County produced four second half goals in a rampant 4-2 victory over Altrincham on Saturday.
Goals from Antoni Sarcevic, Callum Camps, Nick Powell and Connor Evans sealed the victory for County, as the unbeaten start to pre-season continues.
County made a bright start to the match as Trialist A whipped a teasing cross into Sarcevic, but the midfielder couldn’t direct his header towards goal, narrowly evading the far post.
Altrincham then took control of the first half, and could have opened the scoring mid-way through. A floated cross to the back post found Justin Donawa, but his header narrowly missed the target.
Chris Conn-Clarke had a half-chance to give the hosts the lead with an effort from distance. He worked space for a shooting opportunity, but Ben Hinchliffe matched the strike and held onto the ball..
The hosts ramped up the pressure as the half continued and opened the scoring ten minutes before the interval. A teasing cross to the far post found Regan Linney in acres of space, who tapped the ball into an empty net.
Linney was making things happen for Altrincham and drove at the County defence, but Fraser Horsfall stood his ground and forced the striker to shoot from distance, resulting in a wayward effort. Another chance came and went for the home side, as Elliot Osborne’s cross-cum-shot crashed off Hinchliffe’s crossbar and away from danger.
HALF-TIME: Altrincham 1-0 County
County could have found themselves two down very early in the half. A quick turn by Linney opened up a one-on-one chance, but substitute Ethan Ross made himself big and made a great save with his legs.
The leveller came shortly afterwards through Sarcevic. A floated cross into the box by Macauley Southam-Hales took a fortunate deflection, and the midfielder thumped the ball into the net from close range.
Just like that, County were ahead. Substitute Camps let fly from distance and his shot should have been dealt with by Ollie Byrne, but the ball squirmed under the goalkeeper and rolled into the net.
Kyle Knoyle drove into acres of space on the right and tried his luck, with his shot dipping and swerving, but the effort was well-matched and palmed away to safety.
County’s third came through new signing Nick Powell, who latched onto a fantastic through ball, found himself one-on-one and dinked over Matt Gould and into the net, showing great composure.
A rampant County grabbed another shortly afterwards. After Powell, Ashton Mee and Camps all had blocked efforts, Knoyle crossed the ball into Evans, who found himself free and guided his header into the top corner.
Powell showed his quality once again and, from nowhere, chipped the ball off the meeting point of the post and the crossbar. Moments earlier, Ibou Touray whipped a free kick towards goal, but Gould parried well.
The home side pulled a goal back with seconds remaining through Tom Jones. With the final act of the game Jones produced a wonderful effort from outside the area, which looped over Ross and found the top corner.
FULL-TIME: Altrincham 2-4 County (Sarcevic 52′, Camps 57′, Powell 74′, Evans 78′).
First XI (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Southam-Hales; Wright; Horsfall; Trialist A; Rydel; Croasdale; Trialist B; Sarcevic; Madden; Crankshaw
Second XI (3-5-2): Ross; Partington; Knoyle; Byrne; Pye; Touray; Camps; Evans; Mee; Powell; Oloafe
Photographer: Mike Petch
