last ten seasons, and none of those nine had been won by Altrincham.

The visitors started the better with Lewis and Moore both getting in shots, which were off-target.

In the twelfth minute Altrincham were struck a major blow as Eddy Jones's reckless challenge on Cian Harries prompted anger from the Woking players and a red card from Mr Oldham. The Woking captain, Gorman, Gorman's grabbing of Jones after the foul earned him a yellow card too (12 mins).

Max Haygarth was the unfortunate man withdrawn to allow Tylor Golden to come on for his debut and fill in for Eddy Jones at left-back (14 mins).

Soon, there was a shaky moment for the hosts as Nuttall had to head clear an aerial ball (16 mins). But gradually Altrincham came to terms with their man-deficiency as play settled into a more even contest punctuated by minor fouls.

Not long afterwards, Alty won their second corner of the afternoon but, at this stage, neither keeper had been troubled.

However, when Crawford fed Newby, Alty's no.10 played the ball back to Golden. From the front edge of the box, the former Shayman curled an impressive shot into the far top corner to the left of Jaaskelainen's despairing dive, giving the ten-men a 27th minute lead.

Play continued without a serious attempt on goal by either side before Banks got forward and struck a good shot which flew just clear of the bar (42 mins).

Woking almost got level as the match went into added time but a deflected shot was saved by Ross's legs, a corner resulting.

There was still time for Amaluzor to waste a good chance to double the home lead. Having advanced on the right he scuffed a week shot at the keeper (45+2 mins). So Alty still led by the only goal at the interval.

At the break The Cards introduced new signing Harry Beautyman, from Sutton United; he replaced Kelly-Evans. A Woking advance up the Altrincham left earned them a corner but this came to nothing (48 mins).

Then a second yellow card offence by Gorman, in front of the main stand, earned the Cards' captain an early bath, levelling the contest at ten aside (53 mins).

Almost immediately Altrincham nearly doubled their lead as Newby beat his man and Amaluzor's effort led to a Newby attempt being cleared off th Woking goal-line (55 mins).

Next, an excellent header from Beautyman went narrowly wide as Ross scrambled across his goal (56 mins). Moments later a Woking shot was also only just off target (57 mins).

Amaluzor, not for the first time, was penalised for a foul as the match became scrappy and punctuated by frequent freekicks for minor fouls. The NL Paper was to record 34 fouls in the match, 19 by Altrincham.

Just after the hour, Woking brought on Anderson for Moore (61 mins). A minute later Dyche was booked and a further minute after that Osborne's foul on Kendall earned him a yellow card as the scrappy contest continued (63 mins).

Andrews's freekick hit the wall and his follow-up went over the bar (64 mins).

Next, Amaluzor scuffed another shot from a promising situation (67 mins). The wingman's disappointing afternoon continued as, next, facing only the keeper, he hit a weak effort at Jaaskelainen's feet (68 mins).

d Amaluzor's afternoon got no better when another foul by him earned a lecture in the presence of his captain, Baines (73 mins).

Alty were fairly comfortable with their lead but play was now disrupted by several substitutions and minor fouls.

A second change for Alty arrived as George Wilson came on in midfield to replace Amaluzor (78 mins). A further change came nine minutes from time, when Regan Linney replaced Newby and, with five minutes remaining, Joe Nutttall was replaced by debutant Kahrel Reddin.

A minute later Jones replaced Andrews for the visitors (86 mins). .

With the match into added time, a Woking header went close to levelling the score and two successive corners resulted.

Golden picked up a yellow card in added time (90+2 mins) but the match ended with the Cards having failed to capitalise on their 40 minutes of playing with eleven against ten men.