Altrincham started the first game of the new season well, taking an eighth minute lead.

The goal was made by man of the match Liam Humbles's excellent pass to Aidan Barlow. His shot from left of centre, inside the box, was pushed away by the Southend keeper Duncan, only for Crawford to find the net with the loose ball, from the right.

But, after some wasteful shooting from the visitors, they equalised with their first shot on target after 37 minutes when Parillon cut inside from the left and drilled a low, right-footed shot just inside Evans's right hand post.

Disaster struck in the second half when goalkeeper Evans dwelt on the ball at his feet and Cardwell dispossessed him, the ball running on to Coker who gave the Shrimpers a 1-2 lead (53 mins).

It got worse as Matty Kosylo received two yellow cards for fouls committed in a three-minute spell, with the ALty man seeing red as a consequence (70 mins).

Soon afterwards Evans made a fine save but suffered a leg injury in the process. Though he continued after treatment he was clearly hobbling before Southend made it 3-1 in the 85th minute.

This goal came after substitute Kirk had lost possession inside the visitors' half. Kamara fed Cardwell who netted the goal (85 mins).

Alty's woes continued as Evans had to be replaced in goal by Andy Firth whose arrival at the club had only been announced on the eve of the match.

SCORERS:

• 8 mins: Tom CRAWFORD (Altrincham 1 Southend United 0)
• 37 mins: Leon PARILLON (Altrincham 1 Southend United 1)
• 53 mins: Oli COKER (Altrincham 1 Southend United 2)
• 85 mins: Harry CARDWELL (Altrincham 1 Southend United 3)

REFEREE: Mr Zac Kennard-Kettle

ATTENDANCE: 2,403 (801 away)

TEAM NEWS:

Charlie Olson (hamstring), Eddie Jones (hamstring), Owen German (ruptured achilles), Kahrel Reddin and Kristian Dennis were missing today, presuambly all being injured , whilst Sam Barnes was suspended.

So the starting eleven included four men (Evans, Humbles, Barlow and Taylor) who had not been on the club's books at the end of last season, whilst the bench included six players with just five league starts between them all (Hinchy 1, Breckin 0, Firth 0, Raymond 0, Forde 4, and Bailey 0).

The seventh sub, Kirk had 17 league starts to his name and 20 more NL apppearances from the bench but had failed to score in his almost 1600 minutes of league playing time for Altrincham.

LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white sleeves and trim, red shorts and white socks): 1. Owen Evans; 14. Matty Kosylo, 5.Jake Cooper, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Sam Taylor, 8. Liam Humbles, 7. Otis Khan, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 10. Aidan Barlow, 11. Jimmy Knowles, 17. Lucas Weaver. Subs: 4. Jack Hinchy, 12. Kian Breckin,13. Andy Firth (gk), 16. Remi Raymond, 23. Charlie Kirk, 25. Joel Bailey, 26. Anthony Forde.

SOUTHEND UNITED (All yellow with blue shirt sleevs) 1. Joe Duncan, 2. Vontae Daley-Campbell, 3. Kyle McAdam, 4. Anthony Hartigan, 6. Ben Goodliffe, 8. Darren Oldaker, 9. Harry Cardwell, 19. Leon Chambers-Parillon, 20. Daniel Cox, 24. Charley Kendall, 28. Oli Coker (c). Subs: 5. Rayan Oyebade, 7. Sahid Kamara, 10. Sam Austin, 11. Lewys Twamley, 13. Jack Sims (GK), 23. Josh Popoola, 27. RYAN COLCLOUGH,

BACKGROUND:

This opening match of the season brought a Southend United team to Altrincham which bore little resemblance to the Shrimpers team which had faced the Robins last season. As well as losing manager Kevin Maher over the summer, key players such as Harry Boyes, Gus Scott-Morriss, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Slavi Spasov, Collin Andeng-Ndi, Cav Miley, Jack Bridge, Nathan Ralph and Noor Husin had all departed since last season.

In charge today was Keiron Dyer, starting his first match as manager of a National League side. The Shrimpers had yet to win a match at Moss Lane.

For Altrincham it had also been a summer of change with important players such as Tylor Golden, Isaace Marriott and Olly Crankshaw having opted to move to other National League clubs. Sevennew faces had arived at the club in the shape of Owen Evans, Sam Taylor, Kristian Dennis, Jack Hunchy, Liam Humbles, Aidan Barlow and Andy Firth.

Both sides were in new strips today.

