Goals from Tom Wain, Neil Clamp and debutant Alan Hamlet saw Alty Hale comfortably make it into the hat for the 2^nd round draw of the Altrincham FA Cup. In a closely contested first quarter, the deadlock was broken by on loan Hamlet after he sprang highest from an in swinging corner to nod the whites in front. After that it was one way traffic and the hosts should have had the game won by half time, Ellis missing several great chances to extend the lead – most notably hitting a free header straight at the keeper from 8 yards out and failing to hit the target when the keeper spilt a through ball into his path. The half time whistle is something Alty players have come to dread, having lost from several winning positions already this season, but from the start of the second half they went on the attack against the opposition, Ellis again coming close with a header before Boland tried his luck from outside the area.  Just when it seemed that a second goal would never arrive, Clamp blasted into the top right corner from the edge of the area to give the whites some breathing space, before man of the match Tom Wain tried his luck from outside the area as well. Services grabbed a late consolation due to some tired defending in difficult circumstances, but a dominant performance from Alty should give everyone at the club a confidence boost that will provide a springboard up the table when league action resumes next week.

 

Alty Hale: Madeley, Cafferty, Aston, Hamlet, Davies, Bannister, Clamp, Wain, Warburton, Ellis, Boland. Subs: Smyth (Ellis), Slater (Aston)