Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 1 Tamworth 1

Alex Newby ensured Altrincham had something to show for their last-day endeavours with a second-half equaliser that secured a ninth-place finish for the Robins at The J.Davidson Stadium.

Alty were behind at half-time after conceding in the 14th minute, but a much better second-half showing featured Newby making the most of great work by Lewis Banks to level the scores.

Both teams had chances to add a second goal to their tally as the game ebbed and flowed, but a draw was probably a fair outcome, one that enabled the Robins to stay ahead of their opponents in the Vanarama National League table on goal difference.

Tamworth made a positive start, but it was a moment of brilliance from Callum Dolan that almost raised the roof after eight minutes.

Turning on a sixpence, Dolan left a close marker flat-footed with a dazzling change of direction in the centre of the pitch that opened up room for a pass that found Newby on the left of the Tamworth area.

Newby promptly transferred possession on to the overlapping Tylor Golden, whose low cross was fired wide by Joe Nuttall, under pressure from a covering defender.

Tamworth's bright start was rewarded by a deserved opening goal that had a slice of good fortune about it in the 14th minute.

A low cutback from the left found its way across the area to Ben Crompton, who took the ball on the outside, almost to the bye-line, before chipping it back towards the far post.

The thinking must surely have been that a team-mate might be on hand to apply a finishing touch, but, to his surprise and delight, it floated beyond a stranded Caleb Ansen and nestled in the far corner of the Alty net.

Nuttall's strength helped carve out an opportunity for the Robins in the 21st minute as he powered past a challenge and rolled the ball to Newby on his right.

By the time Newby fashioned an opening for a chipped cross into the heart of the Tamworth area, Nuttall was in position to meet it with a header that drifted just wide..

A minute later, Alty went close again as Dolan teed up Banks for a shot that needed a fine diving save from Leon Phillips to keep it out.

The Robins were warming to their task, and Phillips had to be at his best again to deny them in the 24th minute.

Justin Amaluzor ploughed through two failed attempts at a tackle by Tamworth defenders before drilling a low shot that Phillips did well to turn round the post with an outstretched right boot.

Tamworth might have doubled their lead on the half-hour when Ansen's indecisive punch from a right-wing cross fell obligingly for Munashe Sundire to crash a volley against the bar.

Phillips made sure the visitors went in a goal to the good at half-time with a diving save from a Newby free-kick deep into first-half added time.

Alty needed to wrest the initiative from their opponents in the early stages of the second half, and they did just that with an equaliser three minutes in.
They rode their luck initially, with Ansen having to react smartly to parry a Jordan Ponticelli overhead kick in the 47th minute, but they were back on level terms seconds later.

The goal owed everything to Banks' natural inclination to get forward and support his more advanced team-mates, as he nutmegged a defender in a surging run before squaring the ball to the waiting Newby, who calmly rolled it into an empty net.

It was just the fillip Alty were hoping for, and Dolan raised spirits even higher in the 51st minute with another flash of brilliance.

Cutting in from the left, the on-loan attacker managed to evade the attentions of one defender after another before letting fly with an effort that was athletically tipped over by Phillips.

It was more like it from the Robins, and they threatened again in the 56th minute when a bout of pressure ended with a fierce drive into the side netting by Amaluzor.

If Charlie Olson held his head in his hands after adding his name to the list of Dagenham & Redbridge scorers last time out, he went some way towards making amends with a spectacular goalline clearance in the 66th minute.

Ansen was caught out after Ponticelli reached a bouncing ball first and nicked it over him towards a gaping goal, only for Olson to dash back and hook it away a split-second before it could cross the line.

It was fantastic defending by the on-loan Blackburn Rovers centre-back, and the Robins so nearly built on it with a glorious sweeping move in the 71st minute.

Dolan launched it with a dynamic run deep into Tamworth territory, and when he picked out Lucas Weaver on the right, the Alty substitute's low cross was met with a first-time effort by Newby that was well saved by Phillips.

Dolan was proving a handful for Tamworth's back line, not least when he turned a defender inside out on the right in the 77th minute and hit a left-foot shot that struck Kennedy Digie from close range.

A winner just wouldn't come, but another top 10 finish, while not quite delivering last season's coveted prize of a play-off place, provides compelling evidence of the direction the club are moving in.

Harvey Nichols MOTM Tylor Golden

Altrincham Ansen; Banks, Osborne, Newby (Linney, 78'), Amaluzor (Weaver, 68'), J.Jones (c), Crawford, Golden, Nuttall, Olson, Dolan. Subs not used: Wilson, Reddin, Bickerstaff, Randle, Penney.

Tamworth Phillips; Tonks (Fletcher, 82'), Digie, Finn (Waldron, 88'), Creaney, Fairlamb, McGlinchey (Williams, 63'), Hollis (c), Sundire, Crompton, Ponticelli. Subs not used: Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Milnes, Cullinane-Liburd.

HT 0-1

Goals Newby 48' | Crompton 14'

Yellows Nuttall 74', Golden 86' | Finn 53', Sundire 69', Tonks 74'

Reds None | None

Referee Garreth Rhodes

Assistant Zharir Mustafa & Adam Burgess

Fourth official Shaun Taylor

Attendance 2,371 (343 away)