After Macc had started well, Altrincham enjoyed a better spell and took a 17th minute lead when Lewis Banks scored at the back post following good work from Wilson and Eddy Jones on the left. It remained 0-1 at the interval, when Donawa came on for Kosylo and Osborne replaced Marriott.

Alty doubled their lead when Conn-Clarke was fouled and he himself struck the ball past Johnstone from the freekick (65 mins).

However, the Silkmen responded when Drummond raced up the middle and, despite Ross blocking his first effort, the Macc player converted the rebound to make it 1-2 (76 mins). But Altrincham, who made more changes during the second half retained their lead to the final whistle. Only Ross, Wilson, Eddy Jones and Cooper completed the full ninety minutes for the Robins.

SCORERS:

• 17 mins: Lewis BANKS (Macclesfield FC 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 65 mins: Chris CONN-CLARKE (Macclesfield FC 0 ALTRINCHAM 2)
• 76 mins: Kane DRUMMOND (Macclesfield FC 1 ALTRINCHAM 2)

This was the fifth away game of the six friendlies played so far in pre-season. Sam Roscoe was a notable absentee, presumably joining Dior Angus and Joey Jones on the injured list. Liam Brockbank was the other absentee from the first-team squad.

George Burroughs, a young defender, recently released from Coventry City, was an unexpected name on the substitutes' bench.

Ex-Robins involved for Macc were Tom Peers, James Berry, Sam Grimshaw, Hayden Campbell and James Hardy

LINE-UPS:

MACCLESFIELD FC (All blue, gold trim): 1. Max Johnstone, 2. Tre Pemberton, 3. Brandon Lee, 4. Lewis Fensome, 5. Laurent Mendy, 6. Luke Murphy, 20. Jon Nolan, 7. Kane Drummond, 9. Tom Peers, 10. Alex Curran, 11. James Berry. Subs: 8. Paul Dawson, 14. Hayden Campbell, 15. James Hardy, 16. Lewis Arnaslam, 17. Sam Grimshaw, 19. Isaac Abankwah

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 2. Justin Donawa, 3. Eddy Jones, 4. James Jones (c), 5. Jake Cooper, 6. Isaac Marriott, 7. George Wilson, 8. Chris Conn-Clarke, 9. Regan Linney, 10. Matty Kosylo, 11. Justin Amaluzor. Subs: 12. Lewis Baines, 13. Elliot Osborne, 14. George Burroughs (trialist), 15. Jostin Donawa, 16. Tom Jones, 17. Ewan McGeady, 18. Ollie Byrne, 19. Loui Williams, 20. Matt Gould

For the first time in a while, Altrincham were facing a Macclesfield side as the higher-ranked team in the football pyramid. Of course, this Macclesfield side is a reformed entity following the demise of the Macclesfield Town club and they will play in the Northern Premier League next season.

The pitch at Macclesfield is now a synthetic one.

The Silkmen kicked off and the first effort of the game saw Drummond and Nolan combine for Berry to lift a curler over the bar (2 mins).

Although Altrincham began to come to life soon afterwards, Cooper picked up an early booking for a professional foul on Curran as the Macc man threatened to get free (7 mins). From the resulting freekick Jake Cooper had to concede a corner, which was followed by a second corner, off goalkeeper Ross.

After the second corner Alty were fortunate to see Fensome's downward header bounce up over the bar (10 mins).

Belatedly Altrincham came to life when good work by Kosylo allowed Linney a shot which won a corner off Fensome.

Soon after this, Wilson and Eddy Jones combined on the left before Wilson's cross evaded Linney in the box but was converted at the back post by Banks to give Alty the lead (17 mins).

However, Macclesfield responded with two more corners (22 mins).

After a crude challenge on Kosylo the Alty man reacted prompting a melee. Both Kosylo and the offender, Pemberton, were booked (24 mins).

Former Alty man Berry was impressing for the hosts but another ex-Robin, Tom Peers, was seeing little of the ball as the half-hour passed.

However, the former Alty striker did have a good chance to equalise on 38 mintes after good work from Drummond, but Peers put his effort wide.

Bery then wasted a decent chance as Macclesfield continued to threaten before half-time but Altrincham retained their lead into the break.

For the second half Altrincham brought on Donawa and Osborne for Kosylo and Marriott.

The sides each won an early corner (50 mins) as the game proceeded fairly evenly at this stage. Just before the hour mark a 30-yard effort from Donawa had to be parried by Johnstone, with Mendy completing the clearance.

The Silkmen now brought on Campbell and Dawson for Curran and Nolan (60 mins). Then, unusually for a friendly, there was a booking for simulation with Berry the recipient of the yellow card (64 mins).

Soon afterwards a foul on Conn-Clarke gave the Alty ecord signing a freekick. He cleverly noticed the keeper's positioning and fired in a low shot which beat him and doubled Alty's lead (65 mins)

On 68 minutes Altrincham introduced trialist Burroughs, at right-back, and fellow defender Baines to replace James Jones and Banks.

Alty now picked up a third yellow card because Osborne kicked the ball away after being penalised for handball (68 mins).

Three minutes later two ex-Alty men, Hardy and Grimshaw, came on for Berry and Lee (71 mins).

Alty now had a good spell as, first, Amaluzor fed Conn-Clarke before he forced a save by Johnstone at the cost of a corner (74 mins).

Then Pemberton gave way to Abankwah for Macclesfield (75 mins). Moments later the Silkmen scored as the impressive Drummond turned well past an Alty man near half-way and headed for goal up the middle. Ross came to meet him and stopped his first effort but the loose ball ran to the Macclesfield man to make it 1-2 (76 mins).

Soon Drummond was withdrawn as Arnaslam came on in his place and, at the same time, three Alty youngsters, McGeady, Tom Jones and Williams replaced Linney, Amaluzor and Conn-Clarke (82 mins).

McGeady soon impressed with an excellent tackle but there was to be no further scoring, despite three added minutes being played.

So Alty had secured their second win in six pre-season games in a competitive contest against the successors to their historic rivals, Macclesfield Town.