Match Report

REFEREE: Mr G. Hutchinson

With manager Graham Heathcote overseeing a training session back in Altrincham, it was assistant manager Dalton Steele who was in charge of the Robins for this match. Dalton, freshly returned from a wedding anniversary cruise around the Mediterranean, had a harsh reminder that his sun-drenched holiday was over as rain lashed down in the warm up and for periods of the match itself. Alty fielded a mixture of established first-team squad members (Acton, Aspinall, Rose, Thornley, Owen, McFadden), new signings (Tinson, Sedgemore), trialists (Baguley, Potts, Berkeley) and, on the bench, four graduates from the youth and reserves' teams.

Kidsgrove were without Mark Beeston, Steve Pope, Michael Lennon and former Alty defender Neil Murphy. Both defender Wayne Brotherton and recent midfield signing from Stafford Rangers, Craig Lovatt, were named in the squad despite fitness doubts.

Kidsgrove finished seventh in the UniBond First last season but kick off this coming season in the newly formed UniBond First South division. Alty played a friendly at Kidsgrove last summer, drawing 2-2, with Alty's goals coming from Lee Hendley and Pat McFadden. The Alty line-up for that game on 18 July 2006 was: 13. Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 21. Stephen ROSE, 5. Gary TALBOT, 3. Gary SCOTT; 14. Lewis CHALMERS, 4. Eddie HUSSIN (capt), 8. Val OWEN, 18. Blake NORTON; 9. Colin LITTLE, 10. Pat McFADDEN. Subs: 1*. Dave CUMMINS (gk), 26. Lee HENDLEY, 22. Richard NORRIS, 16. Lee MANNION, 17. Karl MUNROE. Eight of the above squad are no longer at Moss Lane.

KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC: (Blue shirts & shorts, white socks). 1. James COATES, 2. David WOODVINE, 3. Richard EYRE, 4. Wayne BROTHERTON (capt), 5, Anthony KIELTHY, 6. Alex MORRIS, 7. Adie MATRANGA, 8. Ashley WOOLISCROFT, 9. Matt RHEAD, 10. Phil HADLAND, 11. Steve JONES. Subs: 12. Chris STOCKTON, 14. Paul STATHAM, 15. Tony BIEGUS, 16. Craig LOVATT.

ALTRINCHAM:(Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks) 1.Richard ACTON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 3. Jake SEDGEMORE, 4. Stephen ROSE, 5. Darren TINSON (capt), 6. Chris BAGULEY, 7. Colin POTTS, 8. Val OWEN, 9. Matthew BERKELEY, 10. Pat McFADDEN, 11. Rod THORNLEY. Subs: 12. Andy KEOGH, 14. Ben DEEGAN, 15. Scott METCALFE, 16. Adam WALKER.

Alty took to the field in the rain, with new signing Jake Sedgemore in an unaccustomed left-back role. Kidsgrove settled the more quickly of the sides and Rhead had a good early chance to score from Matranga's cross from the right but he miskicked from close range (2 mins). But Kidsgrove maintained their early pressure when they won an early corner, which Acton punched clear and then Rhead fired in an impressive shot from wide left of goal which went narrowly wide (5 mins). Alty responded when Aspinall's cross into the box was cut out just before it reached the waiting Berkeley (7 mins). After another Kidsgrove corner, from which the home side worryingly won two successive headers unchallenged, Kidsgrove attacked again and Aspinall conceded as clear a penalty as you will ever see, pushing over Steve Jones from behind. Rhead took the spot kick and scored comfortably to give Athletic the lead as the game entered the 10th minute.

Altrincham almost got level when Coates dropped a cross from Baguley but a defender cleared off the line (12 mins). However, Alty levelled when a neat feed from Potts saw Baguley, for the second match in succession drive home an excellent shot from 25 yards- and as on Saturday it was in the 18th minute. After a Kidsgrove corner had come and gone, Alty won two corners in succession, the latter won when McFadden’s shot was deflected after good work by Sedgemore (23 mins). Another Alty corner soon followed. The sun was now shining after the earlier rain as Potts got past Woodvine and whipped in a cross which just evaded the incoming McFadden (30 mins). Owen was impressing the Kidsgrove supporters in the stand with his midfield harrying and, soon afterwards a neat Alty move saw Potts and Aspinall feed McFadden and, though his shot was beaten out by Coates, it came to Berkeley who hooked it home from a semi-prostrate position (37 mins).

