Match Report


GREGORIANS (1) 2 ALTRINCHAM FC XI (0) 2

Pre-season friendly game, played on Saturday, 7 July, 2007 at 11.30am.



LINE-UPS

GREGORIANS SQUAD: (All blue). NB The same shirt numbers were worn by more than one player in some cases so some of the Gregorians' details may be incomplete. 1. Andrew RICHARDSON, 2. Billy EASTWOOD, 3, Bill BOSWELL, 4. Simon TURPIN, 5. Christian POTTER, 6. Rob DOYLE, 8. Richard AINSLEY, 9. Tom BRENCHLEY, 10. Rio NELSON, 10. Paul REGAN, 12. Dwane LINDSAY, 14. Andrew MASON, 16. Terence SHAW.

ALTRINCHAM F.C. XI:(Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks) 1. Ben RIGBY, 2. John MALONEY, 3. Cavell COO, 4. Tom COSGRAVE, 5. James MARSDEN, 6. Astley MULHOLLAND, 7. Rick CHETCUTI, 8. Pat McFADDEN (capt), 9. Scott METCALFE, 10. Matthew BERKELEY, 11. Adam WALKER. Subs: 12. Reza ZAREH-OURANG


REPORT

Gregorians are a Manchester League club who are based at Manchester City's magnificent training complex at Platt Lane in Manchester. On cue, for the first time in weks, Manchester was bathed in sunshine, though clouds periodically passed over the artificial pitch on which this game was played. A couple of dozen Altrincham supporters had made the journey to watch their side's first appearance of the summer.

Altrincham's squad was managed for the first half by assistant manager Dalton Steele, who had to leave at the interval to go on a Mediterranean cruise to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary. Had he not left to catch the ship, there might not have been a 26th anniversary for Dalton to celebrate! First-team boss Graham Heathcote arrived to orchestrate the second half, having earlier held a training session for the first-team back in Altrincham.

Alty's young side included, at centre-back, 16 year-old 6ft 3inch Tom Cosgrave, whose first approach to Altrincham FC came through an e-mail to this website in May 2006. More recently, Tom had been selected by Altrincham FC Supporters' wily manager Mark Eckersall, ever one with an eye for talent, for the Supporters v Staff game at Moss Lane. Tom is a former vice-captain of Stretford Vics FC and is set to feature for Altrincham Youth this season as is Reza Zareh-Ourang, who with goalkeeper, Ben Rigby is a third potential member of Alty's youth team squad in 2007-08. Cosgrave's partner at centre-back was James Marsden, a former Alty reserves' captain, who had more recently been with Bangor City in Wales. The right-back today was the versatile John Maloney, a regular in the Reserves last season. Other Reserves from last season playing today were Astley Mulholland, Rick Chetcuti and Adam Walker, with Astley and Adam also having originally been Alty Youth players.

There were also a couple of trialists in Alty's side today, namely Cavell Coo, at left-back, who had recently been released by Crewe Alexandra after making a couple of appearances for them from the bench last season. Up-front was Matt Berkeley (19) who had been with Gretna in the Scottish League until the end of last season, but had spent a spell at Conference North Workington during that campaign. He was partnered up front by Scott Metcalfe, who was with Alty's Reserves towards the end of last season. Ben Deegan, another youth and Reserves' graduate for Alty was not available today as he was on holiday. Gregorians included a number of familiar faces including former Alty Reserves Dwane Lindsay and Rio Nelson, as well as Alty physio Alan Ainsley's son, Richard.

The game was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of the manager of Prestwich Heys FC, Adie Moran, who died recently at an early age.

Altrincham fielded a side almost completely made up of last season's reserves, trialists and youth team prospects, with Pat McFadden being the only member of last season's first-team squad in evidence. Alty started brightly with Adam Walker looking lively up the left-wing but it was Gregorians who took the lead. Their goal came after six minutes, when a free-kick from the left wing evaded the Alty defence and Shaw headed firmly home past Rigby.

Above: Gregorians take the lead.

Alty responded to the goal against them by winning a corner on the right. From that, taken by Walker, Berkeley powered a header against the cross bar (7 mins). After Chetcuti had seen a shot saved and two Gregorians' efforts had gone over the bar, Alty won two more corners. Gregorians then won a flag-kick themselves before a shot from Metcalfe was well saved, to give the visitors another corner (28 mins). A neat flick from Mulholland then set up a chnace for Walker but his shot was saved. Just after the half-hour, Gregorians began to use their substitutes.

For Alty, Coo was impressing at the back whilst Berkeley was winning a number of useful freekicks for his side. In the five minutes before the interval each side won a corner as the game continued to flow from end to end. A rare mistake by Coo meant that Cosgrave had to make a vital block just before the half-time whistle and the tall defender injured himself in the process. Soon, the interval arrived with Alty still trailing 0-1.


Half-Time: GREGORIANS 1 ALTRINCHAM FC XI 0

Right: Metcalfe, McFadden and Walker celebrate Alty's second goal.

As the referee reappeared for the second half the Gregorians players were running a jocular sweepstake on the match official's origins, with Serbian one of the many nationalities suggested by the players. When the amiable referee was asked to resolve the argument, he revealed that he was truly of exotic Eastern origins - he came from Cambridge! A Fenlands accent is obviously not heard too often in central Manchester!

At the interval Alty withdrew the injured Cosgrave and brought on their only substitute, Reza Zareh-Ourang to replace him at centre-back. Two early curling shots from McFadden signalled Alty's intent to get back into the game. And the visitors got their reward after 58 minutes when Coo played a good ball up the left channel and Metcalfe lashed a very good shot past the keeper to level the scores. Manager Graham Heathcote was giving his team plenty of advice from the touchlines but Rigby had to be alert to save a Gregorians' shot, at the cost of a corner on the hour mark. An excellent tackle from Zareh-Ourang soon saw off another attack. Midway through the half, Alty won a corner and manager Heathcote told the taker, Adam Walker, to "try and score at the near post". And that is just what Adam did, though his curling corner seemed to go into the net off a combination of the post, the keeper and Pat McFadden. Nevertheless, the manager credited the goal to Walker (68 mins).

The game was being played in a stiff wind of which Alty had the benefit in the second period. More Gregorians' substitutes occurred at regular intervals. as Alty were now on top of the proceedings of a game played in an excellent spirit. Just after Mulholland had seen a good shot well saved, Marsden had to be alert to see off danger at the other end, at the cost of a corner. From this Marsden then had to clear off the line at which point the familiar figure of Droylsden boss Dave Pace appeared, leading his players past the Alty goal on their way to the car park after their training session at Platt Lane (77 mins). The Bloods' owner and manager took the opportunity to have a long look at his opponents for next season as he walked by!

Altrincham were now being encouraged to pass the ball around by their manager and they soon won two corners. From the second, Zareh-Ourang shot narrowly over the bar (85 mins). Next, after a good run from Chetcuti had been seen off, McFadden also made good progress on the right. The ball came to Mulholland, who forced the Gregorians' keeper to tip his shot over for a corner. When Walker then forced another good save from the keeper, it looked as if Altrincham would hold their lead but with the game two minutes into added time, the home side advanced to the right of goal. The ball was cut back from near the by-line for the number eight to drive the ball, low, past Rigby to make it 2-2.

The game was an entertaining affair and a good work-out for both sides. The Gregorians club were very hospitable to their visitors and all at Altrincham FC thank them for the fixture and wish them well for the coming season. For Alty, manager Graham Heathcote will have gathered more evidence of players' abilities as he moves to finalise his squad for next season.


Full-Time: GREGORIANS 2 ALTRINCHAM FC XI 2