Wealdstone move up to third in the National League with fourth consecutive win

Wealdstone made it four consecutive victories in the National League as they sealed a narrow 1-0 win over strugglers Altrincham at Grosvenor Vale.

Moses Emmanuel’s rebounded effort in the 66th minute was the decider as he earnt the Stones another three points to move them up to third in the league table.

Altrincham flashed some of the quality that saw them promoted from the National League North in the first minute, when Josh Hancock shot narrowly over from 20 yards out.

Stones first proper effort came in the 27th minute when Danny Parish latched onto the end of a sloppy backpass but he was shepherded wide by Robins skipper Jake Moult and his effort was well saved by Tony Thompson.

Emmanuel had a similar effort just two minutes later, getting away a more meaningful effort from the edge of the area, but unfortunately he shot straight at Thompson.

The hosts did have the ball in the net on 34 minutes, after Dennon Lewis’ 30-yard effort was parried by Thompson, with Emmanuel slotting in the rebound, but it was ruled out for offside.

Substitute Billy Sass-Davies almost grabbed a goal on his first game back at Altrincham, the defender used his towering frame to head just wide from a corner ten minutes into the second half.

Fellow substitute Tom Peers almost put the visitors ahead three minutes later when he got onto the end of a Joel Senior cross, but his effort was straight at Harry Isted.

After riding a prolonged spell of Altrincham pressure, the Stones went a goal ahead. Lewis burst forward down the left to deliver a cross for Ross Lafayette, his effort was blocked but Emmanuel followed up to poke in at the second time of asking after an initial save from Thompson.

Altrincham’s best chance of the game came on 74 minutes when Connor Hampson cut a cross back to Peers on the edge of the area but Jerome Okimo got a crucial block in and the ball deflected just wide.

Wealdstone: Isted, Efete, Okimo (c), Cawley, Mendy, Phillips, Green, Dyer (C. Smith 67), Parish (Lafayette 59), Lewis, Emmanuel (Wishart 89).

Unused subs: G.Smith and Stevens.

Altrincham: Thompson, Hampson, Senior, Hannigan, Sutton (Sass-Davies 19), Moult (c), Robbins, Hancock, Kosylo, Adarabioyo (Peers 23), Ceesay (Miller 59).

Unused subs: White and Densmore.