2-0 up after 25 minutes and with Kahrel Reddin running the Shots' defence ragged, Alty looked to be on course to a comfortable win, despite starting with a new-look side which included only two players who had started the opening match of last season, and with all three of the club's first-choice centre -backs sidelined by injury..

But, sent out early after the break, the visitors were then much improved and fought back to parity at 2-2, only to concede what proved to be the winner just three minutes later.

Reddin's speed up the right meant Alty could have been two up inside three minutes but they eventually took an eleventh-minute lead when the winger himself finished off a smart Alty move.

And it was the right-wnger's cross, headed home by captain Lewis Banks, that made it 2-0 (25 mins).

The intensity of the opening stages wore off but Alty retained their two-goal advantage at the interval, with the Shots failing to trouble debutant goalkeeper Hutchinson and his defence, which included a makeshift combination of right-back Lewis Banks and debutant loanee Dan Sassi at its heart.

Aldershot were improved after the break and it was ex-Alty winger Penney who got them back in the game heading in Theo Widdrington's cross from the right (56 mins).

After Abrahams had hit the bar, Clarridge made it 2-2 following a short-corner routine (76 mins). But Altrincham replied almost instantly, with Sassi winning a header from which substitute Jimmy Knowles netted his debut goal for the Robins (79 mins).

SCORERS:

• 11 mins: Kahrel REDDIN (ALTRINCHAM 1 Aldershot Town 0)
• 25 mins: Lewis BANKS (ALTRINCHAM 2 Aldershot Town 0)
• 56 mins: Matt PENNEY (ALTRINCHAM 2 Aldershot Town 1)
• 67 mins: James CLARRIDGE (ALTRINCHAM 2 Aldershot Town 2)
• 69 mins: Jimmy KNOWLES (ALTRINCHAM 3 Aldershot Town 2)

REFEREE: Mr Niall SMITH

ATTENDANCE: 1,852 (291 in away section)

TEAM NEWS:

With all three centre-backs sdielined by injury, Altrincham had brought in loanee central defender Dan Sassi from Blackpool and he was partnered by Lewis Banks who moved from right-bank. With Lewis Baines injured and Elliot Osborne on the bench it was Banks who captained the side (probably) for the first time in the National League.

Tylor Golden moved from left- to right-back with summer signing Sam Reed starting at left-back. Five Altrincham players were making their debuts today (Hutchinson, Reed, Ward, Gale and Sassi).

Banks and Crawford were the only two players to start this game as well as last-year's inaugural league match, underlining a year of change st the club.

Visitors Aldershot also had injury issues with Josh Brooking, Olly Scott, Ollie Harfield, Tyler Frost and James Henry all unfit for inclusion.

LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white stripes and black trim, black shorts, white socks): 30 Luke Hutchinson, 23 Tylor Golden, 34. Dan Sassi, 2 Lewis Banks (c), 3 Sam Reed, 8 Isaac Marriott, 22. Tom Crawford, 20 Kahrel Reddin, 7 Olly Crankshaw, 10 Keaton Ward, 9 James Gale. Subs: 6 Elliot Osborne, 11 Jimmy Knowles, 14 Matty Kosylo, 16 Remi Raymond, 17 Lucas Weaver, 27 Louie Fallon, 40 Charlie Kirk

ALDERSHOT TOWN (All yellow): 1. Marcus Dewhurst, 5.Ben Jackson, 6. Theo Widdrington (c), 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 10. Josh Barrett, 14. Jed Meerholz, 19. Ryan Hill, 30. Tristan Abrahams, 32. James Clarridge, 34. Dejan Tetek, 42, Matt Penney. Subs: 9. Kwame Thomas, 12. Keane Anderson, 16. Pat Nash (gk), 18. Kiban Rai, 24. Maxwell Mullins, 25. Will Nightingale, 28. Archy Taylor,

Aldershot Town arrived as FA Trophy holders and they had performed the double over Altrincham last season, despite finishing seven places below the Robins.

The playing surface was in excellent condition for this opening match of the league season.

With National League games invariably kicking off late in recent years, it was remarkable to see referee Niall Smith having to delay kick off of this match until 3pm arrived.

REPORT:

The Shots kicked off, defending the reasonably well populated away end. Within two minutes Reddin had shown a clean pair of heels as he raced up the right and put in a telling low cross which went unconverted. He repeated the feat a minute later, this time finding Crawford whose shot had to be smartly pushed away bu keeper Dewhurst diving, low, to his right (3 mins).

