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REPORT

Report based on information from George Heslop.

Altrincham started the game as the better team for the opening twenty minutes. However, as expected, Ashton, an athletic and taller team than Alty, raised their game and play soon settled into an even contest. The hosts tested the Altrincham back four and either team could have taken a first-half lead but the interval arrived with the game goalless.

AHT Altrincham changed from 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2 formation for the second half. This was the first time that Altrincham had been able to field two men up front for several weeks, owing to injuries and illness.

Altrincham pressed hard on a heavy pitch, which had been used the previous day by Athletic's first team. With one corner of the pitch proving to be difficult, Alty played some long, diagonal balls towards the flanks, which had the effect of dragging Ashton's big defenders across the pitch.

Altrincham took the lead before the hour mark when Clancy got into the box and finished with aplomb. However, the lead barely lasted five minutes before Athletic equalised with a scrambled goal.

Altrincham responded to the goal, keeping the ball well and forcing Ashton back. The visitors took the lead again when Clancy drove a shot across the keeper and into the net (65 mins).

Ashton replied with some long balls played to their speedy wingers but Altrincham defended well. The visitors played in a cross and Goldman got onto the end of it, to make the score 3-1 to Altrincham.

Altrincham were to use four substitutes and one of them, Joe Coffey had a hand in the third goal. Sam Heathcote also came on, as he returned from a long absence through injury. In midfield, Marc Bellingham was introduced and he made some good passes to his team mates on the wing.

A fourth substitute, Luke Crompton, came on after 80 minutes and, five minutes later, he converted a penalty to complete a 4-1 win for Altrincham. The fifth Altrincham sub, Harry Cain, was not used, as he had recently completed 90 minutes in each of two games for Altrincham and the County side respectively.

Altrincham's win was only the second defeat inflicted on Ashton in the league on their home ground and the hosts remain in a good position, with two games in hand on third-placed Altrincham. Indeed, the top five clubs are all pressing for the top positions in what is proving to be a very open league.

For their next game, against Prescot on Sunday, Alty have doubts over Arrowsmith who had to be taken off in this game as he was under the weather, and will be without Goldman who will be playing for the English Independent SChools against Australia.