AFTER three games of the new season, Altrincham were still looking for their first win of the season following a 1-0 defeat at Matlock Town on Saturday.

As in their previous two fixtures, Altrincham produced passages of attractive play but they lacked incision at the end of promising build-ups.

Before the game, Alty had found themselves without five of their squad through injury, illness and commitments – Josh Amis, Shaun Densmore and Sean Miller could take no part while Chris Lynch and John Disney were named on the bench, though not fully fit. Consequently, midfielder Simon Richman was pressed into action as a right-back.

Altrincham started well enough but Matlock looked a more direct threat in the first half, notably when the pacey Darnelle Bailey-King got free up the right and his shot flew just wide of the back post.

The Gladiators took the lead four minutes into a second half which Altrincham had started slugglishly.

And, for the third game in succession, it was a headed goal from a corner which was Altrincham's undoing as home defender Dwayne Wiley scored.

The Robins did not come to life until the substitutions of Jordan Hulme and Sam Sheridan prompted some sustained pressure in the final quarter of an hour.

But it was already deep into added time before Sheridan produced his side's best shot at goal, a rasping 25-yarder which keeper Phil Barnes did well to tip over the bar.

Once more, Alty had won the match's corner count but lost the game as they laboured, unsuccessfully, to convert their attacking momentum into goals.

In the first four-and-half hours of league action this season, their only goal came from the penalty spot but they ended that barren run on Tuesday with a 1-0 win against Whitby Town.

ALTRINCHAM: Thompson, Richman, Short, Hannigan, Harrison, Moult, Johnston, Taylor, Peers, Poole, Hancock. Subs: Sheridan, Hulme, Disney, Lynch, Deasy.