ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Richard ACTON, 2. Paul MONAGHAN, 3. Ryan STEWART 4. James MARSDEN (capt), 5. George MELLING, 6. Dwaine LINDSAY, 7. Mike BROWN, 8. Nehru McKENZIE, 9. Griff JONES, 10.K ieran LUGSDEN, 11. Pat McFADDEN. Subs: 12. John MALONEY, 13. Craig ELLISON (gk), 14. Kwame BARNETT, 15. Lee HENDLEY.

CHORLEY RESERVES: 1. Marland, Pitts, 3. Touhey, Callaghan, Macallister, Guy, 6. Mullineux, Phoenix, Walsh, Mason, 9. Olsen. Subs: 16. Roberts (for Touhey, 65), 12. Self (for Mullineux, 45), 17. Meadows (for Mason, 75), Moffatt & Millington

REPORT

Altrincham included four players from the first-team squad, goalkeeper Richard Acton, centre-back George Melling, midfielder Nehru McKenzie and striker Kieran Lugsden. And Kieran got himself on the scoresheet after just 45 seconds when a mix up between a defender and the Chorley keeper allowed him to nip in and put the ball into the empty net. Alty won two early corners as they gained the upper hand but Chorley won themselves a flag-kick after 15 minutes which was well met by a header and had to be cleared off the line by Ryan Stewart.

The speedy McFadden then did well on the left for Alty and, from his pass, McKenzie shot narrowly wide into the sidenetting from the edge of the box. A fine ball from Marsden then set Jones running to the byline but his good, low cross just evaded the incoming Lugsden (24 mins). Alty made it two-nil on the half-hour mark with an excellent goal. McKenzie advanced up the middle and played the ball to Jones who laid the ball back from left of goal into the path of McKenzie and he blasted the ball into the top of the net from the edge of the box.

Soon after the restart a poor tackle on Lugsden saw the young Alty player go down in agony. After lengthy treatment from physio Alan Ainsley, he managed to hobble along the touchline but was unable to continue. After some time on the bench, his ankle swelled up and he was taken to hospital where ankle ligament damage was diagnosed. The length of his lay-off will be better known next week, after rest. Chorley's number 2 was deservedly booked for the foul. Alty first-team manager Graham Heathcote, watching from the stands, will have been dismayed to see another casualty added to his already long list of sidelined first-teamers.

Once it became clear that Kieran could not continue, Kwame Barnett, nicknamed "The Bull", came on to replace him up front (36 mins). Soon the sub went down in the box but the freekick went the other way. A good lay off from McFadden then led to Jones firing narrowly wide. Chorley got back into the game when their no.9 was not given offside as he got behind the Alty backline and he went on to beat the exposed Acton to make it 2-1 (42 mins). But former Barnsley man, Griff Jones, almost restored Alty's two-goal lead when Barnett's nod-on led to his firm drive smacking against the keeper's left post. The ball rebounded out and Jones, reacting quickly, dived to head the ball back towards goal, only for the ball to be saved (43 mins). Another crude challenge saw a second Chorley player booked before the interval.

At half-time Chorley replaced their no.6 by Self. But Alty's injury woes continued when Melling went down off the ball with what appeared to be a neck injury. He had to come off and was replaced by John Maloney, who went into midfield as the versatile Lindsay dropped to centre-back (56 mins). Chorley now enjoyed some possession but McKenzie went close again for Alty after McFadden had cut in from the left (57 mins). At this point McKenzie was withdrawn to rest him for Saturday and Lee Hendley joined the match, up front alongside Barnett, with Jones now in midfield (57 mins).

Within a minute Hendley had scored , finding the keeper's bottom right-hand corner with an excellent finish after a perceptive ball up the inside-right channel (58 mins). Just after Chorley had won a corner, the visitors brought on Roberts for Tuohy (63 mins). Next, Marsden fired in a testing 35 yard freekick which the keeper could not hold but Barnett could not get the rebound. A great ball from Jones then set McFadden forward but he was checked. Alty then scored a very good fourth goal when Hendley's excellent ball to the left found McFadden. His well struck, low cross picked out Barnett, who finished well to make it 4-1 (68 mins). Chorley made another change as no.17 came on (71 mins).

Jones got onto Stewart's pass but his shot was underhit before Hendley was pulled up for offside after a good pass from Jones (89 mins). However, in injury time, Alty scored again when a smart ball from Jones went via McFadden to Hendley, who advanced into the box and, once again, finished impressively, curling the ball into the far corner to make it 5-1 (90+1 mins). This had been an impressive performance by Alty Reserves but the night was marred by the injuries to Lugsden and Melling. On the positive side, Hendley's impressive finishing, after a fine season with the Youth team last year, earned him non-contract forms for the first team and he will be travelling to Aldershot on Friday for Saturday's Conference National match.