REPORT:

On a warm, sunny afternoon, Altrincham kicked off towards the 800 or so vocal visiting supporters in the Hale end. Parillon headed a first minute effort well off target from a Coker cross in the first minute before a good move instigated by Kosylo ended with Weaver on the deck in the box appealing fruitlessly for a penalty (3 mins).

In a lively start, Parilon's advnace on the left ended with Kendall heading narrowly over the bar (5 mins).

And the first goal of the afternoon arrived in the eighth minute as Humbles played in Barlow in the inside-left channel and, inside the box, he forced a parried save from Duncan. The ball ran to the Alty right from where Tom Crawford drove the ball into the net to put Alty one up.

Altrincham continued to get forward, predominantly up their left flank, but Crawford's blocked shot in the 17th minute was the nearest to a chance at either end.

Hartigan was rightly booked for a crude challenge on Humbles which left the midfielder needing treatament (21 mins).

Southend's shooting cntinued to be wayward as McAdam fired over the bar from the left (24 mins). However, the visitors were now geting on top but Kendall's effort, which landed in Golf Road, was the nearest to a goal threat (30 mins)..

Kosylo then found Humbles who fed Knowles, on the right wing, but his cross went behind the Alty players in the goalmouth (34 mins). Southend had yet to muster an effort on target when they equalised; Parillon cut in from the left and fired a low, right-foot shot, into the bottom corner to Evans's right to make it one apiece (37 mins).

Alty responded with good play from Knowles on the right which led to a Crawford shot that earned a corner (39 mins).

As the interval approached the Shrimpers were on top but a well-constructed Altrincham move saw Taylor move forward impressively, allowing Crawford an effort from 25 yards which was blocked (44 mins).

Just before the interval whistle, Daley-Campbell was booked for a hefty challenge but the break arrived with score one apiece.

Bizarrely in bright sunshinem the floodlights were on and thought they were soon switched off, they later came back on for no good reason

Weaver, Crawford and Mosylo soon gave Barlow a chance which he scooped over the bar (47 mins).

Five minutes later Barlow had another sight of goal but his 25 yarder was comfortably saved. Southend for their part were again wastefel with Oldaker now missing the target comfortably (52 mins).

Then came the decisive moment of the afternoon as goalkeeper Evans, with the ball at his feet, was robbed of possession by Cardwell, the ball finding its way to the right where Coker made it 1-2 to the Shrimpers (53 mins).

A double change for the visitors came when former Alty man Colclough replaced Kendall and Hartigan gave way to Kamara (56 mins). Colclough occupied the left flank.

Parilon soon shot narrowly wide as the visitors enjoyed the momentum gained by taking the lead.

Manager Gibson was now booked by the referee for protesting a decision (60 mins) before a fine advance by Kosylo ended with a firm shot which narowly cleared the bar. With the floodlihjts now back on for an unfathomable reason, Alty made a strong appeal for handball by a Southend defender before Colclough threatened at the other end, layong a ball across the Alty goalmouth.

Midway through the half Kosylo was booked for a foul (67 mins) and, when he upended Colclough just three minutes later, he saw a second yellow and then a red card (70 mins).

Crawford moved to right-back to replace Kosylo but Southend now had the bit betwen their teeth and it took a fine double save from Evans to keep the visitors out with Kamara being the man denied by the second save (74 mins).

However, Evans injured himself in making the stops and needed treatment before resuming. In the interim Bailey came on at right-back for Weaver who had had little influence on the game (74 mins).

As Southend mantained the forward momentum Evans made a smart save to guide a shoot over his bar for a corne r (80 mins).#

Alty next made a double swap with Kirk and Hinchy replacing Knowles and Humbles respectively (81 mins).

Three minutes later play halted again as the visitors brought on Austin for Oldaker and Popoola for Parillon (84 mins).

The icing on Southend's cake arived when Kirk lost possession inside the Southend half and the visitors broke forwad with Kamara feeding Cardwell who netted to make it 1-3 (85 mins).

Altrincham then replaced their limping keeper, Evans, by the newly signed Firth (86 mins) along with Breckin coming on for Barlow (87 mins) whilst, for Sotuthend, Twamley replaced Cardwell (87 mins).

Just before seven added minutes were decreed, Banks was cautioned for a foul on Twamley (90 mins).

The added minutes were lengthened when Crawford needed treatment for a clash of heads but the final whistle soon ended a disappointing afternon for Altrincham.

With Barnes and Kosylo suspended and half a dozen others seemingly sidelined by injured and two others at least having gone out on loan, Alty may struggle to find 18 fit players for next Saturday's clash at Sutton. There is not a lot of optimism amongst the Alty faithful.