13 Jul 2018 by John Edwards

Jordan Hulme sent an ominous warning to National League North defences with a swift return to goalscoring form as Altrincham launched their preparations for the new season with two wins in quick succession.

Last season’s 31-goal leading marksman may have been off the pace in Saturday’s 3-0 victory at Rhyl, but there was no containing him at Kidsgrove three days later, as Alty followed up with a 4-2 success.

An opening goal after only two minutes and another assured finish in the second half crowned a lively show of frontrunning and suggested the Alty crowd favourite is ready to hit the ground running when Leamington visit The J.Davidson Stadium for the start of another league campaign three weeks on Saturday.

"You could tell on Saturday that Jordan had been away on holiday, but I thought he was superb tonight," said manager Phil Parkinson after the win at Kidsgrove.

"To be fair to him, he’d just stepped off the plane when we played Rhyl but tonight he showed his real quality and gave us something to take heart from, in terms of our front line.

"Some of his touches and interplay were top drawer, and he was a real threat.

"He looked very sharp, and that’s a great sign for us.

"We are making steady progress in each game, and that’s something we need to continue doing."

As Alty head for a ground-breaking friendly against the Isle of Man in Douglas on Saturday, Parkinson admitted he faces a dilemma choosing between trialist keepers Matthew Johnson and Callum Roberts, who both impressed at Rhyl and Kidsgrove.

"Both have done well and made my life very difficult," he said.

"They have shown different attributes, and I’ve got a tough decision to make at the end of the week, because I promised them I would decide by then.

"They have given me a bit of a headache, which is good.

"The Isle of Man trip should be a great experience for everyone at the club.

"It’s a first for me as a manager, and I’m looking forward to it."

This article was first published in the Sale & Altrincham Messenger.