Match Report

REFEREE: Mr. R. Jones (Wirral)

ATTENDANCE: 265

Just as they had last Saturday at Abbey Hey, Atrincham used two squads, each of eleven players. The only difference in personnel was the absence of Nicky Clee and the inclusion of trialist centre back James McCarten, a former Everton youth player more recently at Aberystwyth Town.

Again, as at Abbey Hey, Lee Sinnott fielded a stronger eleven in the first half; ten of this eleven were signed players who could reasonably expect to be regular starters come the league season, whilst the second half team included five trialists and four youth team graduates, with only Coburn and Phelan who were first-team regulars at the end of last season.

Nantwich manager, Jimmy Quinn, had three players with Alty connections in his starting eleven; defender Mat Bailey, striker Marc Beesley and midfielder Fraser McLachlan, who had been a trialist at Moss Lane.

BACKGROUND:

Following a 4-0 win at Abbey Hey, this was Altrincham's second pre-season game. However, it was Nantwich's first outing of the summer.

The game was played in dry conditions, but in a breeze and a temperature more fitting to a March evening fixture than a mid-summer afternoon encounter. Altrincham were well supported in a good crowd for a friendly of 265.

LINE-UPS:

NANTWICH TOWN (Green and white): 21. Ryan MOSS, 2. Matt LOWE, 3. Rod McDONALD, 4. Chris FLYNN, 5. Mat BAILEY, 6. Darren MOSS, 7. Sean COOKE, 8. Fraser McLACHLAN, 10. Josh LANE, 9. Mark BEESLEY, 11. Lewis SHORT. Subs: 12. Niall MAGUIRE, 14. Caspar HUGHES, 15. Christian SMITH, 16. JJ BAILEY, 17. Sean BREEN, 18. Lyndon CAMPBELL, 19. Josh ROWLEY

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts and socks, blue shorts) (First Half): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 5. Gianluca HAVERN, 6. Danny HALL, 3. Matt DOUGHTY; 7. Duncan WATMORE, 4. Carl RODGERS, 8. Simon RICHMAN, 11. James LAWRIE; 9. Danny MITCHLEY, 10. Ryan BROOKE.

ALTRINCHAM (Yellow shirts and socks, blue shorts) (Second Half): 1. Stuart COBURN, 4. Nick SWIRAD, 5. James McCARTEN, 14. Greg PEARSON, 12. Sam GRIMSHAW; 17. Ashley YOUNG, 6. Matt FEARON, 15. Scott PHELAN, * Adam MATHER; * Derryn OFORI, 16. Denico WALTERS. Sub not used: 18. Adam REID. (* indicates players who wore unnumbered shirts).

Altrincham kicked off and started the game impressively with some crisp passing which belied the experimental nature of a starting eleven in which only three outfield players had played for the first-team regularly last season. In the first minute, a slick move up the right involving Densmore and Watmore was halted by a good challenge. A couple of body checks from McLachlan yielded early Alty freekicks before a fine cross from the left by Matt Doughty was met by an impressive glancing header at the near post from Ryan Brooke, which beat keeper Moss to give Altrincham a 13th minute lead.

And, just three minutes later, Watmore got free up the inside right channel and the 18 year-old finished well with a low shot into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0 (16 mins). Nantwich had posed little threat to Coburn's goal until an attack in the 17th minute had to be seen off by the Altrincham defence which was generally solid throughout the first half. At the other end, another good passing move ended with a sidefooted shot from Lawrie which crashed against the keeper's left upright (20 mins).

After a Midgley shot had been blocked, an Alty corner followed and Nantwich's cause was not helped when they had to make a substitution as early as the 26th minute when Maguire replaced the ailing number 10 (shown as Beesley on the team sheet but he wore no.9 today). After this, Altrincham were on the back foot for a while as Nantwich began to settle but Altrincham maintained their clean sheet up to the interval.

Nantwich started the second half well but they fell further behind after 52 minutes. The goal came when Fearon took a freekick from well left of goal, about 40 yards out. His kick was allowed to traverse the penalty area and, without anyone getting a touch, found its way into the net at the back post, to make it 3-0 - to the midfielder's delight.

However, the Dabbers got a goal back soon afterwards when Lowe went forward and got behind last year's youth team captain Sam Grimshaw. Lowe delivered a waist-high cross from the right whih the incoming Short volleyed into the net to make it 1-3 (56 mins).

The game was now more even than it had been in the opening half hour of the first half. Indeed, Beesley now got the ball past Coburn but McCarten cleared and then, following a Nantwich corner, Moss sidefooted over the bar when he should have tested Stuart Coburn. Another wasted chance for the hosts arrived after 73 minutes when Beesley headed wide from one of several excellent crosses from the impressive Short. A third second half miss for Nantwich came when McDonald skied an effort over the bar (75 mins).

Nantwich made a double change as Breen and Campbell replaced Beesley and Flynn (76 mins). By now Grimshaw had swapped places with Mather, the latter dropping to left back as Grimshaw moved into midfield. And the youth team graduate now impressed as he played a fine ball for Walters, whose effort was blocked.

Nantwich spurned yet another good chance when Breen got free but from his good cross, Short headed wide (80 mins).

Alty Youth striker Derryn Ofori then enjoyed an eventful few minutes. Having been treated for a blow to the head, he then almost scored twice in as many minutes. His first effort arrived when Walters's advance was blocked. The loose ball came to Phelan whose effort rebounded out to Ofori, right of goal. He executed an excellent chip, which beat the keeper but which a defender cleared before it could enter the net (83 mins).

The second chance for Ofori came following a great pass by Grimshaw which the striker received, right of goal. Ofori's well-hit shot went across the face of goal just missing the back post (84 mins). There was then time for Walters to go close as he shot across the face of goal from Mather's feed (88 mins).

The final whistle confirmed Altrincham's second win of pre-season and, as at Abbey Hey, there were plenty of promising signs for the new season, especially in the first half. Next Tuesday sees another step up in opposition as Morecambe bring their squad to Moss Lane for Altrincham's first home match of pre-season. And they are more likely to take advantage of some of the slack marking seen from Alty in the second half today than were a wasteful Nantwich.