ALTRINCHAM 2, STOCKPORT COUNTY 4
Stockport County produced a stirring second-half showing to come from behind to record a convincing victory in their pre-season friendly at Altrincham.
After trailing at the break to a Regan Linney goal, the Hatters hit back with four goals from Antoni Sarcevic, Callum Camps, debutant Nick Powell and Connor Evans before Altrincham added a second, a consolation from Justin Amaluzor in stoppage time.
It was the proverbial game of two halves as the Robins were on top but, after making seven changes at the break, they were ruthlessly dismantled in the second period.
Altrincham edged the opening period with Justin Donawa heading just over the Chris Conn-Clarke firing two efforts straight at keeper Ben Hinchliffe before the breakthrough came in the 36th minute.
Eddy Jones fired over a low cross to the far post where the predatory Linney was on hand to fire home.
Conn Clarke’s floated cross then struck the crossbar as Altrincham almost added a second before the break.
The match swung Stockport’s way after they scored twice in the space of three minutes.
Macauley Southam-Hales’s cross was only headed clear as far as Sarcevic who fired home a low shot from six yards.
A goalkeeping howler from Ollie Byrne then handed Stockport the lead.
The 25-year-old Byrne, a former team-mate of Marcus Rashford in Manchester United U18s, allowed a low and innocuous 30-yard drive to slip through his hands and trickle over the line.
Stockport made three changes at the break and a further eight on the hour.
Powell, one of the alterations, took only 14 minutes to register his first goal for the Hatters.
The 29-year-old, who left Stoke to join the Hatters, raced on to s delightful through ball and cooly dinked the ball over the advancing Byrne.
Evans struck the bar with a floated cross before making it 4-1 in the 78th minute.
Kyle Knoyle’s excellent cross from the right was headed into the top corner by Evans.
County could have added even more goals as Ibou Touray’s free kick was palmed out by Byrne and former Manchester United player Powell’s effort struck the crossbar.
Altrincham added a second in stoppage time when Amaluzor, a summer signing from Aldershot, hit a corker from the edge of the box into the top corner.
It had been a rip-roaring second half for the crowd of 2,097 with almost half of them visitors.