ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (2) 4
MARINE RESERVES (0) 0

Lancit Haulage Lancashire League Match
played on Wednesday, 11 January, 2006


Referee: Mr. G. LITTLE


REPORT

Alty included two trialists, John Bailey and Matthew Platt. John has some first team experience at Preston North End and in Scottish football, whilst Matthew, likewise, has played the odd first-team game for Crewe Alexandra. Marine had beaten Alty 3-0 recently at Crosby, so the home side needed to be at their best to try and maintain their lead at the top of the Lancashire League. Marine included Danny O'Brien, a recent signing from Southport as well as Lee Kissock, the former Alty Youth and Runcorn player, who was on the bench.

After an early Marine header had gone wide, Alty fed McFadden whose pace and close control took him up the left wing where he won a corner (2 mins). A second corner immediately followed. This was cleared out of the box, where Heffernan fired a superb, first-time, looping shot into the net, giving the keeper no chance (4 mins). Soon McFadden got into the box and fed Platt but he was tackled just as he shot (5 mins).

Marine won two corners in the next 10 minutes before McFadden got in a shot which was saved (17 mins). After Ashley Brown had fed Heffernan, the midfielder played an excellent pass through to McFadden who had his firm left-foot shot saved (21 mins). But Alty soon made it 2-0 when Kilacky's good pass set up Heffernan for another well-hit shot from the edge of the box, which the keeper could not hold and Alty put the rebound into the net for their second goal (24 mins).

Marine responded with a fine free-kick from their number nine, which Milner did very well to tip over the bar for a corner. From the corner, Milner produced another great save from a header by no.4 from a cross by no.7. From the second corner a third followed, but the Alty defence, which played well throughout, held firm. Play continued fairly evenly but as the half went into added time, Platt had a double effort saved. Then McFadden forced a corner (45 mins). Two minutes of added time left the score unaltered, however.

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 2
MARINE RESERVES 0

Marine brought on their no 14 as a half-time substitute. But before the sub could settle, he played a back pass to the keeper. The alert McFadden chased the ball down quickly and, as the keeper attempted to kick clear, the ball cannoned off the Alty striker into the net, to make it 3-0 (47 mins). Marine now brought on no.15 for no.8 (48 mins).

Alty did not have things all their own way as Milner was soon forced to make another fine save as he tipped a free-kick from 25 yards round the post for a corner (49 mins). Alty now brought on Monaghan for Heffernan (53 mins). Next, a fine interception by Kilacky led to his being tripped by no.10, who was booked. But Milner soon had to produce his fourth good save, to give Marine a corner. However, Alty won themselves another corner soon after this, from which McAllister came forward to power a header at goal, which was saved (61 mins). The Marine no.6 was then booked. After Alty had had an effort saved at one end, Milner was for once unable to hold a shot from the visitors' no.10 but the ball was cleared by a defender. Alty now introduced Lee Hendley, for his first game in a couple of months after a foot injury; he replaced Bailey. Marine soon won another corner, which McAliister cleared. Marine's no.2 received their third booking of the night after a foul on Monaghan and soon Alty made another substituion, withdrawing the tenacious midfielder Kilacky in favour of Kwame Barnett, who went up front with Hendley, as McFadden moved to the left (69 mins).

A minute later, a challenge by Marsden, which was so late it missed the player he was tackling, led to him being booked for Altrincham. Marine now made their final switch, after 75 minutes, as their no.12 replaced no.2. The visitors won three corners in quick succession but again the Alty back four could not be breached. McFadden had another chance soon afterwards, getting into the box, but his effort cleared the bar (81 mins). Monaghan then had a shot at goal before McFadden got himself into the box but elected to shoot when he might have passed and his effort was well tipped over the bar by the keeper for a corner (88 mins). However, in the last minute of the game Alty made it four-nil when Monaghan got the ball to Barnett who nodded the ball on, towards the back post, where McFadden arrived to score his second goal of the game and 24th of the season, from close range (90 mins). The whistle went moments after the re-start to confirm a very good win by Altrincham though Marine, who won the corner count, will count themselves unfortunate to have met Milner and his defence unit in solid form.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 4
MARINE RESERVES 0