OSSETT ALBION: 1. WRIGHT, 2. SYERS, 3. STAPLETON, 4. HAZELDENE, 5. HADLEY, 6. TOWNSEND, 7. NEARSWINSKI, 8. JACKSON (capt), 9. DUNNE, 10.KENNIFICK, 11. CUTTER. Subs: 12. BERRY, 14. HOWISON, 15. MURPHY, 16. KEMP, 17. POOLE.

ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Craig ELLISON, 2. Steve ASPINALL, 3. Ashley BROWN, 4. Colin McALLISTER, 5. Laurence BALL, 6. James MARSDEN, 7. Michael BROWN, 8. John MALONEY, 9. Pat McFADDEN, 10. Ben DEEGAN, 11. Danny HEFFERNAN. Subs: 12. Kieran KILACKY, 14, Ryan STEWART, 15. Kerin ALAN.

REPORT

This report is based on information kindly supplied by Neil Brown

Altrincham showed numerous changes from the last game at Clitheroe. Into goal came Craig Ellison, Colin McAllister returned to the defence, James Marsden came into midfield and youth team striker Ben Deegan joined Pat McFadden up front. Both Lewis Chalmers and Kieran Lugsden who played the Clitheroe game were on first-team duty whilst another starter in the Clitheroe game, Rod Thornley, was expected to be playing for Radcliffe at the same time as this game but that game was postponed. On the bench were three players who had not been involved in the last game including a Turkish player, Kerin Alan.

The match was played on a small, sloping pitch with long grass and, at times, the game threatened to boil over as tackles flew in. Indeed, Altrincham came away with four players injured. Ossett worked hard to close down Altrincham at every opportunity and the ball was in the air quite a lot making it a less than exciting spectacle.

Ossett took the lead with a very good goal after 12 minutes. A ball came into the Alty box where both McAllister and Ball were unable to make clean clearances .A needless corner resulted from this and, in turn, the first flag-kick immediately led to a second corner for Ossett. From this, the ball came out nearly 30 yards from goal along the deck from which distance a home player hit it powerfully from slightly left of centre into the top right hand corner past Craig Ellison, who had no chance of stopping it. But this excellent goal stood out amidst an otherwise physical first half in which Alty's Ashley Brown was booked after a challenge which the referee judged to be late. Later in the game Laurence Ball was also cautioned when a player cut across him and went down. Curiously, though Laurence was Alty's last man he was only given a yellow as the referee judged the collision unintentional.

After 58 minutes Kilacky came on for John Maloney but the new man was soon booked by the referee. The second half was an improvement on the first but was still not a classic. Further Alty changes occurred after 62 minutes when, first, Ben Deegan was replaced by Ryan Stewart, which meant that Danny Heffernan now went up front as Stewart settled on the left, and then Kerin Alan came on for James Marsden in centre-midfield. After the changes Alty improved and for the last fifteen minutes were on top and pressing forward.

Alty almost levelled when McFadden received the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, with his back to goal. He flicked the ball up and hit it over his head but the keeper made a good save plucking the ball out of the top corner. However, despite this and a couple of other chances, it was not until two minutes from the end that Altrincham got their equaliser and like Ossett's, it was a well taken goal. Mike "Baywatch" Brown (he has recently qualified as a lifeguard!), received the ball from McAllister. He flicked the ball successively over two opponents and darted for the 18 yard box. Mike feinted left and right before crossing to the back post where McFadden headed a fine goal. It was Pat's 21st goal of the season - 20 of these being scored in the last ten matches, in all of which he has scored.