Alty went two goals ahead a couple of minutes later when Thornley, firstly bravely won a header just inside the Kidsgrove half near the touchline, and then fought well to get the ball through to Berkeley. The trialist advanced into the box and, though he did not hit the ball completely cleanly, it had enough power to get past Coates and make it 3-1 to the visitors (39 mins). Alty were now on top and a great turn by McFadden saw them threaten again but his final cross was disappointing. Then Thornley got onto a loose ball but shot very wide of the target from outside the box. As half time approached one of several fine long balls from Sedgemore on the left found Potts on the right and, from his feed, McFadden's excellent shot was beaten out well by Coates for a corner (43 mins). Soon, half-time arrived with Alty having scored three first-half goals for the second successive game.

Alty made no changes at the start of the second period but Kidsgrove brought on Craig Lovatt in midfield to replace their captain Wayne Brotherton, who had been an injury doubt before the game. Soon Berkeley threatened the Athletic goal with a firm shot from left which took a deflection for an Alty corner. After Potts's corner from the right, one from the left by Sedgemore immediately followed but Coates caught this (50 mins). Potts then showed some superb skill in bringing down a bouncing ball and, in the same movement, twisting past Lovatt to get up the right. From his low cross McFadden turned to shoot but keeper Coates saved his effort. Berkeley was caught offside several times in the game but the next goalmouth danger was at the Alty end when Matranga fired towards goal only for Rose, somehow, to turn the ball over his own bar from a position almost on the goal-line. Then from the ensuing corner an Alty defender again had to clear off the line, this time with a header.

Kidsgrove were now applying some sustained pressure but an excellent cross from Sedgemore relieved the pressure allowing Potts to head narrowly wide, the ball being deflected for a corner. But then Kidsgrove won three corners in succession from the last of which Kielthy cleared the bar from close range (57 mins). Just after the hour mark Alty brought on two products of their youth and reserves' system in the shape of Ben Deegan and Adam Walker. Walker replaced Sedgemore, but slotted into right midfield as McFadden moved to left-back. Deegan came on for Owen and joined Berkeley up front. The substitutions enlivened Alty and soon Walker was making progress up the right, followed soon afterwards by a good long shot from Baguley which went narrowly wide (63 mins).

After their earlier pressure had failed to get the goal it merited, Kidsgrove now scored with a long, well-hit shot from Hadland which took a slight deflection en route (65 mins). There was then a scare as Acton came out to kick clear but missed the ball, but Rose cleared the danger. Next,Deegan and Aspinall combined but Thornley's header from the latter’s cross was narrowly wide.Kidsgrove then got back on level terms when Tinson and a colleague got in each other’s way going for an aerial ball in the Alty box and, though the Alty captain headed clear, the ball came to the unmarked Hadland, to the left of goal and he drove the ball past Acton to make it 3-3 (74 mins).

At this point Andy Keogh, another youth team and Reserves' graduate came on for Berkeley whilst Potts gave way to Scott Metcalfe, who played for the Reserves last season. Rain was now pouring down again as Kidsgrove made a change, Statham replacing Wooliscroft (77 mins). Soon Deegan executed two neat turns in as many minutes but was blocked off on each occasion. A fine 60 yard ball forward from Baguley then allowed Walker to win a corner but this was cleared. Biegus then replaced Jones for Kidsgrove (84 mins).

However, Alty snatched a late winner when Baguley fed Walker and the winger saw his shot spilled, to his left by Coates. Deegan did well to outmuscle a defender to get to the loose ball and he poked a shot towards the goal where Walker, Metclafe and a defender chased it into the net, with Walker slotting it home seemingly just before it crossed the line (86 mins). There was one last chance for Alty when Deegan was given a chance but he delayed and the opening disappeared (88 mins). The final whistle soon followed to close another entertaining pre-season game in which Kidsgrove had pushed Altrincham all the way.