Altrincham 5 Histon 0 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Altrincham 5 Histon 0

11:23am Monday 3rd September 2012 in Sport

ALTRINCHAM produced their best performance of the new season with this comprehensive drubbing of Histon. But it was only after a fairly low-key first half that the Robins turned on the style to overrun the Cambridgeshire side, who had won their previous two league matches.

The Robins took the lead in the 27th minute when 18 year-old Duncan Watmore got to the by-line and cut the ball back from right of goal.

Midfielder Carl Rodgers met the ball with a skilful volley which beat the keeper just inside his left hand post.

It took fewer than two second-half minutes for Altrincham to double their lead as a foul on Nicky Clee gained the hosts a freekick, left of goal. James Lawrie's freekeick, from an acute angle, was missed by the Histon keeper and defence as it flew into the far side of their net.

Two goals in as many minutes from last season's top scorer in English non-League football, Damian Reeves, wrapped the game up. His first came from Carl Rodgers's feed. Though Reeves stumbled and seemed to lose possession in the box, he managed to recover the ball and put it past Mellings in the Histon goal.

That was in the 64th minute and, in the 66th, a tremendous run from Watmore, shrugging off a shirt-pull as he advanced, led to Altrincham's fourth goal. Watmore laid the ball off to his right where Damian Reeves smacked it into the net for his fifth goal in five games.

Watmore himself rounded off the scoring fourteen minutes from time when he netted from the edge of the box, following an Altrincham corner. And, not surprisingly, it was Watmore who was named man of the match after he had left the pitch to a rapturous ovation when he was substituted in the closing stages.

This impressive win, Alty's first at home in eight league matches, was also the first time they had kept a clean sheet in more than 30 games. Difficult away trips to Gainsborough Trinity and Oxford City lie ahead in the coming week before Bradford PArk Avenue visit Moss Lane on September 15th.

ALTRINCHAM: Coburn, Densmore (capt), Hall, Havern, Doughty, Watmore, Moult, Rodgers, Clee, Lawrie, Reeves. Subs: Reid, Leather, Richman, Lacey, Brooke