Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 3 York City 0

Altrincham climbed into the play-off places in style after blitzing Vanarama National League leaders York City with three first-half goals of the highest order on a night of spellbinding drama and quality at The J.Davidson Stadium.

Top scorer Regan Linney led the way with two goals, taking his tally in the league this season to 11, and Matty Kosylo added an audacious third before half-time, and though York did their utmost to claw their way back into contention in the second half, they came up against a red wall that repelled all attempts to scale it.

Indeed, for all York's second-half endeavours, the one moment that stood out above the rest for attacking brilliance came courtesy of Alty, when Linney very nearly completed another hat-trick with a shot from close to the halfway line.

York were well beaten, undone by some clinical finishing at one end and unable to break down a disciplined, well-drilled defence at the other, and while the result elevated the Robins into seventh place, it forced the visitors to surrender top spot to Forest Green Rovers on goal difference.

The Minstermen had looked lively in the opening moments, but it was Alty who were first to call the opposition keeper into action after a smart move down the left involving George Wilson and Alex Newby in the 12th minute.

Newby's pass looked as though it was meant as a return ball to Wilson, but Linney took matters into his own hands as he seized possession and hit a shot that Rory Watson saved diving to his left.

The best chance so far also fell to the Robins after they exerted more pressure down the left in the 18th minute.

In the tightest of spots inside the area, Elliot Osborne managed to get to the bye-line and cut the ball back towards Kosylo, who had to hurry with a first-time volley that was slightly miscued off target.

All that remained was for Alty to complete the set and be first on the scoresheet, and they duly obliged with a superbly-constructed opening goal after 19 minutes.

Lewis Baines played a pinpoint pass forward to Newby, and after cutting in from the left, the Alty forward completely wrong-footed two or three York defenders with a clever back-heel that allowed Linney to pounce and drill a low shot unerringly inside the far post.

It was impressive stuff from the Robins, but there was a reminder they were up against the league leaders in the 27th minute when winger Ashley Nathaniel-George weaved his way to the bye-line on the left and chipped a cross that Ricky Aguiar headed over when well placed.

Back came Alty, and Baines went close on the half-hour with a shot that was deflected narrowly wide, following a corner.

The league pacesetters were being put in their place, as Alty stepped up the tempo and threatened again with a long-range effort from Wilson that forced a sprawling save from Watson.

It was the prelude to a second Alty goal, and it was another gem of a finish from Linney that doubled the Robins' lead in the 36th minute.

Wilson again surged forward with purpose and unleashed a low drive that crashed against the left upright and rebounded to the ever-vigilant Linney, who lashed it past a covering defender from the edge of the area to put his side in complete control.

York must have wondered what had hit them, and they were reeling even more in the 40th minute when Kosylo extended Alty's lead still further with the most impudent of finishes.

Holding off a challenge 25 yards out, Kosylo found himself clear on goal and waited for the advancing Watson to plunge at his feet before lifting the ball over him with the coolest of chips.

It was measured to perfection, the ball sailing slowly towards an unguarded net and bouncing gently over the line as Kossy turned to take the acclaim of Alty fans packing the Pop Side terraces.

What a sublime 45 minutes of attacking football at its finest, with the Robins at their sharpest and full value for a remarkable half-time scoreline that reflected their supremacy.

York started the second half as if they sensed there could yet be something in it for them if the next goal went their way.

If it went Alty's way, they could forget it, and it so nearly did in the 55th minute.

Wilson and Newby were at the hub of another flowing Alty move, and when the ball reached Kosylo on the right, the livewire forward's chip towards the far post was met by a Joe Nuttall header that skimmed the crossbar.

York looked determined to make the most of their narrow escape, and it took a typically top-drawer save from Ethan Ross to deny them in the 58th minute.

David Ajiboye powered his way forward towards the edge of the Alty area and must have thought he had reduced the arrears with a low drive that flew through a crowded box and seemed on its way into the bottom corner, only for Ross to react in a flash and turn it away at full stretch.

For such a tall, physically imposing figure to get down so quickly to such a well-struck shot along the floor was exceptional, but perhaps par for the course where Ross is concerned.

It had been a high-quality encounter from the first whistle, but Linney surpassed everything that had gone before with a moment of magic that almost brought the house down in the 66th minute.

Two Alty players were looking to set up an attack after nudging the ball forward from the halfway line when Linney appeared from nowhere to connect with a shot that was launched first-time from inside the centre circle.

Suddenly sensing he was in grave danger of being embarrassed by a goal from such an unlikely distance, Watson began frantically backpeddaling and stuck out an arm at the very last moment to tip the ball on to the bar, from where it looped into the air and landed on the roof of the net.

What a way that would have been to register a second hat-trick this season, and it was little wonder the Alty marksman went off to a standing ovation when he was substituted with a touch of cramp soon after.

Alty were as good as over the line, and they could have been home and hosed in the 89th minute when Newby teed up Osborne for a shot that flew an inch or two wide of the left post with the keeper beaten.

No matter, the points were in the bag, and when the whistle sounded soon after, it signalled the end of an exhilarating performance full of attacking verve and defensive resilience from a back line that refused to be breached.

Harvey Nichols MOTM Regan Linney

Altrincham Ross; Banks, Baines (c), Osborne, Linney (Reddin, 71'), Newby, Kosylo (Cooper, 77'), J.Jones, Wilson (Marriott, 83'), Golden (E.Jones, 83'), Nuttall (Bickerstaff, 89'). Subs not used: Humbles, Fallon.

York Watson; Fallowfield, Howe (c), Hunt, Pearce, Nathaniel-George (Sinclair, 63'), Aguiar (Crookes, 62'), Felix, Fagan-Walcott, Thomas (Akinyemi, 53'), Ajiboye. Subs not used: Male, Armstrong, Batty, King.

HT 3-0

Goals Linney 19', 36', Kosylo 40' | None

Yellows None | Felix 78'

Reds None | None

Referee Garreth Rhodes

Assistants Martin Parker & Matthew Perry

Fourth official Lewis Dawson

Attendance 2,006 (716 away)

Next Up

No game this Saturday so we return home again next Tuesday for a National League Cup date with Stoke City under-21s (7:30pm).

The game is FREE to attend thanks to the generous sponsorship of OBI Property. All you have to do is register for your tickets here.