3,663 hardy souls braved sub-zero temperatures to watch this game, whose final scoreline was a little harsh on an Altrincham side which saw plenty of the ball but created few real openings.

A hat-trick of well-taken goals by left-winger Ethan Ennis helped a slick and skilful Manchester United under-21 side to a 4-0 win over a fairly strong Altrincham team but it was by no means as one-sided a game as the outcome suggests. Former Alty loanee keeper Mee in the United goal was arguably the busier of the two teams' keepers making four or five decent saves.

Alty's indisposed Ethan Ross's goalkeeping understudy, Harvey Randle, suffered a leg injury as early as the sixth minute of this match. After treatment, 17 year-old substitute keeper Louie Fallon had to replace him.

A brace from Ennis gave United an interval lead and two second-half goals completed the scoring, both arriving against the run of play. The final goal also completed Ennis's impressive hat-trick.

SCORERS:

• 16 mins: Ethan ENNIS (ALTRINCHAM 0 Manchester United PL2 1)
• 29 mins: Ethan ENNIS (ALTRINCHAM 0 Manchester United PL2 2)
• 70 mins: Amir IBRAGIMOV (ALTRINCHAM 0 Manchester United PL2 3)
• 90(+1) mins: Ethan ENNIS (ALTRINCHAM 0 Manchester United PL2 4)

Leading scorer Regan Linney was missing, possibly suspended, for this game and goalkeeper Ethan Ross remained sidelined by a chest infection. Winger Justin Amaluzor also remained sidelined by injury along with Ollie Crankshaw. Max Haygarth and Lewis Humbles were also not involved but the latter was at the match. It can only be assumed that both are injured.

However, both Isaac Marriott and Justin Donawa made their first starts of the season after their respective lengthy injury absences.

Altrincham were not at full strength for tactical reasons too, as first-team regulars Eddy Jones, Alex Newby, James Jones and Tom Crawford were all only deployed on the bench. So this was not Altrincham's strongest available starting eleven.

Nevertheless, Altrincham enjoyed plenty of possession but could not beat United 'keeper Dermot Mee, a former loanee at Moss Lane.

Ironically, Mee was the most experienced Altrincham goalkeeper involved tonight, having made four starts in league matches for the Robins whilst on loan in 2022. Randle has started just one NL match and Fallon has yet to make his league debut.

ALTRINCHAM (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts, white socks): 30. Harvey RANDLE, 2. Lewis BANKS, 4. Lewis BAINES (c), 5. Jake COOPER, 23. Tylor GOLDEN, 6. Elliot OSBORNE, 8. Isaac MARRIOTT, 14. Matty KOSYLO, 20. Kharel REDDIN, 33. Justin DONAWA 29. Jake BICKERSTAFF. Subs: 3. Eddy JONES, 16. James JONES, 10. Alex NEWBY, 24. Joe NUTTALL. 19. George WILSON, 22. Tom CRAWFORD, 27. Louie FALLON

MANCHESTER UNITED PL 2 (Dark blue shirts and socks, white shorts): 1. Dermot MEE, 2. Habib OGUNNEYE (c), 3. Harry AMASS, 4. Jack KINGDON, 5. Louis JACKSON, 6. Tommy ROWE, 7. Sam MATHER, 8. Jack MOORHOUSE, 9. Victor MUSA, 10. Amir IBRAGIMOV, 11. Ethan ENNIS. Subs: 12. Reece MUNRO, 13. Tom MYLES (gk), 14. Jaydan KAMASON, 15.Finley McALLISTER, 16. Ashton MISSIN, 17. Jimmy THWAITES, 18. Louis BRADBURY.

This was the second match for Altrincham in this nascent competition after beating Blackburn Rovers on penalties in October. Free entry for all specttaors had been facilitated by Alty's front-of-shirt sponsors, AO.

The match started with United on the front foot as they attacked the Golf Road end. After just six minutes, however, play stopped for treatment to Alty keeper Randle, who had only made his league debut some 72 hours earlier (6 mins).

