ALTRINCHAM 3 GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 2

AFTER 11 league games without a win, Altrincham showed improved form to overcome Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup second qualifying round.

But they had to do it the hard way after they fell behind in just the third minute of the match.

Loanee left-back Josh Doherty's header fell to an opponent and this led to Jordan Thewlis being upended to win a penalty. James Reid fired the spot-kick past Andrew Dawber to give the Lincolnshire club the lead.

After overcoming a pre-season injury, Sean Miller once again showed attacking flair for the Robins in the first half.

And, having had to play two strikers as centre-backs, Alty looked more solid at the back with the return of John Cyrus to their defensive line.

With the pacy Darnelle Bailey-King causing problems on the Alty left, it took two Altrincham goals in a little more than a minute, just before half time, to transform the game.

First, Cyrus converted a low corner from James Lawrie into the net.

And then Damian Reeves scored another close-range goal after Sam Patterson had advanced impressively into the Trinity penalty area, right of goal.

Two spectacular second-half efforts from Lawrie went narrowly wide for Altrincham but, when the visitors equalised seven minutes from time, it looked as if the Robins would be left disappointed.

But, in the second added minute, a Lawrie corner led to a melee in the box, with the ball coming off a defender and the crossbar for Reeves to slot home at the back post.

Next up for Alty is a home league game against Boston United on Saturday before Alty resume their FA Cup run against Morpeth Town.

ALTRINCHAM: Dawber, Patterson, Doherty, Richman, Cyrus, Goodall, Miller, Moult, Lawrie, Reeves, Hobson. Subs: Jones, Wilkinson, Joyce, Heathcote, Cain, Hattersley, Bassangue.