Altrincham 2 Gainsborough Trinity 3 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Altrincham 2 Gainsborough Trinity 3

7:17pm Monday 30th April 2012 in Sport

ALTRINCHAM'S league season may have ended in defeat to big-spending Gainsborough but they gave a good account of themselves in another highly entertaining match at Moss Lane.

Chances went begging for the Robins who were once again undone by defensive lapses.

The visitors took a 14th minute lead when Leon Mettam scored direct from a 25 yard freekick which went into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

But Altrincham, whose 44-goal man Damian Reeves had uncharacteristically missed a good chance early in the game, equalised after 34 minutes with a superb strike from just outside the box by Nicky Clee.

And it looked as if Altrincham had turned the game around when 18 year-old Duncan Watmore, starting only his second game for the Robins, scored an excellent goal as he lobbed the advancing keeper, a minute before the interval.

But Alty could not retain their lead and in added time before the break, Mettam was allowed to steal in and head home from close range.

The game was settled by Mettam's hat-trick goal. The former Lincoln City man was allowed to advance, despite strong claims for offside, and he rounded goalkeeper Coburn to make it 3-2 with 17 means remaining.

Altrincham still had chances to redeeem at least a point but Trinity were thankful to their keeper for a couple of good saves.

Two almighty goalmouth scrambles at the Trinity end also failed to produce an Altrincham goal.

So the season ends with Altrincham joint top scorers in the league, with 90 goals, but with them comfortably outside the play-offs after proving far too generous at the back throughout the campaign.

Changes of personnel during the season have meant that a settled side has not been possible as management duo Lee Sinnott and Neil Tolson have sought to rebuild last season's relegated team.

Over the summer Alty will battle to retain the services of Damian Reeves the league's top scorer as they seek to build a squad to challenge for promotion next season.

The close season sees plenty of activity at Moss Lane including a Beer Festival from May 11 to 13 - for details of this and other activities visit the club website at www.altrinchamfc.com Altrincham : Coburn, Densmore (capt), Flynn, Broomes, Smart, Lawrie, Richman, Phelan, Clee, Watmore, Reeves. Unused subs: Reid (gk), C Lynch, Grimshaw, Miles and Twiss