After protracted treatment the young keeper hobbled off the pitch where 17 year-old substitute Academy keeper Louis Fallon was hastily readied to take his place (9 mins). For Fallon it was a first start at senior level, though he had kept goal in several pre-season games.

Play resumed with the pacey visitors on top but without them seriously threatening a goal before a promising Alty move by Reddin and Banks led to a blocked shot from Donawa, starting his first game of the season after injury.

United hastily counter-attacked through Moorhouse, who fed Ennis. From the edge of the box the left-winger hit a superb shot which went in just under the crossbar, leaving Fallon with no chance (16 mins).

After a promising run by Reddin, United again switched play to the other end where they gained the first corner of the evening (19 mins).

Altrincham, in turn, switched play as Golden ran upfield and unleashed a shot from distance which Mee did well to scoop round his left post for an Altrincham corner (21 mins).

Kosylo was then indebted to Fallon for saving a Moorhouse effort after a bad mis-pass from Alty's senior player (22 mins). Moorhouse soon threatened again but, this time, his 20-yarder cleared the bar (23 mins).

It was Altrincham, however, who gained the next corner. However, taken short, possession was lost and United swept upfield with a speedy counter-attack which led to Obragimov's shot being blocked but the ball fell for Ennis, who again found the net with an excellent shot to make it 2-0 (29 mins). Rapid counter-attacks had produced both the goals.

Alty replied with a spell of possession in which a 40-yard run by Reddin forced aother save from Mee (32 mins).

Amass's foul on Marriott yielded an Alty freeekick, after which a Bickerstaff effort gained a corner from a deflection (41 mins).

Shortly before the break, United won themselves a left-sided corner which was headed narrowly wide (42 mins). Three minutes of added time were completed, leaving United 2-0 up but Alty were by no means out of it despite not fielding their best available eleven.

Altrincham made a triple change for the second half as James Jones, George Wilson and Alex Newby replaced Banines, Marriott and Donawa.

Next, Mee was forced into a save by a Newby effort after a good Altrincham move (52 mins) but play was largely uneventful as the hour mark approached. Each side then made a swap with McAllister replacing United's Moorhouse and Alty's Eddy Jones replacing Lewis Banks, necessitating a shift of defensive flanks for Tylor Golden (58 mins).

A mis-pass by Wilson was almost costly as Jackson's resulting shot forced a decent save from Fallon (59 mins). At the other end, Kosylo was almost on the end of a near-post ball after an Alty advance up the left (61 mins).

Two Altrincham corners followed (65 mins) before Mee had to smother an effort following Newby's advance into the United box (66 mins). Alty continued in the ascendancy as Bickerstaff got to the left bye-line and flashed an effort across the face of goal (68 mins).

Against the run of play United scored a somewhat fortunate third goal. A Musa shot was deflected and looped up before coming down onto the crossbar. Fallon had leapt up to ensure it did not creep into the net but the ball fell for Ibragimov to tap into an empty net with the unlucky keeper on the deck (70 mins).

Straightaway, Missin came on for United instead of Mather (71 mins) and, almost immediately, he executed an impressive dribble to win a corner (73 mins).

Two United shots from outside the box were capably held by Fallon as the game went into its final ten minutes.

Alty rallied with a Reddin shot forcing Mee to beat the ball away (82 mins). After this, United iontroduced Bradbury and Thwaites for Musa and Ibragimov respectively (85 mins).

Referee Morland then brandished a yellow card towards Jackson, presumably for time wasting, before a Newby header earned Altrincham a corner. Taken short, the corner led to a good chance for Newby which he put disappointingly wide (87 mins).

United achieved a flattering four-goal margin to their lead in the first of the decreed six added minutes. Missin then advanced impressively up the middle before feeding Ennis. Confronted by the advancing and exposed Fallon, the number eleven dinked the ball over the Alty keeper to make it 0-4.

A late shot from Kosylo ran to Mee (90+3 mins) but there was no way back for the hosts, whose final action saw them concede a corner from an Amass freekick inside the "D". But there was no time for the corner to be taken.

Altrincham had given a good account of themsleves but the pace, efficient finishing and class of the United youngsters had proved too much. Nevertheless Alty had deserved a consolation goal, at the very least.