Match Report


ALTRINCHAM (1) 1 MANCHESTER UNITED XI (1) 2

Pre-season friendly match
played on Friday, 22 July 2016, at 7.30pm


SUMMARY

Altrincham gave a good account of themselves against the Manchester United Reserves at the J Davidson Stadium on Friday evening. Altrincham took a 25th-minute lead when United keeper Henderson dropped a cross and Damian Reeves scored off the underside of the bar. United levelled nine minutes later when Riley fed el-Fitouri up the right and his cross was converted by Kehinde from 15 yards.

During the second half United fielded ten substitutes to Alty's six, (with two of the home side's replacements only deployed late in the match), and the fresher legs told as United took a 75th minute lead. The ball broke free in the Alty box and Gribbin sidefooted home.


SCORERS:


REFEREE: Mr Anthony Taylor
ATTENDANCE: 543
TEAM NEWS

As at Trafford on Tuesday, Alty made five changes to their starting eleven for this game, with Lynch, Hannigan, Lawrie, Joyce and Goodall all returning. They were captained by Alan Goodall but were still without Sean Miller. However, along with the injured Craig Hobson and Shaun Densmore, he did engage in some exercises before the game.

United included several players who had featured in the first team or had at least been in a first-team squad. The most familiar names were Tyler Blackett and James Wilson.


LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shirts and white socks): 1. Andrew DAWBER, 2. Sam PATTERSON, 4. John cYRUS, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 11. Callum CHARLTON, 8. Alan GOODALL (capt), 9. David LYNCH, 12. Charlie JOYCE, 18. Billy HASLER-CREGG, 7. James LAWRIE, 10. Damian REEVES (capt). Subs: 19. Jamie MENAGH, 20. Sam HEATHCOTE, 21. Simon RICHMAN, 22. Jake MOULT, 25. Danny HATTERSLEY, 26. Jake MOULT,

MANCHESTER UNITED XI (All blue): 1. Dean HENDERSON, 2. Joe RILEY, 3. Regan POOLE, 4. Donald LOVE, 5. Tyler BLACKETT, 6. Sean GOSS, 7. Sadiq el-FITOURI, 8. Scott McTOMINAY, 9. James WILSON, 10. Tosin KEHINDE, 11. James WEIR (capt). Subs: 12. Demetri MITCHELL, 13. Kieran O'HARA, 14. Josh HARROP, 15. Devonte REDMOND, 16. Charlie SCOTT, 17. Matthew OLOSUNDE, 18. Zac DEARNLEY, 19. Josh DOUGHTY, 20. Callum GRIBBIN, 23. Matthew WILCOCK.


BACKGROUND

Following 2-2 draws with Widnes and Chester FC, this was Alty's third pre-season match.


REPORT

With local Premiership referee Anthony Taylor in charge, United kicked off towards the away end. Alty started quite well with Reeves being brought down for a freekick early on and then a promising move faltered as Hasler-Cregg got forward (6 mins). After Goodall's foul on Wilson, Dawber elected to punch rather than catch the resulting freekick. Alty counter-attacked via Reeves but Lawrie's shot cleared the bar (8 mins).

Alty's first corner arrived after Joyce had cleverly dispossessed Blackett, but it came to nothing. United began to threaten and Alty had to block two successive shots (21 mins). Poole then got in a shot which went close but at the other end a cross from the right was not held by keeper Henderson in a crowded goalmouth. The loose ball fell to Reeves who scored with a firm shot off the underside of the cross bar (25 minS0.

At the back Cyrus and Hannigan were again impressing with Cyrus getting in two excellent sliding tackles in the first half-hour. But the visitors equalised in the 35th minute when Riley fed el-Fitouri on the right. From near the byline he cut the ball back to Kehinde who scored with a low shot.

Soon afterwards, Dawber was almost embarrassed as he came to gather a back pass but United put the chance wide. A fine cross from the right by Riley went unconverted as it flew across the Alty goalmouth. However, Alty also got forward themselves and Lynch had a shot saved (40 mins). A fine long ball from Goodall almost got Lawrie free before the break but the defence saw him off.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1
MANCHESTER UNITED XI 1

United made three changes as Harrop, Redmond and Willock replaced Goss, McTominay and Kehinde for the second half. For Alty, Moult and Hattersley came on for Charlton and Goodall. Moult surprisingly was deployed at right-back. There was an early scare as the ball ran through Dawber's legs but he was far enough from goal to be able to double back and collect the ball.

Hattersley, Lawrie and Hasler-Cregg soon combined in a promising move but it was United who won two early corners (51 mins). Alty responded as Reeves harried a defender into conceding a corner at the other end.

Cyrus again impressed with a fine tackle on Blackett before Richman and Menagh came on for Hasler-Cregg and Lawrie (56 mins). Two more United corners arrived after which Blackett got cleverly into the Alty box only for a superb covering tackle from Hannigan to stop him (60 mins). Moult then emulated Hannigan with an impressive tackle deep in his own penalty area. United now brought on four more subs as Mitchell. Olosunde, Dearnley and Gribbin replaced Blackett, el- Fitouri, Wilson and Weir (62 mins).

With seven pairs of fresh legs introduced by United since the interval, compared with just four for Alty, the visitors began to stretch the home defence. Soon after a United corner the pressure told as a ball broke lose in the Alty box and Gribbin sidefooted home from right of centre (75 mins). Alty soon brought on Heathcote for Lawrie after which a Hattersley nod down almost fell for Reeves (78 mins). United then won a corner off Heathcote (80 mins), after which Harry Cain came on for Joyce (82 mins)

There was a scare when Lynch went down in pain off the ball but after treatment from Alan Ainsley he was able to continue. Although they had lost Altrincham had given a good account of themselves against a skilful United team.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM 1
MANCHESTER UNITED XI 2