Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

ALTRINCHAM added another highly-competitive 90 minutes to their build-up to the new season but suffered their first defeat of the pre-season programme after conceding midway through the second half at the Deva Stadium.

The Robins made an assured start to the game, controlling possession in midfield and building attacks with a series of well-constructed moves.

Keeper Ethan Ross was a virtual spectator for the opening half-hour, such was Alty's dominance as they passed the ball with accuracy and purpose and kept probing for a way through.

Elliot Osborne and George Wilson were calling the shots at the heart of Alty's midfield and summer signing Tom Crawford showed up prominently with his link-up play and ability to go past opponents.

All Alty lacked was a finish to match their approach play, but that so nearly materialised just after the half-hour mark when Joe Nuttall unleashed a ferocious first-time volley from outside the area that flew over the keeper and crashed against the underside of the bar before bouncing to safety.

Ross was finally called into action in the 38th minute and was equal to the task with a fine stop with an outstretched boot after Iwan Murray threaded a pass through for Charlie Caton to fire in a low drive from inside the area.

It took a cynical foul to stop Justin Amaluzor in his tracks after the Alty winger brilliantly skipped past two challenges on a forceful run towards the Chester area on the stroke of half-time.

Successfully negotiating a third challenge would have put him through on goal, but the defender in question, Nathan Woodthorpe, took him out with a dreadful scything late tackle that earned him a yellow card.

Ironically, it was Woodthorpe who made the Robins pay for not making more of their supremacy with what proved to be the decisive goal in the 69th minute.

George Glendon, on as substitute, played an incisive, sliderule pass to create the danger, and though Ross excelled himself in dealing with the first effort, he could do nothing about the follow-up from Woodthorpe, who lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net from close range.

In truth, the game fizzled out after that, with Alty pressing for an equaliser but unable to find a way through a well-drilled home defence.

Chester Mason; Hunter (Roberts, 60'), Williams, Hancox (c), Willoughby (Glendon, 60'), Caton (Rosenblatt, 80'), Turner, Woodthorpe (Heywood, 72'), Pollock, Bainbridge, Murray (Weeks, 60'). Subs not used: Brown (GK), Daly.

Altrincham Ross (Trialist 20, 84'); Banks (Golden, 72'), E.Jones (Trialist 22, 72'), J.Jones (c) (Bailey, 72'), Cooper, Osborne (German, 72'), Newby (Haygarth, 72'), Wilson (Kosylo, 72'), Crawford, Amaluzor (Weaver, 60'), Nuttall (Trialist 20, 60').

Attendance 926

Next Up

We head to the Tameside Stadium on Tuesday evening for another friendly against National League North opposition - Curzon Ashton our challengers from 7:45pm.

Admission is on the night at the turnstiles (cash/card) - £10 adults; £5 concessions; FREE under-16s.