REPORT | WEALDSTONE 3-3 ALTRINCHAM
Wealdstone come from behind twice to earn a point in a thriller at Grosvenor Vale.
Kallum Cesay put the Stones ahead after 20 minutes following a spell of dominance from the home side.
Tom Crawford tapped home from a rebound to level the game against the run of play before Regan Linney's solo effort put the visitors ahead.
Alex Reid finished well to tie the game up once more, just before half-time.
A dubious penalty call saw Altrincham take the lead when Linney rifled his spot-kick down the middle.
Reid doubled his tally for the day when his header nestled into the bottom corner with just 15 minutes to go.
Matt Taylor made only one change to the side the side that faced Wycombe just over a week ago. Portsmouth loanee goalkeeper Toby Steward made his League debut in place of the injured Jacob Adams.
The visitors came flying out the blocks looking for a goal, creating their firs chance of the game just two minutes in when Liam Humbles hit a fierce effort towards goal, which was parried away by Steward.
Despite the fast start from Phil Parkinson's side, the Stones calmed themselves and began a spell of dominance on the opposition's area.
The in-form Cesay came close to opening the scoring when his left-footed effort flew narrowly over the bar from just inside the area, after 10 minutes played.
Jack Wells-Morrison and Reid were the next Stones players to try their luck. Wells-Morrison had a low struck effort saved by Ethan Ross before Reid came close to breaking the deadlock with a narrowly wide header.
But the pressure eventually payed off for the home side, after 20 minutes, when Reid's effort deflected straight into the path of Cesay, who finished calmly to put the Stones ahead and score his second goal in as many games.
Despite the dominant start to the half, Altrincham were always a threat on the break. Winning a free-kick just outside the area, the visitors looked to go direct. A strong effort could only be palmed away by Steward, straight into the path of Crawford, who finished into an empty net to level the game.
With a slight bit of momentum, the away aide smelt blood. Just three minutes later, Linney picked up the ball on the edge of the area, jinked past two Stones defenders and struck a blindsided effort past Steward to put Altrincham ahead.
Just minutes to play in the half, Taylor's side weren't going into the break behind. Brilliant work from Cesay once again saw the ball fall into the path Reid, who finished calmly to score his first goal in five games.
In the nature of the game being played, the second-half began with more drama. A harsh penalty call gave the visitors another chance to take to the lead, which Linney converted expertly to put his side back ahead.
The Stones rallied themselves once again, looking to salvage something from a game they should have really been ahead in. As Max Kretzschmar went down in the area, the referee waved away any appeals for a Stones penalty.
Just two minutes later, after Cesay had charged into the area and been scythed down, the referee waved away yet another penalty claim from the home side.
But it wouldn't matter in the end for the Stones, who eventually found their equaliser in the 74th minute. Anthony Georgiou stormed down the left-flank and fired a ball into the box, which Reid was on hand to convert once again, bagging his second goal of the game to tie things up.
The visitors looked dangerous on the break as the Stones searched for a winner, but it wasn't to be for either side.
Taylor's side travel to Manchester on Saturday to face Oldham Athletic in the National League at 3pm.
WEALDSTONE XI: Steward, Cook, Mariappa, Mundle-Smith (Grant 69'), Boldewijn, Wells-Morrison, Cesay, Georgiou, Kretzschmar, Ashford, Reid.
ATTENDANCE: 1,005