Match Report

REFEREE: ?

Altrincham included three more new faces in tonight's squad to add to trialists Colin Potts, Chris Baguley, Matthew Berkeley and Cavell Coo. These were local goalkeeper Stephen Downes, ex-Burnley youth player Kayne Handley and Curzon Ashton's prolific striker Steven Moore. Apart from Richard Acton and Steve Aspinall, Pat McFadden was the only other first-team squad member to start the game. In addition to Acton's first appearance of the close season, Chris Senior was also on show for the first time since signing earlier this week after his release by Halifax Town. The central defence comprised two graduates from the Alty Youth and Reserves' teams in Ben Deegan and Andy Keogh. Though both have played at the back before, Ben made his name as the top-scoring striker for the Youth team whilst Andy was a central midfielder. Another member of the defence in this game who does not normally play at the back was striker Pat McFadden, operating at left-back. In central midfield were trialists Cavell Coo and Chris Baguley whilst Colin Potts and Adam Walker were on the flanks. Adam was a third graduate of the youth and reserve set-up to start tonight's game. Up front, former Gretna striker Matthew Berkeley partnered Senior, whilst on the bench with the above-mentioned trialists were two members of last season's Reserves in midfielder Rick Chetcuti and striker Scott Metcalfe.

Managed by former Alty midfielder, Ged Kielty, Trafford also included some ex-Alty players in the shape of captain Simon Woodford, former youth player Ben Ashmole and, on the bench were more ex-Robins in the shape of Tom Read (former Alty Youth keeper), striker Mike Turner and Sean Smith, whose Alty career was disrupted by a serious injury in a car crash.

This was Alty's second consecutive night of pre-season games so most of the first-team squad who had played against a Manchester United XI 24 hours earlier were rested for this match. But the casual observer, seeing the names of the first-team on the back of the shirts worn tonight might have thought otherwise. Identification was further complicated by the fact that most players wore different numbers on their shorts to the ones on their back.

TRAFFORD: (White). 1. Andy TIGHE, 2. Simon WOODFORD (capt), 3. Lee McGREGOR, 4. Lee SOUTHWOOD (capt), 5. Andy JONES, 6. Martin INGHAM, 7. Chris MACKAY, 8. Ben ASHMOLE, 9. Troy HAYDER, 10. Adam MARTIN, 11. Harry WINTER. Subs included: 1* Tom READ, 2. Mark FITTON, 3* Sean SMITH, 17. Mike TURNER, John BLUCK, Darren CONNELL, Kevin ELVIN, Sam HALLIGAN, Liam DONNELLY.

ALTRINCHAM: (Blue); 1. Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL (capt), 21. Andy KEOGH, 17. Ben DEEGAN, 7. Pat McFADDEN; 22. Colin POTTS, 6. Chris BAGULEY, 20. Cavell COO, 11. Adam WALKER; 19. Chris SENIOR, 16. Matthew BERKELEY. Subs: 8. Scott METCALFE, 14. Steven MOORE, 18. Kayne HANDLEY, Rick CHETCUTI, 24. Stephen DOWNES (gk).

Altrincham substitutes:

After switching ends, Alty kicked off into a bright sun. Walker, with his pace on the left, Baguley in midfield and Potts on the right were the first to make an impression for Altrincham. The first real danger to either goal came when Trafford conceded one of what was to be several freekicks outside their penalty area, after 4 minutes. But this came to nothing before Walker whipped in a cross which Berkeley could not quite convert. Another Walker surge up the left produced another freekick but it was the hosts who actually went closest to scoring in the opening stages. A good cross from the left was met by a firm header from Mackay which Acton did superbly to push away, with a one-handed reaction save. Then Trafford went close again when Ingham, who was making an impact on the Trafford left sent in a cross which Hayder could only turn wide of the far post (10 mins).

