ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Craig ELLISON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 3. Ashley BROWN, 4. James MARSDEN (capt), 5. George MELLING, 6. Nehru McKENZIE, 7. Colin POTTS, 8. Dwaine LYNSEY, 9. Rod THORNLEY, 10. Gary WILLIAMS, 11. Michael BROWN. Subs: Lee MILNER (gk), Ryan STEWART, Colin McALLISTER, Pat McFADDEN, Daniel HEFANAN, Paul MONAGHAN.

REPORT

Based on information kindly supplied by Neil Brown.

The Abbey Hey grass had been left to grow long after its heavy use last season and this made it difficult to move the ball about to feet in this game. Vandals had also dug holes in the pitch and emergency repairs had to be made before kick-off. Worse still, police had to be called during the match to deal with youngsters using a sledgehammer on the perimeter fence.

For this friendly back at their home venue for last season, Alty Reserves fielded a side which included six players who hold first-team squad numbers for this season (Aspinall, Melling, McKenzie, Potts, Thornley and Williams).

Alty's first goal came from a corner by Potts, which was cleared back to the wingman. He fired the ball back into the box where it may have taken a touch off McKenzie's head before going into the net off a defender. But Colin was claiming the goal and manager Neil Brown was happy to agree! Alty made it 2-0, again following a Potts corner, on the right. This time he found Gary Williams who flicked the ball home on the volley.

Alty suffered a blow when Steve Aspinall, recuperating after an ankle operation, had to come off with an ankle problem.

At the interval, Stewart replaced Mike Brown, who was celebrating his 18th birthday today, on the Alty left. Other interval changes saw Williams rested for Saturday's first team match and replaced by McFadden up front. The keepers were also switched with Milner coming on and Hefanan replaced Potts. Stewart went to left-back and Hefanan to the left wing.

After Abbey Hey had pulled back a goal, Colin Potts was also involved in Alty's third and fourth goals. To make it 3-1, he flicked the ball past an opponent and cut inside the left back and centre half with a shimmy before switching the ball from his right-foot to his left. Spotting the keeper off his line, from 18 yards, Colin chipped the ball over him and into the left corner of the net.

Alty suffered another injury in the second half when George Melling and an opponent clashed heads, leaving the Alty man concussed (60 mins). Lynsey took over at centre-back. Abbey Hey made it 3-2 when one of their players got behind Lynsey and, despite claims of offside, scored.

More skill from Potts made it 4-2 when he slid the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the Abbey Hey net.