Nantwich Town fell to defeat to National League side Altrincham at the Optimum Pay Stadium as their pre-season campaign continues, writes Jack Beresford.
The game got off to a frantic start as the visitors had the first chance after just three minutes when former Crewe Alexandra man Ryan Colclough danced into the box, before dragging his shot wide of the near left post.
Colclough was causing real issues for the Nantwich defence and came close again in the 11th minute as he picked up the ball on the right side before curling a strike towards the far left corner.
Nantwich keeper Cameron Terry managed to claw it out as he expertly pushed it around the post.
The hosts began the game on the back foot but they managed to muster an attack of their own as Sean Cooke brought the ball forward from midfield and then set up James Lawrie to strike from the edge of the box but the keeper saved well down low to his left.
In the 20th minute, Altrincham full-back Joel Senior went on a mazy run into the Nantwich box before pulling the trigger and forcing another excellent save out of Cameron Terry in the Nantwich Town goal.
After a fast start, the game soon calmed down as both sides began to pass the ball around get to grips with the game.
Altrincham’s summer signing Marcus Dinanga was a handful all game and when he received the ball with his back to goal on the half hour mark, he turned well but could only shoot straight at Terry.
Two minutes later, Dinanga opened the scoring after he latched onto a through-ball from former Dabber Josh Hancock before dinking the on-rushing keeper to put his side in the lead.
On the stroke of half time, The Robins doubled their lead.
Colclough managed to work space for a shot on the edge of the box and as he took aim.
His effort took a wicked deflection off Caspar Hughes which wrong-footed the keeper who stood no chance as the ball flew into his net.
Both sides made an abundance of changes at the break so the second period took a while to get going.
The first chance of the second period came in the 59th minute when another former Dabber Matty Kosylo raced down the left side and got into the box.
When he got to the byline, he pulled it back but Lawrie was there to clear the ball away from danger.
In the 65th minute the opposition almost gifted the Dabbers a goal.
A long ball from Louis Danquah looked pretty regulation for Altrincham defender Richie Sutton to head back to his keeper.
However Sutton’s header was weak and intercepted by Callum Saunders who beat the on-rushing keeper to the ball.
But his second touch was too heavy and he was intercepted before he could fire home into the empty net.
With ten minutes to go, the visitors added a third as half time substitute Dan Mooney cut inside from the left side before beating Nantwich’s sub keeper Jaqhuil Hill at his near post.
Nantwich boss Dave Cooke would have been happy with his side’s showing and did not look out of place against a very good National League side.
The Dabbers have two more pre-season games against Leek Town (31/07) and Chester FC (07/08) before their season begins with a visit from Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday August 14.
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