After 15 minutes a crude body check by Jones on Walker gave Alty a freekick and the offender a lecture. But after the freekick had been dealt with, Trafford won two corners in succession at the other end. But Potts then won the ball well on the Alty right but was halted in his advance before the home side conceded another freekick. In his unaccustomed left-back role McFadden was playing some pinpoint balls to switch play to Potts on the right but when the first goal arrived it was a more traditional route that was followed. Aspinall executed a well-flighted ball forward into the box from inside his own half. Berkeley met the ball superbly on the half volley and looped a strong shot past Tighe into the net for an excellent goal (27 mins).

Almost immdiately afterwards, Potts made a fine run and cross but Senior, headed wide at the back post (28 mins). After a quietish spell Ingham got past Aspinall to the by-line left of the Alty goal but Acton made a good block (34 mins). Four minutes later Alty won another freekick from which Potts drove a shot wide from 20 yards. There was then an unpleasant moment as Berkeley reacted to what he felt was a foul by Southwood and the two squared up to each other but the referee lectured both and play continued. Trafford then equalised with a superb strike from 30 yards by Winter (42 mins). Alty won two corners before the break but in between Trafford again threatened when Ingham again was the provider of a good cross from the left, which Mackay met well on the volley but he could not keep his shot down sufficiently (45 mins).

Trafford made numerous changes at the break but the tannoy made no team announcements so identifying the players was difficult. However, amongst the new players introduced were goalkeeper Tom Read, striker Mike Turner, winger Mark Fitton and midfielder Sean Smith. Alty made just one change, goalkeeper Stephen Downes replacing Richard Acton. A scrappy start to the half continued as another Alty substitution was made, with Steven Moore, who hit more than 50 goals last season for Curzon Ashton, replacing Pat McFadden (52 mins). A Potts freekick and a Baguley effort from 35 yards were the nearest to an Alty goal as the hour mark approached (58 mins). Four minutes later Alty introduced trialist striker Kayne Handley (ex-Burnley) and reserve Scott Metcalfe with Berkeley and Senior being withdrawn (62 mins).

Handley was immediately involved, making a pacy run on the left and laying the ball inside for Potts to blast a shot just over the bar (63 mins). But Alty soon made amends for this miss as Scott Metcalfe advanced well up the middle and fed Moore ahead of him and he confirmed his eye for goal with a well-taken shot past Read (64 mins). With Potts and Baguley now the central midfield duo, Alty attacked again with Walker feeding Moore who took the ball well but his firm left-foot shot went narrowly wide of the goal (67 mins). Alty made another change when Chetcuti replaced Potts in midfield (68 mins). And soon the young Reserve was almost in on goal from Deegan's excellent pass but Read just collected the ball in time. Trafford responded with Winter shooting narrowly wide before Aspinall fed Handley who executed a fine volley which was not far wide of the keeper's left post (74 mins). Handley showed more skill soon afterwards when he dispossessed an opponent on the Alty left and hared towards goal but his effort went out for a goalkick (77 mins).

An Alty corner soon followed, however, from which Read came out to clear but he collided with his captain, Southwood. After treatment, Southwood limped off holding his left side to be replaced by a substitute. But before the defender could get far round the perimeter walkway, Read himself was laid low when he and Handley arrived simultaneously for a through ball and the keeper went down with what immediately looked a serious leg injury (80 mins) After a full five minutes of treatment on the pitch the former Alty Youth keeper was stretchered off with his legs tied together. All at Altrincham will hope that the injury was not as bad as it first appeared. Trafford introduced a substitute goalkeeper (85 mins). After the resumption, Alty won a corner but following the injuries nobody seemed to have much heart for the game and it petered out to a conclusion with Alty retaining their lead.

Several of the trialists will have enhanced their cases tonight, with Berkeley, Potts, Moore, Metcalfe, Baguley and Handley all contributing some good moments. The game finished with Steve Aspinall as the only one of last season's first team regulars to have played the 90 minutes