Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 1 Nottingham Forest B 3

Altrincham's pre-season programme ended with a defeat and a painful reminder of how costly defensive mistakes can prove at The J.Davidson Stadium this afternoon.

Elliot Osborne scored a superb goal with a pinpoint curling shot on the stroke of half-time, but, by then, the Robins had conceded three times, the first two Forest goals being particularly avoidable.

Even so, there were bright moments for Alty, with James Gale again looking a purposeful leader of the line and setting up the chance that Osborne took so adeptly as Phil Parkinson's squad now turn their attention to next Saturday's Enterprise National League opener against Aldershot Town at The J.Davidson Stadium.

Forest pounced on a defensive error to go in front in only the fifth minute.

Alty's trialist centre-back seemed to get his studs stuck in the turf as he attempted to roll a back pass to Luke Hutchinson, and Adam Berry was on to the loose ball in a flash to complete the simple task of firing past the Alty keeper from near the penalty spot.

The Robins went further behind in the 15th minute after losing possession in a dangerous position midway inside their own half and paying the price as Berry surged clear before slipping the ball to his right to put Lamine Sillah through on goal.

A desperate last-ditch sliding tackle as Sillah shaped to shoot was deemed a foul by referee Mike Crusham, but without any great conviction as he looked towards his linesman for guidance and, in the absence of any, eventually pointed to the spot.

It made no difference to Berry, as the Forest forward stepped up to drill the penalty just inside the left post, giving Hutchinson no chance.

Alty needed to respond, and they went close two minutes later when Charlie Kirk and Keaton Ward combined to fashion a chance that Gale dragged wide of the far post.

They went even closer to reducing the arrears in the 22nd minute after Gale was fouled just outside the area.

Osborne rolled the resulting free-kick a yard or two to his right for Ward to unleash a spectacular curling effort that looked destined for the top right corner until keeper Keehan Willows clawed it away at full stretch.

Alty were left rueing another penalty decision in the 27th minute, this time at the other end of the pitch.

Isaac Marriott was convinced he had been fouled inside the area on the right-hand side, but the referee ruled it was fractionally outside, and the subsequent free-kick came to nothing.

It became 3-0 to Forest on the half-hour when a fierce angled drive from the right was palmed out by Hutchinson, and Justin Hanks was on hand to bundle it over the line.

Alty's best moment so far, in the 36th minute, underlined the potential threat of Gale for National League defences in the season ahead.

Ward took a fine Osborne through ball in his stride and played it forward to the edge of the area, where Gale still had plenty to do with a defender alongside him but managed to fire off a rising left-foot shot that stung the palms of Willows as the keeper moved smartly to his right to keep it out.

The Robins were on the scoresheet, and deservedly so, in the 45th minute when the ball was played in from the left towards Gale.

The Alty striker expertly laid it off to Osborne, who curled a first-time shot beyond the reach of the diving Willows to bring an eventful first half to an eye-catching finish.

Alty players erupted in fury on the hour when Hanks took Olly Crankshaw out with a scything, high, late challenge that left the Alty winger in a heap near the left touchline.

One after another remonstrated with referee Crusham to argue that there was only one fitting sanction for such an out-of-control dangerous foul, and it wasn't the yellow card that the overly lenient official produced for the Forest defender.

Crankshaw has taken quite a buffeting at times during the pre-season games, but it should answer any questions about his durability that he has bounced back each time, as he did again on this occasion.

A minute later, after the furore finally died down, Ward so nearly notched a second Alty goal with a clever turn just outside the six-yard box and shot that drifted narrowly wide of the far post.

Alty sensed there could yet be a way back into it, as they stepped up the pressure and went close again when Tom Crawford met a Remi Raymond cross with a volley that was deflected over.

Crawford was left holding his head in frustration again from the resulting corner, as the ball was worked over to him and he saw his spectacular half-volley smack against the post.

A second goal just wouldn't come against a Forest side who had looked sharp and lively in the way they punished Alty's first-half defensive lapses, but the Robins can surely look forward with optimism to the dawn of another National League campaign at home to Aldershot next Saturday.

Altrincham Hutchinson (Fallon, 70'); Banks, Trialist, Trialist (Bailey, 70'), Osborne (c) (Crawford, 46'), Kirk (Weaver, 65'), Marriott (Kosylo, 70'), Gale (Knowles, 46'), Ward (Raymond, 70'), Golden (Reed, 70'), Crankshaw.

Nottingham Forest Willows (Campbell, 78'); Sinclair (Cahill, 79'), Powell, Hanks (Baba Yaya, 79'), Thompson (c), Hammond (Djamma, 86'), Clarke (Osong, 65'), Whitehall (Bradshaw, 70'), Sillah (Modupe, 65'), Berry (Daly, 70'), Newton.

HT 1-3

Goals Osborne 45' | Berry 6', 16', Hanks 29'

Yellows Crankshaw 60' | Hanks 60'

Reds None | None

Referee Mike Crusham

Assistants Jake Burton & Tom Fox

Fourth official Andrew Daniels

Attendance 934

Next Up

Enterprise National League Opening Day - Aldershot Town visit The J.Davidson Stadium next Saturday (3pm).

Tickets are on sale here priced £20 Adults, £15 Concessions, £12 18-21s, £9 12-17s, £4 5-11s and £1 under-5s.

Hospitality in our rejuvenated John King Lounge can be booked here for £69.