Trafford Sport
Altrincham 2 Blyth Spartans 1
2:50pm Monday 20th February 2012
IN their first game for three weeks, Altrincham secured a hard-fought three points on Saturday, to keep them in touch with the promotion play-off places in the Blue Square Bet North division.
During this game Alty fielded four faces not seen previously by many of the Moss Lane faithful.
Home debuts were made by goalkeeper Joe Collister, on loan from Tamworth, former Manchester United left-back Mark Lynch, centre-back Marlon Broomes, who is a former Premiership player with Blackburn Rovers, and second-half substitute John Miles, who joined recently from Stockport County.
After a scrappy opening, in difficult, breezy conditions, Altrincham went ahead in the 34th minute. The goal followed a right-wing corner after which James Lawrie skipped past a challenge along the by-line before his low cross was steered into the net by Broomes from 12 yards.
When Alty doubled their lead just two minutes into the second half, after Lawrie had been fouled in the box at the end of a mazy dribble, it seemed that the rest of the afternoon would be a formality.
Damian Reeves smacked home the resulting penalty for his 33rd goal of the season to make it 2-0 against a Blyth side fighting relegation.
But the Northumberlanders showed good spirit and pulled a headed goal back in the 54th minute when Graeme Armstrong nodded in a right-wing cross.
In fact, it was the Spartans who looked the more likely to score for much of the remaining period but, when substitute Lee Mason was dismissed, it seemed their resistance would be ended.
On the contrary Blyth kept pushing for an equaliser but Alty's new-look defence held out to clinch an important victory.
After a midweek game at home to Hinckley United (Tuesday 7.45pm), Alty travel to Bishop's Stortford next Saturday for their first ever league clash with the Hertfordshire side.
On the playing side, loanee Adie Hawes has returned to Alfreton Town but Alty have signed youth team defender Sam Grimshaw on Conference North forms.