Wealdstone 3 – 3 Altrincham

Wealdstone 3 Altrincham 3

Altrincham are just one point and one place away from the play-off places in the Vanarama National League, but they could so easily have been in amongst them after twice having a lead snatched away in a lively encounter at Grosvenor Vale.

After going behind early on, Alty regained parity through Tom Crawford and went in front via a Regan Linney penalty before being hauled back for the first time shortly before half-time.

When the free-scoring Linney made it 13 league goals for the season with a typically nerveless penalty after 53 minutes, the Robins looked on course for what would have been an excellent away win.

But Wealdstone showed why they were unbeaten in five league games prior to kick-off as they kept plugging away and rescued a point with a 74th-minute header by striker Alex Reid, on loan from Oldham Athletic.

Alty won a corner inside the first 20 seconds through the endeavours of Lewis Banks, and when it was only half-cleared, Liam Humbles tried his luck with a shot from 20 yards that was comfortably held by Wealdstone keeper Toby Steward.

The Robins dominated possession in the early stages and knocked the ball around to good effect, but Wealdstone began to work their way into the game and threatened in the 10th minute when Kallum Cesay fastened on to a flicked header and powered forward before driving a shot wide from 20 yards.

Three minutes later, Ethan Ross had to deal with Wealdstone’s first shot on target, and he did it with his usual calm efficiency, smothering a low effort from Jack Wells-Morrison from the edge of the area.

Wealdstone were starting to look like a side unbeaten in five matches, and they drew first blood after 19 minutes.

Ross was equal to an effort from Sam Ashford, blocking a low shot with his legs, but Cesay was on hand to pounce on the rebound and hammer it into an unguarded net.

Alty levelled in the 34th minute, and it was largely down to Alex Newby having the conviction to believe he could trouble Steward with a free-kick from fully 35 yards.

Newby’s connection was clean enough as it flew over the wall, but Steward should have done better than fall to his left in laboured fashion and parry it to the edge of the six-yard box.

That is to take nothing away from Crawford, though, as the Alty midfielder read the possibilities and responded with commendable awareness to force the ball home before anyone in blue could react.

It went from good to even better for the Robins after 41 minutes as they turned the game on its head with a second goal.

Linney seized possession on the left and cut inside before rifling a low shot into the far corner for his 12th league goal of the season.

It was a trademark finish by the Alty danger man, but the lead lasted barely four minutes as Wealdstone equalised on the stroke of half-time as a cross from the right found Reid for a left-foot shot past an unprotected Ross.

The prolific Linney made it 3-2 to Alty in the 53rd minute after Jack Cook found himself on the wrong side of Tylor Golden on the left side of the area and brought him down.

The referee had a perfect view of the contact and pointed to the spot, from where Linney stepped up to plant a confident penalty into the roof of the net.

Alty seemed largely untroubled attempting to safeguard their latest lead, but they paid for a defensive lapse as Wealdstone levelled once more in the 74th minute.

Questions will have been asked in the Alty ranks about the space afforded to Anthony Georgiou, overlapping on the left of the Robins area, and when the full-back crossed into the heart of the area, Reid was ideally placed to head firmly into the bottom corner of the net.

Linney had penalty appeals waved away after a tangle of legs with a defender in the 81st minute and young forward Lucas Weaver was sent on from the bench as Alty sought a way of going in front for a third time.

It wasn’t to be, but, for all the frustration of being pegged back twice, it may well be viewed as a decent point on the road against a side who have been in prime form in recent weeks.

Wealdstone Steward; Cook, Georgiou, Boldewijn, Kretzschmar, Mariappa (c), Ashford, Cesay, Reid, Mundle-Smith (Grant, 69′), Wells-Morrison. Subs not used: Woodman, Dyer, Obiero, Sandat, Thorpe, Hillson.

Altrincham Ross; Banks, Baines (c), Marriott (Wilson, 72′), Linney (Weaver, 86′), Newby, Humbles (Kosylo, 59′), Crawford, Golden, Bickerstaff (Osborne, 83′), Olson (Cooper, 77′). Subs not used: Reddin, Randle.