ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Richard ACTON, 2. Paul MONAGHAN, 3. Danny FROST, 4. Mark MADDOX, 5. Colin McALLISTER, 6. Dwaine LINDSAY (capt), 7. Michael SUTTON, 8. Griff JONES, 9. Lee HENDLEY, 10. Pat McFADDEN, 11. Tom BAKER. Subs: 12. John MALONEY, 13. Craig ELLISON (gk), 14. Daniel CAMPBELL, 15. Anthony BINGHAM.

REPORT

There were six changes to the Altrincham Reserves' starting line-up which had lost at Bamber Bridge last Saturday. Back into the eleven came goalkeeper Richard Acton, left-back Danny Frost, first-teamer Mark Maddox (returning to action after suspension), Mike Sutton, Lee Hendley and a new player, Tom Baker on the left wing. Tom had made three league apperances as a sub for Barnsley last season and had also appeared briefly for the Tykes once in 2003-04. On the bench was another new face, 19 year-old Danny Campbell, a former WBA and Stockport County player. The Lancaster side was very much their youth team from last season.

Alty started the better and, inside the first couple of minutes, a lay-off by Hendley led to McFadden's drive hitting the side-netting. A corner from the left was then headed well wide of the City goal by Maddox. From McFadden's feed, Hendley now turned smartly but fired just wide (5 mins). Although Lancaster's pacy number ten looked a threat to the home side, Alty soon won a freekick as the speedy Baker was upended, 35 yards out. Baker was soon back in action and, from his cross, Sutton volleyed wide (8 mins).

The Lancaster no.2 was booked after 11 minutes for a foul, which was the third committed on the lively Baker by this early stage. However, the Barnsley man got his own back a minute later when Sutton and Jones got the ball to him and Baker fired a superb left-foot shot from all of 30 yards which went like an arrow off the inside of the keeper's right post and across goal into the net to give Alty the lead. It was as good a goal as is likely to be seen at Moss Lane this season (12 mins).

After the restart Maddox got in a good tackle and soon Hendley was almost capitalising on a mistake by the Lancaster left-back at the other end but the keeper just got to the ball first. But a minute later the roles were reversed as Hendley smartly stuck out a foot ahead of the keeper to knock Lindsay's pass away from the keeper's waiting arms and leave himself with a vacant net into which to score and make it 2-0 (16 mins). Alty were now passing the ball about well but McAllister soon had to do well to see off a Lancaster attack and he needed treatment after colliding with an opponent in the process.

Alty made it 3-0 when they moved the ball well from left to right with Lindsay and Sutton finding Hendley, who got to the by-line right of goal and skilfully stopped the ball going out. He then slipped the ball past the keeper from the acutest of angles, the ball skimming the near post before McFadden tapped it home from a foot out, in the centre of the goal. So, it was now 3-0 (24 mins).

But, Lancaster got back into the game after 28 minutes when the no.9 fed the impressive ginger-haired no.10, who kept his head to make space and score with a firm drive from right to left which found the bottom corner to make it 3-1. Alty's immediate reply was to win two corners in succession and then for Baker to embark on a mazy run, ending in a cross from the right (30 mins). City now made a double change as nos. 14 and 17 replaced 7 and 11 (32 mins). Another foul on Baker preceded a fine tackle by Frost which stopped the visitors' no.14's advance, at the cost of a corner (37 mins).

Yet another foul tackle on Baker produced a further freekick but the challenge had left the new left winger limping. From Lindsay's freekick, the keeper fumbled the ball out for a corner on the right. Next, following a Sutton throw-in Baker fed McFadden whose shot hit the side-netting. Lindsay then impressed as he went past three tackles to win a freekick from 35 yards out. Alty continued to press as a Maddox clearance led to a move which ended with a misdirected cross from Hendley. Alty now replaced the crocked Baker with Bingham (43 mins). Baker appeared to have injured his left foot in one of the several foul challenges committed on him.

Lancaster emerged a good five minutes early for the second half but Alty continued to have the upper hand when the game resumed. From Frost's freekick on the left, Lindsay's header shaved the upright to the keeper's right (49 mins). Alty continued to pass the ball about well.

After Monaghan had fed Sutton, his raking 50 yard cross was met on the volley at the back post by Hendley who finished superbly to make it 4-1 (52 mins). Now Campbell came on for Frost (53 mins), with McFadden moving to left-back as Campbell slotted in on the left and the new man went up front. Soon Maloney also came on, on the right, for Sutton (57 mins). Lancaster's no.14 then made it 4-2 as he skilfully evaded three Alty challenges as he headed towards the box (58 mins).

McFadden now got forward to force a good save from the keeper but Campbell struck the rebound over the top. Lancaster's last sub, no.12, soon came on for no.5 (61 mins). The goalmouth incidents continued as Lindsay curled a freekick just over the bar and then Campbell had a good shot saved at the second attempt. From McFadden's pass forward, Bingham then got to the by-line, left of goal, but his shot struck the near post as Alty dominated. After Lindsay had been tripped, the Lancaster no.14 was booked (67 mins).

The pace of the game continued at a high tempo as Hendley was hauled down for a freekick. Then Lindsay again struck the post with a fine shot from 20 yards (72 mins). Next, Maloney had a fierce shot held by the keeper and, soon afterwards, Alty won another freekick as Bingham was felled. Just before Alty won another corner, Acton was called upon to make a good save as the Lancaster no.10 advanced up the left and set up no. 14 for a shot which the Alty keeper beat out (77 mins).

Soon, Alty made it 5-2 when Campbell got behind the defence and finished well (86 mins). Soon Bingham's pace let him in for a good shot which was well saved and the final action of the game was a cross from Monaghan which just evaded Hendley at the back post (90+1 mins).

Thirty-three goals have now been seen in the Reserves' five matches, so far this season, with twenty of them scored by Alty. The Robins' Reserves played some excellent football today despite having, once again, to change their line-up considerably from their previous game. Both trialists (Baker and Campbell) scored, and it was a pity that Baker was put out of the game by persistent fouls. Mark Maddox came through the 90 minutes without any problems and will, no doubt, be back in the squad for Saturday's Conference match at Hereford United.