REFEREE: Mr M Ackerman

ATTENDANCE: 779

Today's game was not only a pre-season friendly but, more importantly, it was a testimonial match for the very popular former Altrincham defender, Mark Maddox, who had started his career with Rovers, his local Birkenhead club. Mark was named as Alty's number 4 and captain today.

Alty's squad contained only one new face; included on the bench was striker Nick Rogan, who has played for Workington (2011), Fleetwood Town (2010), Chester (on loan from Fleetwood), Barrow (where he was leading scorer in 2006/7 and 07/8), Vauxhall Motors (loan from Barrow 2008), Southport (2005/6), Lancaster City and Morecambe. Trialist Steve Hall was also on the bench, along with youth graduates James Smart, Sam Langford, Jake Barnabas and Joe Coombes. Astley Mulholland was named on the bench but was not actually on the bench, though he was at the ground.

Stuart Coburn was back from holiday and started in goal but Josh Ollerenshaw, the Oldham Athletic youngster, was on the bench and two other keepers were also involved in the warm-up, former Alty Reserves man Steve Downes and Adam Reid from Alty's youth system.

BACKGROUND:

After two honourable defeats against Burnley's first team and a Manchester City XI which included the likes of Craig Bellamy and Adam Johnson, Altrincham again faced a stiff challenge as Tranmere Rovers generously brought their first-team squad to Moss Lane to play in Mark Maddox's testimonial game - Mark had spent some time at Prenton Park as a youngster. Testimony to Mark's popularity was the large number of former team mates, managers and club staff who came along for the game.

LINE-UPS

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white stripes, black shorts, red socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 6. Adam FLYNN, 5. Paul JONES, 3. Ryan BROWN, 4. Mark MADDOX (capt), 7. Simon RICHMAN, 8. Anthony DANYLYK, 11. Nicky CLEE, 10. Damian REEVES, 9. Michael TWISS. Subs: 12. Mark LEES, 14. Chris LYNCH, 15. Shaun DENSMORE, 16. Brian SUMMERSKILL, 17. Nick ROGAN, 18. Steve HALL, 19. James SMART, 20. Astley MULHOLLAND, 21. Josh OLLERENSHAW, 22. Sam LANGFORD, 23. Jake BARNABAS, 24. Joe COOMBS.

TRANMERE ROVERS (All white): 1. Andy COUGHLIN, 2. Michael KAY, 3. David RAVEN, 4. Joss LABADIE, 5. Ash TAYLOR, 6. Mark McCHRYSTAL, 7. Lucas AKINS, 8. John WELSH, 9. Enoch SHOWUNMI, 10. Robbie WEIR, 11. Riad BOUKAKIOU. Subs: 12. Max POWER, 13. John COURTNEY, 14. Mustapha TIRYAKI, 15. Will VAULKS, 16. Ellis APPLETON, 17. Nickolaj MISIUK.

REPORT

Mark Maddox led the team out and was given the honour of kicking off, playing the ball to Damian Reeves, whose 50-yard plus shot missed the target narrowly.

Mark was then substituted, to generous applause, with Mark Lynch coming on for Altrincham (1 min). Although Tranmere won an early corner, Altrincham soon replied with a good cross from the right by Richman. In the early stages, Tranmere were making the running without seriously threatening to score.

But it was Altrincham who took the lead in the 11th minute when Damian Reeves chased a ball forward and his presence caused a mix-up in the Rovers' defence. Reeves, right of goal, got the ball and fed Nicky Clee, to his left. The left wingman sold his marker a dummy to make space for himself and he drove a right-footed, rising shot past keeper Coughlin to give Altrincham the lead.

At the other end, Showunmi got in a good shot but Coburn, restored in goal after his holidays, saved it. After a foul on Labadie by Flynn, Tranmere's freekick narrowly cleared the bar, landing on the roof of the net.

Altrincham were comfortably holding their own with Flynn and Jones looking solid at the heart of the defence and Clee and Brown again impressing on the left. Lawton, too, was doing well in his newly adopted right-back position. Tranmere's trialist, Boukakiou, got in a shot but it rose over the bar (28 mins) before Alty won a freekick about 30 yards out. The ball was played forward for Reeves who forced a good block from Coughlin (31 mins).

Twiss and the industrious Danylyk then combined well and from Lynch's resulting cross, a corner resulted. This was punched clear to Danykyk whose volleyed shot cleared the bar. It was not long before a Clee cross earned Alty another corner as they looked good value for their lead. Indeed, it almost became 2-0 shortly before half time when Clee's ball fed Reeves who cleverly beat the keeper but saw his effort cleared off the line. There was still time for Reeves to threaten again as he beat his marker but Coughlin deflected the ball away (45 mins).

Alty brought on Josh Ollerenshaw in goal for Coburn at the interval. Soon his opposite number in the Rovers' goal was quickly backtracking as Flynn quickly took a freekick from just inside his own half but the ball narrowly cleared the bar (49 mins).

The lively Reeves then got a ball in across the Tranmere goalmouth but no team mate was there to convert it. Alty's dominance continued as a fine shot from Clee was diverted onto the cross bar by Coughlin, for a corner. Then Brown also tried his luck from half way and was only narrowly wide (53 mins).

Showunmi now forced a good save from Ollerenshaw with Jones finishing the clearance by heading the ball to safety for a corner. Now, Misiuk replaced Showunmi for the visitors (58 mins).

Next, a fine surge from Clee fed Twiss whose brilliantly struck low shot was well saved by the Tranmere keeper at the cost of a corner. Soon Alty threatened again when Clee's quick throw to Richman led to the latter's lob striking the Tranmere bar (61 mins).

Altrincham now made two changes as Richman and Lynch were replaced by Summerskill and Densmore (62 mins). Play now went through a fairly even spell before Clee once more surged up the middle and produced a well hit shot which the keeper saved well (70 mins). Then a fine passing move from Alty ended with Danylyk's cross which no one was able to convert.

Clee settled the match with a fine shot from just outside the box in the 73rd minute, with Reeves available for a feed had Clee not opted to shoot. Almost immediately, however, Reeves gave way to a new Alty trialist, Nick Rogan, a striker formerly at Workington and Fleetwood (74 mins).

As the game headed towards the final ten minutes, Mark Lees came on for Brown at left-back (78 mins) and then Vaulks replaced Weir for Tranmere (80 mins). A bad challenge by Tiryaki on Danylyk left the Alty midfielder needing treatment (83 mins). Alty saw out the closing minutes comfortably to record a thoroughly deserved win over a Tranmere side largely comprising first-team players. It was a performance to encourage Lee Sinnott, Neil Tolson and the Alty supporters and a fitting result for Mark Maddox's testimonial.

Footnote: Tranmere's used subs were Vaulks for Weir, Power for Labadie, Misiuk for Showunmi and Tirayki for Boukakiou.