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First Team

Altrincham: We’ve Met Before

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Mon 8 Aug 2016
Posted in First Team

With a win under their belts after Saturdayโ€™s opening game against Nuneaton, FC Halifax Town welcome Altrincham to the Shay on Tuesday with high hopes. With confidence flowing through their veins, the squad will be determined to make it two wins out of two, and to keep their current undefeated streak going.

While Halifax got off to the best possible start with victory on the weekend, Altrinchamโ€™s last outing ended in a stalemate with new boys Darlington โ€“ a 95thย minute penalty gifting the Quakers a point. However, Alty will be solely focused on trying to take the maximum points from the Shay when they visit tomorrow evening.

Halifax and Altrincham last met in March of this year, where by the end of the season, Altrincham were four points below the Shaymen. Both sides may have slipped down a division, but will be looking to make it a quick visit and instantly bounce straight back to the National League.

The first meeting between the two sides in last yearโ€™s campaign, was on October 6th, three days after the painful 7-1 defeat to eventual champions Cheltenham. However, the fortunes turned for the midweek game as former manager Darren Kelly secured his first three points as Town manager in a 3-1 victory.

Jordan Burrow scored his first of two in the 22ndย minute, heading in Kevin Robertsโ€™ cross, but soon after the break Damien Reeves headed home an equaliser. The third header of the game came from Burrow again with half an hour left to play, and the win was secured in the 95thย minute, when Kingsley James converted from the penalty spot.

At the end of that game, Halifax were in 22ndย place, two points adrift of safety. By the time March came around, Town had the chance to climb out of the dreaded drop zone with nine games remaining, which they did thanks to Connor Hughes.

His second half goal was enough to separate the two sides and to give the Shaymen the double over the Robins. The game had nearly started with Altrincham on course to victory, with Jake Hibbs doing well to clear Josh Ginnellyโ€™s strike off the line. The visitors also had a chance to score in stoppage time, but Reeves fired his golden chance wide.

Despite James Bolton seeing red when tackling Reeves and seeing the same colour come out of the refereeโ€™s pocket moments later, the result was still an important one in terms of the Shaymenโ€™s survival.

However, survival wasnโ€™t to be for both sides, but for this season, promotion is the aim. Despite last seasonโ€™s results, none of it will matter when it comes to kick-off on Tuesday night, but hopefully weโ€™ll see as much drama and action as seen in the previous encounters.

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