Words Kian Leckey Picture Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 1 Solihull Moors 1

Altrincham made a slow start to this National Under-19s League fixture and found themselves under pressure in the opening 20 minutes.

Solihull made the most of their strong start by winning a penalty after a ball over the heads of St Romaine and Watts resulted in Beddow having to come out and try to sweep up.

Solihull's striker touched the ball away from Beddow as it bounced, causing the Alty keeper to make contact with his opponent, the visitors converting the resulting spot-kick to make it 1-0.

After a slow start, the young Robins then built themselves into the game and began to dominate and apply pressure high up the pitch, causing their opponents to go long instead of playing out.

A few clear-cut chances were made by Solihull, but Beddow was there to keep the Robins in the game with some top-class saves.

Around the 40th minute, the Robins worked the ball out to Rowe, who beat his man down the line and put a dangerous ball into the box which landed at Lavin's feet. Lavin cut it back from the bye-line to Weston, who struck it first time in the bottom right-hand corner of the goal to equalise just before half-time.

With the second half underway, the Robins' back line started deeper, as Solihull were going long, making it more difficult for the Moors striker to get in behind Alty's defence.

The young Robins continued to dominate the second half, and Solihull were still unable to play out from the back in the face of a high press from the front three of Lavin, Rowe and Mannion.

A change came from the Robins in the 60th minute when Obamwonyi replaced Weston and Mannion moved into the 10 role.

Solihull created a few more chances from their dangerous outswinging corners, and Beddow continued to make some outstanding saves from threats that were created from these flag-kicks.

Altrincham’s back line was under no real pressure in the second half and remained solid throughout. Another change was made by Alty in the 65th minute, with Renshaw coming on as the 10, replacing Rowe, and Mannion moving back out to the wing.

Good build-up play led to a near-miss from the Robins, with Renshaw making an immediate impact by playing a ball in behind Solihull's defence to Lavin, who clipped it across the box for Mannion, at the back post, to put it narrowly over the bar.

Alty made a double change in the 75th minute, with Broderick and Taafe coming on for Mannion and Watson, and that was followed by one more substitution, as Hough replaced Antoniades in the 80th minute.

Obamwonyi latched on to a long ball from Beddow and advanced down the line, beating one man and then another before being pushed inside the box, only for Alty penalty claims to be waved away.

Solihull kept playing long, trying to create a final chance at goal, and when their wing-back was fouled by St Romaine on the halfway line in the 90th minute, the Alty player received a first yellow card of the season.

All Solihull's players pushed up into the box for the delivery by their keeper, which was floated into the Alty area.

Leckey jumped up and made slight contact with with his header, which then cannoned off one of the Solihull players' heads and spun into the air. As Watts dealt with the danger by completing a clearance header, the referee blew the final whistle to signal a well-earned point for the Robins against a tough opponent.

Squad on the day:

Max Beddow, Harry St Romaine, Chris Antoniades, Henry Watts, Kian Leckey, Charlie Hough, Raion Rowe, Jimmy Taafe, Henry Watson, Joe Weston, Harley Renshaw, Amara Diomande, Noah Lavin, Josh Obamwonyi, Isaac Mannion, Lewis Broderick.