ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (red & white striped shirts, black shirts, red socks): 1. Spencer LIDDIARD, 2. James MARSDEN (capt.), 3. Ashley BROWN, 4. Lewis CHALMERS, 5. Laurence BALL, 6. Arron HEVINGHAM, 7. Michael BROWN, 8. Adam BRINDLE, 9. Anthony WEALLE, 10. Lee HENDLEY, 11. Danny GRIMSHAW. Subs: 12. Pat CONNOLLY, 13. James HOGG (gk), 14. Rico RICHARDS, 15. Adio MARCHANT.

LANCASTER CITY RESERVES: 1. Ryan YEOMANS, 2. ?, 3. Kyle ARMSTRONG, 4. Mike SWARBRICK, 5. John MOFFATT, 6. Ian DAWES, 7. Niel UBERSCHAR, 8. Kevin McGARVIE, 9. Evan BARRY, 10. Lee FOXCROFT, 11. Ryan ELDERTON. Subs: 12. Matthew GALLEY, 14. Jack MOUNSEY, 15. Martin HOLLIDAY, 16. Damian WALSEE?, 17. Danny SELF.

REPORT

Report based on information kindly supplied by Neil Brown.

Spencer Liddiard was back in goal for Altrincham whilst Tony Wealle, Danny Grimshaw and Lewis Chalmers also all returned to the side which had lost the last game to Guiseley. However, Paul Monaghan and Paul Tilley were unavailable to manager Neil Brown. Chalmers started at centre-back, swapping his central midfield role with regular centre-back Adam Brindle in a midfield which comprised Brown, Hevingham, Brindle and Grimshaw. Lancaster fielded a number of players with significant first-team experience such as Elderton and Uberschar as well as a number of first-team fringe players.

From a needlessly conceded corner, Lancaster took an early lead when one of their players slipped his marker to head home from close range (6 mins). Play had been fairly even in the opening stages but by the half hour stage Lancaster were having the better of things and doubled their lead after 25 minutes, when the Alty players stood off the opponent in possession and he drove the ball home from a distance. Altrincham got back into the game when a ball came from midfield to Wealle who flicked it on for Hendley. He held off a challenge and got past the oncoming keeper, to the left, before scoring into the unguarded net (38 mins). Indeed, Hendley, the youth team captain and leading scorer, impressed throughout with his pace and good first touch.

At the interval, Chalmers reverted to midfield and Brindle to central defence. After 55 minutes Adio Marchant came on for Grimshaw. So, Hevingham now went to the right of midfield and Mike Brown to the left. Although Liddiard had to produce two good saves, Altrincham were also creating some problems with Marchant soon doing well on his return to the side following a spell at Old Gregorians. But the sides were fairly even at this stage, sharing freekicks and corners more or less equally.

After 62 minutes, Rico Richards came on for Michael Brown and joined Wealle up front, with Hendley moving to the left as a third, supporting striker. Alty's equaliser came when Hendley got the ball on the left and found Wealle who hit a good ball which found Hevingham advancing on the right towards the back post. Hevingham got the ball back across goal where Richards's half-hit shot deceived the keeper to enter the net (67 mins). After 75 minutes, Connolly replaced Hevingham. Altrincham had now stepped up their game whilst, at the back, Ball and Ashley Brown were combining well together and Marsden, too, was playing well. From a pass by Laurence Ball, Chalmers then found Marchant, who was tripped inside the penalty area. With Wealle, Richards and Chalmers all keen to take the spot-kick, it was Wealle who stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way, putting the ball to his right (80 mins).

A couple of minutes after the goal, Richards and an opponent got tangled in a challenge just outside the box. With the referee about to resume play the linesman called him over and, following discussion, Richards was shown the red card for an alleged use of the elbow. Alty played out the final minutes with ten men, leaving Wealle as the lone striker. The win ended Alty's recent run of three games without a win and with five games now left this season, all at home, they will be looking to climb the table before the season's end.