Latics hit back to earn a point against Alty

Latics came back from two goals down against local rivals Altrincham to earn a valuable point and extend their unbeaten record to five games.

Once again injuries took their toll before the game as ever-present goalkeeper Matt Hudson and Reagan Ogle both missed the match in three changes from the victory at Solihull Moors on Saturday.

Hudson’s replacement was Jacob Dennis making his debut in goal and there was a first start too for Vimal Yoganathan, with Tom Pett dropping to the bench.

Will Sutton came in at the back for Ogle.

Opponents Altrincham had been in fine form and were unbeaten in five matches, with striker Regan Linney topping the National League goalscoring charts.

The first half started off relatively even although Billy Waters, who opened his scoring account on Saturday, had the best of the early chances on 20 minutes when put through with only keeper Caleb Ansen to beat, but the advancing stopper was able to block the final shot.

Two penalty appeals just before the half hour were waved away and the Latics crowd clearly felt they were not getting the better of the decisions early on.

Then, on 41 minutes, the Robins took the lead when Alex Newby’s low shot inside the box was struck firmly and, although Dennis got a hand to it, the Cardiff City loanee could not prevent it going into the net.

The 1-0 half time scoreline was harsh on the hosts, but matters got worse just 32 seconds after the restart when Linney found himself in space and curled a superb shot past Dennis for his 17th league goal of the season.

This left Latics with a great deal to do.

Manager Micky Mellon responded with three quick substitutions after 52 minutes - Yoganathan making way for Josh Lundstram, Billy Waters was replaced by James Norwood returning from injury and Tom Pett took over from Matthew Worthington in midfield.

And the changes were rewarded five minutes later when the move of the game ended with Norwood, put through by Mike Fondop, beating Ansen with a low shot into the corner of the net to half the deficit.

Mellon then boldly used up his full allocation of substitutes on 69 minutes when Joe Pritchard was substituted by Jordan Rossiter and Josh Kay replaced Mark Kitching.

Roared on by the crowd, Latics desperately searched for an equaliser.

Their pressure finally paid off in the 81st minute when Ansen fumbled the ball allowing Lundstram to put the ball firmly into the net.

The momentum was then with Latics as they pressed for a winner.

Charlie Raglan shot wide, and Fondop’s header from a corner was tipped over.

Altrincham almost grabbed a winner against the run of play in stoppage time when Elliott Osborne’s well-struck free kick rattled the post with Dennis beaten.

In the end both sides had to settle for a point.

Afterwards Latics boss Mellon said: "From a manager’s point of view we shouldn’t have to score three goals to win a game of football, but I think the positive is we have gone 2-0 down and the boys have showed great character to get us back in it and we could have won it at the end.

"The lads deserve a great deal of credit.”

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