Words Brian Flynn | Pictures Brian Flynn & Manon Benavise

Atherton Laburnum Rovers Ladies 2-2 Altrincham Women

Altrincham FC Women drew their first game of the season in a lively encounter on Sunday afternoon against an Atherton LR Ladies team that finished fourth last season in the North West Women’s Regional League, Division One Central.

The game was played on a grass pitch on a bright sunny afternoon with a healthy crowd at Atherton LR’s very well appointed Crilly Park ground.

The Robins were denied a penalty early on, when Nat Lowe was clearly fouled, however Atherton took the lead midway through the half with a very well worked goal. A fine passing movement down the right wing, involving three players ended with a delightful chip from Hannah Chlodek that looped high over Carmen Stephens before dropping underneath the crossbar

Within three minutes, the impressive Shannon Gill wrapped her left foot around the ball outside the area, producing a powerful shot that rattled the post.

This proved to be a key moment in the game as Alty responded well to equalise five minutes before the end of the half, with an equally impressive move to the home side’s opening goal. 

Goalkeeper Stephens fed Amy Tickner, who moved the ball on to Carmen Culbert, producing a precision pass into the stride of Elise Jones, who ghosted past her marker to calmly slot the ball past the advancing Caitlyn Pearce from the edge of the penalty area.

Alty were ahead just before the hour, when Tickner’s excellent long ball picked out Brogan Walsh’s intelligent run. Walsh outpaced Natasha Greenhalgh to race clear and poke the ball past the advancing Pearce with a neat left foot finish.

The lead lasted twelve minutes before Millie Kullu’s backpass was intercepted by Konya Sonnah, who clipped a neat finish over the stranded Stephens.

LR looked the likelier winners in the closing stages, but Stephens preserved a point late on, denying Chlodek with an excellent save at her near post.

Alty lie fifth in the table with ten points from five games, five points behind leaders Rochdale, who suffered their first league defeat of the campaign at Wythenshawe Town, with a game in hand.

Atherton LR: Pearce, McAtee, E. Gill, Holgate, Greenhalgh, Chlodek, S. Gill, Huyton, Ripley, Williams, Waine

Substitutes: Toner, Sonnah, Campbell, Duffy

Altrincham: Stephens; Moss, Locke, Morrison, M. Whitehead, Culbert, Lowe, Kullu, A. Jones, Unwin, E. Jones

Substitutes: Paulley, Tickner, Walsh, Williams (GK), Underwood

HT: 1-1

Goals: Chlodek 22', Sonnah | E. Jones 39', Walsh 58'

Referee: Carl Millerchip

Elite U18

Spencer O'Connor's side also picked up a point on the road, drawing 0-0 with Crewe u18 Jaguars.

Next Up

There's a week without a game for the Robins, before another away game, this time against Salford City Lionesses on Sunday, October 18 for a 2pm kick-off.