ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Neil THOMPSON, 2. Lee MANNION, 3. Keith WEDGE (capt), 4. Aaron EDWARDS, 5. Colin McALLISTER, 6. Eddie HUSSIN, 7. Justin BOWLER, 8. John MALONEY, 9. Kieran LUGSDEN, 10. Peter THOMSON, 11. Pat McFADDEN. Subs: Chris ROWLEY (gk), Michael RISK, Ben DEEGAN, Astley MULHOLLAND

REPORT

Alty showed numerous changes form their last outing, at Goole. In goal, making his debut, was Neil Thompson, who had previously been at Barnet. At left-back, Keith Wedge returned form injury whilst Aaron Edwards moved position to the back four in place of Danny Gray. Also in the starting eleven were first-teamers Eddie Hussin and Peter Thomson who were continuing their path back to full fitness after long-term injury, whilst young first-team squad members Kieran Lugsden, Justin Bowler and Pat McFadden also started. Centre-back George Melling was sidelined by the injury he picked up at Goole. Woodley included former Alty Youth left-back Tom Bane in their starting eleven.

The game got off to A slow start with the major excitement occurring in the sixth minute when Alty conceded an unnecessary corner and the referee belatedly realised that the game was being played without any corner-flags in place! The game then settled into a fairly even contest without much in the way of goalmouth excitement. But then a good turn led to a shot by McFadden which was blocked.However, that was as good as it got in the first twenty minutes for Alty, for whom Kieran Lugsden was looking lively up front whilst his strike partner Peter Thomson was necessarily easing himself back into action after being laid off since July with injury.

The visitors number eight now received a booking but it was several more minutes before Alty almost scored when Bowler and Mannion found Lugsden who relayed the ball for Hussin but his header went wide as the keeper advanced on him (28 mins). At the back McAllister made a fine tackle following a good run forward by the visitors' number eleven (30 mins). Two minutes later the visitors took the lead when they advanced on the left and the unmarked number eight converted a low cross from close range (32 mins).

Altrincham responded with two corners but despite an improved perfromance in the closing period of the first half, they went into the interval trailing 1-0.

At the interval, in a pre-planned substitution, Mulholland replaced Thomson. Though Altrincham started the second half better than they had done in the first period, they still trailed when Woodley made a change as the no.8 gave way to no.12 (54 mins). Alty won a corner which was cleared. Soon afterwards, Lee Mannion played a high ball from the right 40 yards into the far side of the box where Lugsden went up for the ball with the keeper. The keeper spilled the ball and Lugsden rolled it into the empty net to make it 1-1 (56 mins). Lugsden went close again soon afterwards but the keeper soon saved well, before Woodley's no.11 drove a shot over the bar at the other end (59 mins).

On the hour mark Deegan replaced Maloney in midfield and, just after Lugsden had lifted a pass from Deegan over the bar, Michael Risk came on to replace Lee Mannion at right back (63 mins). Woodley now enjoyed some good possession before Deegan and their no.11 were lectured after a foul by the Altrincham man had led to retaliation; the Alty man was booked.

Mulholland then shot wide before Woodley's no. 14 replaced Tom Bane. As the 80th minute passed, Lugsden won a corner with an attempted lob over the keeper from Hussin's feed. But Alty's Thompson soon had to make a flying save from a 25 yard effort from Woodley. The visitors' no.7 was now booked for a foul as Bowler jinked past him but then Alty's Lugsden found himself booked for a foul (88 mins).

Alty won two late corners and from the second, taken by Bowler, the ball came to him and his excellent curving cross from the right found Hussin beyond the back post. Hussin laid the ball back into the path of Deegan who scored from close range in the centre of the goalmouth (90 mins). There was still time for the astonishing pace of Mulholland to win a corner for Alty but the whistle went soon afterwards to confirm a sixth successive win for Altrincham, though it was not their most convincing performance.