Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 3 Aldershot 2

The big kick-off was fast approaching and all the plaudits had been heading the way of Altrincham's prized summer signing James Gale.

Quite right, too, after four goals in pre-season and a show of frontrunning that was never less than forceful, but manager Phil Parkinson was eager to see the spotlight shared and gave a nod towards his other new striker as he said:

"Don't forget Jimmy Knowles - I've gone on record as saying his finishing is second to none, and everyone will see that soon enough."

And what do you know? Just when the Robins needed something special to stop an Aldershot side threatening to rewrite the script on an eventful opening day after fighting back from 2-0 down to level terms, up steps second-half substitute Jimmy to win it with a crackerjack finish inside a crowded penalty area.

It's always a special feeling to welcome in a new season but all the better when the opening fixture delivers drama, incident and attacking football of a quality that kept a near-2,000 day one crowd enthralled throughout.

Kahrel Reddin's pre-season form earned him a place in the starting line-up, and he looked intent on making the most of it from the off.

The flying winger had already skinned his full-back and whipped in a dangerous cross when he motored down the right again to carve out Alty's first attempt on goal in only the third minute.

Again, he had his marker backpedalling anxiously as he turned one way then the other before rolling the ball into the path of Tom Crawford.

Alty midfielder Crawford's first-time shot was cleanly struck, and it took a fine diving save from Marcus Dewhurst to prevent is nestling in the bottom left corner.

The Robins went in front deservedly in the 11th minute with a brilliantly worked goal finished off by Reddin.

It all started with a quickly-taken free-kick by Isaac Marriott to Olly Crankshaw that caught Aldershot's defence on the hop, and when the Alty winger cut in from the left flank and played the ball into the danger area to Keaton Ward, he spun and hit a cross-shot that the ever-alert Reddin converted at the far post.

The lead could have been doubled two minutes later when Gale found himself in the clear, only for Dewhurst to palm away his attempted lob one-handed at full stretch.

It was all Alty, and the Aldershot goal had another narrow escape after quarter of an hour.

Ward sent Crankshaw galloping away down the left and was on hand to take a return pass from the winger in his stride and hit a curling shot that was deflected no more than a couple of feet wide.

Reddin's searing pace down the right was to the fore again as Alty went 2-0 up after precisely 24 minutes.

The defender with the thankless task of trying to keep him in check once more simply could not live with the lightning speed off the mark that took Reddin clear for a cross that was headed home from close range by Lewis Banks.

Aldershot finally called Luke Hutchinson into action in the 44th minute when they won a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Alty's on-loan keeper read Josh Barrett's intentions superbly as he sprang to his left the moment the ball left the attacking midfielder's boot to push it away at full stretch.

Visiting manager Tommy Widdrington and his coaching staff spent a good two or three minutes deep in conversation by the dug-out at half-time before finally disappearing down the tunnel, and you couldn't help wondering whether the topic of conversation had been along the lines of "what are we going to do about that Kahrel Reddin running past our left-back every time he gets the ball?"

Alty had concerns of their own early in the second half as Aldershot pulled a goal back in the 56th minute.

Skipper Theo Widdrington crossed from the right, and Matt Penney met it with a bullet header from close in that gave Hutchinson no chance.

Alty's two-goal advantage was almost restored in the 59th minute when Tylor Golden surged clear down the right and clipped the ball in towards Gale, who did well to slip his marker but saw his shot blocked by Dewhurst.

They went close again to regaining their two-goal cushion in the 70th minute when a Ward corner from the right was headed fractionally wide by debutant defender Dan Sassi.

Back came Aldershot in what was proving to be a more topsy-turvy half, and there was a huge sigh of relief in the Alty ranks when a thunderbolt of a shot by Tristan Abrahams cannoned against the bar in the 71st minute.

There was no reprieve for the Robins five minutes later as Aldershot hauled themselves level.

It was harsh on Hutchinson as he reacted brilliantly to keep out a point-blank header, following a chip into the box by Barrett, but could do nothing to prevent James Clarridge lashing home the rebound from close range.

Undeterred, Alty went down the other end and went in front again through Knowles, who had only been on the pitch for less than quarter of an hour.

A 78th-minute free-kick was floated into the area, and when it was knocked towards the left post, Knowles stole in ahead of a defender to hammer an airborne volley into the roof of the net. If ever there was a goal-poacher's finish, this was it.

With Barrett pulling the strings for Aldershot, the game was still far from over, and it needed a smart diving save from Hutchinson to keep out a long-range effort from the visitors' danger man in the 81st minute.

Try as they might, there was no way through for the Shots. The lead was not going to be relinquished for a second time, and Alty duly stood firm to secure the victory their efforts deserved on a highly-entertaining day one of a brand new Enterprise National League campaign.

Man Of The Match Kahrel Reddin

Altrincham Hutchinson; Banks (c), Reed, Crankshaw (Kirk, 64'), Marriott, Gale (Knowles, 64'), Ward (Osborne, 84'), Reddin (Weaver, 84'), Crawford, Golden, Sassi. Subs not used: Kosylo, Raymond, Fallon.

Aldershot Dewhurst; Jackson (Nightingale, 41'), Widdrington (c), Hargreaves (Taylor, 87'), Barrett, Meerholz, Hill (Rai, 87'), Abrahams (Mullins, 73'), Clarridge, Tetek, Penney (Thomas, 73'). Subs not used: Anderson, Nash.

HT 2-0

Goals Reddin 10', Banks 24', Knowles 78' | Penney 55', Clarridge 76'

Yellows Gale 38', Hutchinson 65', Reed 66', Marriott 88', Golden 90' | Nightingale 53', Hill 74', Widdrington 78'

Reds None | None

Referee Niall Smith

Assistants Mark Bates & Jordan Brooks

Fourth official Kavan Hurn

Attendance 1,852 (Away 291)

Next Up

A trip to Rochdale next Saturday for our opening Enterprise National League away game of the season, live on DAZN at the earlier time of 12:30pm.

Away fans have been allocated three blocks of the Willbutts Lane Stand with tickets available from our hosts here priced £24 Adults, £19 65+, £14 under-22 & £7 under-14s.