FC Halifax Town were 2-1 winners away at Altrincham in the Vanarama National League this afternoon thanks to Millenic Alli and Jamie Cooke’s goals.
Town boss Chris Millington made one change from Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Rochdale with Jamie Cooke into the side for Aaron Cosgrave.
The play was stopped in the first couple of minutes for an injury to Lewis Baines who needed treatment from the physio and the doctor.
In a game which saw plenty of Halifax possession, it was good play by the Robins on 16 mins that created the first real opportunity. Justin Amaluzor and Chris Conn-Clarke combined into the path of George Wilson, but his shot was wide of the target in the 16th minute.
A good run by Max Wright ran at goal but it needed good goalkeeping from Ethan Ross who collected the ball at his feet inside the penalty area.
A central run from Ryan Galvin and he was brought down by Lewis Baines saw the Robins man go into the book in the 20th minute. The resulting freekick from Adam Senior was high over the Robins bar and not troubling Ross.
Town took the lead in the 36th minute, Millenic Alli drilled a shot from just inside the box past Ethan Ross to make it two goals in two games at the J Davidson Stadium having scored the equaliser in the FA Trophy semi-final back in April.
At the end of the first half, Altrincham had a couple of corners but were unable to find a chance as the fourth official announced six minutes of injury time to be played.
Alli broke down the right-hand side found Hunter at the edge of the box, but his first-time effort was narrowly wide of the target and there was still time for another opportunity as Alli found Golden and his shot was narrowly wide of the target from a tight angle.
In the second half former Town man Matt Kosylo was booked for a challenge on Jack Hunter in midfield for his second booking in two games against the Shaymen for the Robins.
A corner into the box looked for Marcus Dackers, Town were able to block on the line and cleared despite appeals for handball.
The home side had a header glanced wide of the target following a freekick from the left-hand side but the offside flag was up against the Robins.
Substitute Oluwabori had spaced at the edge of the box, but his curled effort was well wide of the target after a good spell of pressure from the Shaymen.
Oluwabori, found Golden edge of the box saw his effort goal bound but turned over the bar by Jamie Cooke before Town came again and this time saw Millenic get into the box and fired into the side netting.
The Shaymen weren’t to be denied and doubled the lead on 69 minutes through Jamie Cooke. He had plenty of time and space and he picked his spot to fire past Ross for his first goal since the FA Trophy final in May.
Chris Conn-Clarke looked to pull one back, he cut inside on the right but his shot from 25 yards out was straight at Sam Johnson.
Alli and Oluwabori combined, a drop of the shoulder from Oluwabori and curled his effort past Ross but the wrong side of the post.
The home side pulled one back in the 4th minute of injury time as Chris Conn-Clarke fired past Johnson into the top corner but it was only a consolation for the home side.
A good win for the Shaymen to make it two away wins in a row and sees the Shaymen stay 7th in the table at the end of 2023.
The two sides will meet again at the Shay on New Year’s Day in the return fixture, 3pm kick-off.
Match Stats
Altrincham
29 Ethan Ross, 2 Lewis Banks, 4 Lewis Baines, 7 Matty Kosylo, 8 Issac Marriott ©, 10 Chris Conn-Clarke, 11 Justin Amaluzor (12 Liam Brockbank 61), 15 Jake Cooper, 19 George Wilson, 25 Marcus Dackers (9 Regan Linney 66), 30 Alex Newby (44 Dan Mooney 72)
Subs: Dior Angus, 21 Matt Gould
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson ©, 6 Jamie Stott, 5 Adam Senior, 16 Jordan Keane, 8 Jack Hunter, 14 Kane Thompson-Sommers, 3 Ryan Galvin (7 Angelo Cappello 78), 2 Tylor Golden, 11 Millenic Alli, 17 Max Wright (22 Andrew Oluwabori 42), 10 Jamie Cooke (19 Aaron Cosgrave 85)
Subs: 18 Florent Hoti, 21 Tom Wilson
Goals: Alli 36, Cooke 69, Conn-Clarke 90 + 4
Yellow Cards Baines 20, Kosylo 51
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 3912 (425 away)
Altrincham 1 FC Halifax Town 2
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