In a pulsating game at the CNG Stadium, Town lowered the colours of second placed Altrincham, with an exciting 3-2 victory.
After a minutes applause in remembrance of Nelson Mandela the game kicked off.
Michael Woods signalled Town’s attacking intentions as early as the second minute with a shot wide of the upright.
Altrincham’s big guns were soon in action with James Walshaw and Greg Wilkinson combining to create an opening for Damian Reeves who shot across goal.
But on nine minutes Woods broke down the right and his centre found Ashley Worsfold who beat Stuart Coburn with a superb shot on the turn.
Four minutes later,Woods brought the crowd to its feet,when he collected a Craig Nelthorpe clearance deep in his own half,rode two tackles,then unleashed a tremendous shot from thirty yards which left Coburn clutching thin air.
Within ten minutes Town made it three when Shaun Densmore only half cleared a Woods lob into the area and Woods smashed home a low drive.
Alty began to recover and almost pulled one back when Walshaw’s quickly taken free kick came back off the crossbar.
On 28 minutes,Scott Leather headed in from Wilkinson’s corner to pull one back for the visitors, and seconds later he nearly repeated the dose,but Craig MacGillivray saved on the line.
Walshaw was the next to threaten Town’s goal when he broke through on the right,but with the goal at his mercy, he side-footed over the top.
After the break,Alty, spearheaded by tall sub,Kyle Perry,began to take the game to Town.
Nelthorpe cleared off the line and MacGillivray made a full length save to concede a corner.
With twenty minutes left,Matt Doughty centred from the left and Perry glanced in at the far post to make it 3-2.
Town brought on all three subs and the game flowed from end to end as both sides attacked flat out.
For Alty, a Perry bicycle kick from Brian Smikle’s cross flashed narrowly wide,while Cleveland Taylor’s low centre was scrambled away by the Altrincham defence.
As the game drew to a close,Woods spurned a chance to complete his hat trick when Taylor sent him clear,but his angled drive went straight at Coburn.
Town
1 MacGillivray, 2 Bloomer, 3 Nelthorpe, 4 Bolder (c), 5 Franks,6 Nowakowski, 7 Hardy ( Mallory 64 mins), 8 Abbott, 9 Worsfold ( Taylor 64) 10 Woods, 11 Sellars ( Hall 55).
Unused subs 15 Allan, 16 Merris Booking Nelthorpe
Scorers Worsfold 9, Woods 13,22. Att.547
By John Harrison.
