Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 3 Aldershot 1

Neil Gibson's substitutions worked to perfection as second-half replacements Aidan Barlow and debutant Leo Farrell scored the goals that halted an Aldershot fightback in its tracks and returned Altrincham to winning ways at a blustery J.Davidson Stadium.

The Shots looked to have wrested the initiative from Alty with a strong second-half showing after answering Lewis Banks' first goal of the season with an equaliser in the 46th minute.

But Barlow converted an 82nd-minute penalty to put the Robins in front again and on-loan striker Farrell rounded off a fine introduction to Alty colours with a stoppage-time tap-in as Gibson's in-form team made it eight wins out of 10 after last week's narrow defeat at leaders Boreham Wood.

A strong looking Alty bench included fit-again Kristian Dennis and new loan signing Farrell, and with Jack Hinchy, Barlow, Kian Breckin and Sam Barnes also among the substitutes, it meant the boss had plenty at his disposal, should he need to make changes.

There was even experienced cover between the posts, with keeper-coach Andy Firth held in reserve to facilitate recent acquisition Harry Isted's debut in goal.

Alty started brightly, dominating possession and building moves with some quick, incisive passing, and it produced the first chance of the game in the ninth minute.

Matty Kosylo looked to be lining up a ball down the flank from his position at right-back but spotted Tom Crawford in acres of space in the middle and released him with a perfectly-judged pass that sent the Alty skipper bearing down on goal.

It was outstanding vision by Kossy, and it almost brought the reward it merited as Crawford stung the palms of Nick Hayes with a rising drive that the Aldershot keeper clutched above his head.

The Robins threatened again in the 18th minute when Charlie Kirk cut in from the left and curled a shot that passed the wrong side of the right-hand post.

Aldershot were proving a tough nut to crack, but perseverance paid off for Alty as they took the lead with a superbly-worked goal in the 27th minute.

Again, the build-up bore the hallmark of a side brimming with confidence after recent results and performances, and it ended with Banks advancing into the area on the left and playing a slick one-two with Jimmy Knowles before finishing with a low crisp drive beyond Hayes.

Isted had been largely untested, but he was called into action in the 42nd minute when a fierce effort from Hakeem Sandah needed a smart diving save from the Alty number one to keep it away from his near post.

It was a brief spell of pressure by the visitors, but Alty were back up the other end soon enough and almost doubled their lead in the 44th minute when a deep cross from the left was knocked down towards Knowles, whose shot on the turn flew over.

There was still time for Aldershot to scramble the ball into the Alty net from close range but a linesman's flag came to the Robins' rescue as they ended the half a goal to the good.

The ball was in Alty's net again in the 46th minute, and this time it counted. Play had been underway barely 20 seconds when the ball fell for Basil Tuma to drill past Isted from close range.

After a first half in which the Robins generally had the better of things, Aldershot were looking an altogether different proposition after the break as they pushed forward and began to create chances.

They could not have wished for a better opportunity than the one that fell their way in the 62nd minute when Conor Lawless wastefully blazed over from a position that could hardly have been more inviting.

A moment of magic by Knowles proved decisive as Alty regained the lead in dramatic circumstances late on.

Substitute Barlow scored it from the penalty spot after a one-two with Knowles that was far more than a simple exchange of passes between team-mates.

When the initial pass was played in to Knowles, the Alty striker was in the tightest of spots with a close-marking defender on his back, but he brilliantly dragged the ball behind him and flicked it back to Barlow, who would surely have scored but for being held back by Dominic Odusanya.

That dazzling piece of interplay came in the 80th minute, but by the time referee Martin Woods had pointed to the spot, shown Odusanya a straight red card and restored order, we were into the 82nd minute. Not that the delay had any effect on Barlow's steely nerve, as the Alty forward calmly waited for the go-ahead before coolly sending Hayes the wrong way with the most confident of kicks.

Farrell had looked the part after going on in the 53rd minute, and he had the final say three minutes into added time with a debut goal that rounded off another productive afternoon's work for the Robins.

Otis Khan laid it on after tricking his way past a defender on the left and crossing low into the six-yard box, where Farrell was perfectly placed to apply the finishing touch from close range,

Man Of The Match Lewis Banks

Altrincham Isted; Banks, Cooper, Khan, Knowles, Kosylo, Taylor, Reddin (Farrell, 53'), Lopata-White, Crawford (c), Kirk (Barlow, 78'). Subs not used: Hinchy, Dennis, Breckin, Firth, Barnes.

Aldershot Hayes; Efete, Oshilaja, Odusanya, Tuma, Sandah (Borgnis, 84'), Stickland (c), Adom-Malaki, Wyllie (Abrahams, 75'), Lawless, Lewis (Dinanga, 66'). Subs not used: Harfield, Patmore, Matton, Dyce.

HT 1-0

Goals Banks 27', Barlow 82'. Farrell 90'+3 | Tuma 46'

Yellows Cooper 42', Banks 48' | Efete 14', Odusanya 55'

Reds None | None

Referee Martin Woods

Assistants Arran Williams & Steven Rushton

Fourth official Scott Henry

Attendance 1,876 (207 away)

Next Up

It's Emirates FA Cup time - a Fourth Round Qualifying home tie against FC United next Saturday at 3pm.

General admission tickets are available here and hospitality in Club Alty can be found here.