Winsford 0 Altrincham 0 (Winsford won 6-5 on penalties)

Alty bow out of the first round of the Cheshire Senior Cup with a penalty shootout defeat at Winsford United.

The hosts enjoyed a quick, positive opening couple of minutes before Alty started to assert their authority and control.

James Gale scooped an effort just wide and left-sided academy debutant Raion Rowe forced Jacob Kirwan into a smart low stop as Winsford were pushed back as the driving rain began to subside.

A foul on Gale just outside the home box gave Keaton Ward the chance to size up a shot, before his short set piece routine was met by Olly Crankshaw only for a defender to get in the way of the effort.

Winsford's only reply of note came from the right boot of Callum Chapman who blazed over from 15 yards following a scrap for possession in the Alty box.

Gale and Crankshaw both fired wide as the first half came to a conclusion with the visitors firmly on top, and Gale again was in the thick of the action just into the second half as he tested the reflexes of Kirwan.

The Winsford number one then produced the save of the night to deny Gale from an angle, as the hosts continued to hang on in the tie.

That was until 15 minutes from time when Rowe stormed into the box and was upended allowing Crankshaw the chance to put the Robins ahead. Unfortunately Kirwan was equal to the winger's spot kick.

With little created in the final minutes the game went to penalties, with Crankshaw one of the scorers, however it was the home side who came out on top in sudden death.

Winsford Kirwan; Brogan, Coleman, Chapman, Hooks (Jenyons, 82'), Latham (Davies, 82'), McGeady (Boyle, 68'), Kerr (c), McDonough (Eleftheriadis, 87'), Pope (Birchall, 75'), Robinson.

Altrincham Fallon; Baines (c), Cooper (Sassi, 64'), Crankshaw, Gale, Ward, Kosylo, Hinchy, St Romaine (Osborne, 46'), Rowe, Kirk. Subs not used: Knowles, Antoniades, Beddow.

HT 0-0

Goals None | None

Penalties Osborne (scored); Boyle (scored); Crankshaw (scored); Davies (scored); Kirk (scored); Birchall (scored); Ward (scored); Chapman (missed); Baines (saved); Kerr (scored); Hinchy (scored); Jenyons (scored); Kosylo (saved); Eleftheriadis (scored)

Yellows Brogan 38' | Hinchy 86'

Reds None | None

Referee Martyn Kent

Assistants Jacob Widdowson & Joshua Cliffe

Attendance 313

Next Up

We're off to Essex on Saturday (3pm) and an Enterprise National League date with Braintree Town.

Away tickets are available to purchase here and are cheaper in advance than on matchday.