Altrincham put an end to AFC Fylde's run of 17 hiome games without defeat with their own fifth win of the season, all of which have been, quite remarkably, 2-1 victories!

With Jimmy Knowles starting in place of Kahrel Reddin for Altrincham, all of the match's goals came in a five-minute spell inside the opening quarter of the contest.

Kane Hemmings swept Altrincham into a fifteenth-minute lead, converting a low ball from the right from Matty Kosylo.

But two minutes later Fylde were level when Whelan converted a pass from the left by Mitchell (17 mins).

What proved to be the winner was a wonderful strike from the right by Matty Koylo from a Barlow pass in the 20th minute.

Alty could have added to their lead, with Fylde twice clearing the ball off their line, whilst the Coasters got in a some dangerous but unconverted low crosses.

Alty were on the back foot for the final twenty minutes but withstood the pressure without too many alarms.

The only downside was the accrual of four yellow cards.

Altrincham now lie tenth in the National League with only goal difference separating them from the play-off places.

SCORERS:

• 15 mins: Kane HEMMINGS (AFC Fylde 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 17 mins: Tom WHELAN (AFC Fylde 1 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 20 mins: Maty KOSYLO (AFC Fylde 1 ALTRINCHAM 2)

REFEREE: Mr Ollie Yates

ATTENDANCE: 1,528 (409 in away section)

TEAM NEWS:

In midweek Altrincham had been without seven of their squad through injury or illness (German, Jones, Olson, Dennis, Khan, Forde, Evans); today was no different.

The inclusion of Knowles in place of Reddin and Barlow for Kirk were the only changes to their starting eleven.

Fylde gave a home debut to Millar Matthews-Lewis and both Adam Lewis and Tom Whelan came into the eleven as Broad and Upton moved to the bench

LINE-UP:

AFC FYLDE (All white) 1. Zac Jones, 31. Adam Lewis, 17. Corey Whelan (c), 15. Will Lancaster, 29. Aaron Drewe, 6. Chris Merrie, 14. Greg Olley, 4. Ethan Mitchell, 8. Tom Whelan, 7. Luca Thomas, 28. Millar Matthews-Lewis. Subs: 25. Pat Boyes, 3. Harvey Broad, 26. Luke Butterfield, 10. Danny Mayor, 22. Jack Morris, 5. Max Taylor, 18. T. Upton

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts with black chest-band, black ahorts and yellow socks): 13. Andy Firth, 14. Matty Kosylo, 21. Reuben Lopata-White, 24. Sam Barnes 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Sam Taylor, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 8. Liam Humbles, 11. Jimmy Knowles, 23. Charlie Kirk, 28. Kane Hemmings. Subs: 4. Jack Hinchy, 5.Jake Cooper, 10. Aidan Barlow, 20. Kahrel Reddin, 12. Kian Breckin, 17. Lucas Weaver, 32. Michael Acquah (gk)

BACKGROUND:

AFC Fylde had started the season brilliantly in their first campaign back at National level. They began this game lying second whilst Alty had finished their midweek match in twelfth position. But Alty had yet to avoid defeat in their four previous Saturday games this season!

REPORT:

On an overcast afternoon, the hosts kicked off and the contest got off to a quiet but even start. Sam Barnes found himself in the book early on after bringing down Matthews-Lewis some 35 yards out as the home forward threatened to get free (9 mins).

Following the freekick a ball went across the face of the Altrincham goal but it went unconverted

The first Fylde shot on target from the right brought a save from Firth from a Whelan shot at the near post, a corner being awarded (12 mins)

After a Lewis twenty-yarder had gone wide, Alty's Lopata-White won the ball on the right touchline before Kosylo played the ball low, inside to Hemmings who swept the ball into the keeper's bottom right-hand corner to put Altrincham ahead (15 mins).

But inside two minutes the hosts had equalised as Mitchell fed Whelan who turned and shot past Firth (16 mins).

Alty's disappointment did not last long as Barlow found Kosylo to his right and he hit a superb shot into the upper reaches of the Fylde net to restore the lead (20 mins).

An Alty corner was also soon won but nothing came of it. However, Knowles then made space but his shot was saved, low down by the keeper (25 mins).

Hemmings, who already had two previous bookings to his name, was fortunate to evade a third yellow card when he vehemntly protested against a refereeing decision(26 mins). Whelan was less lucky, being booked for a foul on Knowles moments later (27 mins).

Hemmings son went close to scoring again as he hooked a shot narrowly over the bar (28 mins) and Knowles then fired disappointingly wide (31 mins). Altrincham were proving more of a goal threat than in previous games this season.

When Crawford went down injured played continued for some time before the game halted for treatment to the Altrincham captain (34 mins).

With rain falling a foul on Knowles produced a freekick but nothing came of it.

Next, Banks found himself cautioned for a foul (40 mins) before a third presentable chance for Knowles went unconverted by a weak shot after he had made himself some space for a shot (43 mins). At the other end Lancaster fired well wide (44 mins).

In the decreed five added minutes a Whelan freekick went narrowly over the bar (45+1 mins). As the half concluded Barnes went down and had to be replaced by Cooper at centre-back (45+4 mins).

Having lost Barnes immediately before the break, another enforced change saw Hinchy come on for Crawford for the second half.

Knowles again went close to scoring soon afterwards as he burst forward but, though his shot beat the keeper, Drewe cleared it off the line (54 mins). Soon afterwards Whelan was booked for Fylde whilst Olley had strong claims for a penalty denied by Mr Yates to Alty's relief.

When the booked Whelan then felled Knowles, the home captain was lucky to avoid a second yellow (55 mins).

Play went through a scrappy spell as Alty remained reasonably comfortable with their lead as the hour mark was passed.

Knowles could have had a hatful of goals in this match but, when an excellent Barlow cross from right located him at the back post, the ball somehow evaded the Altrincham forward (63 mins).

Craig Mahon now made a triple substitution with Taylor, Butterfioeld and Mayer replacing Merrie, Olley and Whelan (64 mins).

After a Taylor pot at goal had gained a fortunate corner off a deflection (66 mins), a Lewis 25 yarder was held by Firth (67 mins).

Weaver now came on for Hemmings (69 mins) before Firth dashed out to his left touchline to clear a Fylde ball.

Net, Matthews-Lewis needed help from Kosylo to deal with a bout of cramp (71 mins) as Fylde now began to apply sustained pressure with substitute Mayer an important agent in that process.

For Alty the irrepressible Kosylo twice relieved pressure with counter-attacking runs up the right but, for the most part, Altrincham had all eleven back in their half.

The visitors were relieved when strong penalty appeals by Fylde were denied by an offside decision (77 mins).

Cooper was now booked for a crude hold on Matthews-Lewis (78 mins) before both teams made double changes. For Alty Kirk and Reddin replaced Lopata-White and Barlow (80 mins) before Upton and Broad came on for Fylde's Mitchell and Thomas (81 mins).

Next, Mayer fired narrowly wide from 25 yards as Fylde dominated proceedings. Lewis was now booked (85 mins) before Alty did get a rare sight of the Fylde goal when Kirk got up the left and fed Weaver whose shot was beaten out at the near post for a corner on the Alty left (87 mins).

A foul by Reddin earned him his side's fourth yellow of the game (88 mins) before Fylde gained two successive corners as the 90th minute was reahed.

Four added minutes were computed with Fylde's winning of a corner being the last action, the final whistle being blown before it could be taken (90+5 mins).

So Fylde's long unbeaten home record had gone and Alty had moved up to tenth following a fifth 2-1 win in their last six outings, which lifted them to tenth, outside the play-off places only on goal difference.