WORCESTER CITY 3 ALTRINCHAM0

ALTRINCHAM went into the game with just one win in 15 National League North matches this season – their worst start to a campaign in living memory.

They started this match well enough yet, by the 11th minute, they found themselves trailing and with only 10 men on the pitch.

Worcester took the lead in the ninth minute when Alty right-back Sam Patterson lost the ball.

From the resulting cross from the City left, unmarked veteran striker Lee Hughes headed his side ahead.

Two minutes later, another slip by Patterson allowed Hughes to race towards goal.

Alty captain Alan Goodall raced back to cover and brought down the former West Brom man and was sent for an early bath.

Despite further occasional defensive lapses, Altrincham remained in the game until the half-hour mark.

Then Worcester's man-of-the-match, Cieron Keane, drove home a firm shot from 25 yards to make it 2-0.

Altrincham's 10 men stuck to their task and were enjoying their best spell of the game when they again committed defensive suicide.

Danny Hall and Andy McWilliams seemed to have a Hughes cross well covered, only for the two defenders to get in a mix-up and leave the ball free.

City's Ebby Nelson-Addy swept it into the net to quell any thoughts of a comeback.

The only bright spots for Alty were an assured debut from new loan signing, 37-year-old centre-back Wayne Thomas, and some promising play from forward Sean Miller.

Altrincham, now second-bottom in the league, travel to in-form Lincoln City in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.

ALTRINCHAM Deasy, Patterson, McWilliams, Thomas, Hall, Goodall, Lawrie, Moult, Richman, Marsh, Miller. Subs: Dawber, Wilkinson, Reeves, Heathcote, Cain.