Indeed, Altrincham dominated the opening stages with, next, Penney having to be alert to see off Crankshaw on the Alty left (10 mins).

But Altrincham did soon take the lead, following a quickly taken freekick taken by Marriott to Crankshaw on the left. In turn, the winger found Ward whose shot/cross fed Reddin for a close-range goal (11 mins).

The lead was almost doubled when Dale's excellent lob was only just diverted by keeper Dewhurst and dropped narrowly wide of the net (15 mins).

Alty continued to dominate, winning a corner (16 mins) with debutant keeper Hutchinson unemployed at the other end. When Gale was tripped, seemingly just inside the front corner of the box, The Shots were spared a penalty award against them (22 mins).

But a second goal did soon arrive when Reddin raced up the right wing again before delivering a cross which Banks converted at the back post (25 mins).

After the half-hour mark Aldershot began to get a toehold in the game, albeit merely putting in a harmless cross (32 mins). After its pacey opening the game had now become more predictable but, when Gale tried to convert a cross with an overhead kick he accidentally caught Jackson's nose, an injury that required lengthy attention from the physios. In the aftermath Gale was cautioned (38 mins).

Jackson, unfortunately, had to be replaced by new signing Nightingale (41 mins).

Belatedly Aldershot tested Hitchinson for the first time after Golden had dived in for a mistimed tackle. From just utside the "D", the burly Barrett hit a superb freekick which was met by an excellent save, to his left, by Hutchinson, at the cost of a corner (44 mins).

Just after Golden ahd halted Widdrington in the Alty box, five added minutes were decreed. But there was to be no more scoring before the break though Aldershot had noticeably improved after the stoppage for the injury to Jackson.

The Aldershot players were sent out a good five minutes before the start of the second half, an indication of their manager's displeasure with their first-half performance. Whatever the gaffer had said seemed to have had some effect as his side started the second half far better than they had begun the game.

After Penney had fouled Golden yet escaped a card, Calrridge conceded another freekick as he mauled Gale. Ward's freekick went disappointingly to the keeper (51 mins). Nightingale was then booked for holding (53 mins) before a cross from the right by Widrington was met by ex-Alty man Penney's header at the back post which reduced the visitors' arrears to 2-1 (56 mins).

Alty almost extebded their lead, however, when Golden intercepted the ball and raced forward. He found Gale whose shot was blocked by the keeper, with the Alty striker unable to find the net friom the rebound.

As the hour mark passed the visitors were on top and Alty were increasingky bringing back all ten outfield players into their own defensive area.

To address the issue, Alty made a double swap when Kirk and Knowles replaced Crankshaw and Gale (64 mins). Hutchinson was then rather harshly booked for alleged timewasting as he moved the ball to a new goalkick-taking position (65 mins) Moments later Reed was more legitimately booked for holding Widdrington (66 mins).

Following a Ward corner, Sassi had a free header which he directed wide (70 mins) before, at the other end, Abrahams turned smartly and smacked a 25-yarder aginst the Alty crossbar (72 mins). A Nightingale effort from distance, shortly afterwards, was wayward before the visitors made a double change; Mullins and Thomas replacing Penney and Abrahams (73 mins).

Next, Hill was booked for a foul on Crawford (74 mins). oon afterwards Golden conceded a corner on the Shots' left. Taken short, it led to a header which Hutchinson saved but Clarridge was able to convert the rebound to make it 2-2 (76 mins).

A foul on Marriott soon produced a booking for Widdrington (78 mins). From the resulting freekick Sassi headed the ball before Knowles swept it into the net to make it 3-2 (79 mins). Afterwards captain Theo widdrington berated the referee at length for some reason.

The Shots almost levelled again when Tetek's 30 yarder was pushed out by Hutchinson (81 mins).

Two further Alty changes brought on Osborne and Weaver for Ward and Reddin (84 mins).

Aldershot also made two more changes as Taylor and Rai replaced Hill and Hargreaves (87 mins). A minute later Marriott became the fourth home booking for a foul on Rai.

Just before four added minutes were announced, Golden made it five cards for Altrincham (90 mins). However,Altrincham negotiated the added time without too many alarms to record a three-point haul despite fielding a makeshift defence and numerous debutants.