LEIGH RMI RESERVES: 1. Daniel MORTON, 2. Dan CHRISTIE, 3. Nathan ARDEFAYO, 4. Dominic GRIMES, 5. Ben LENDERS, 6. Anthony DUNN, 7. Anthony FILIPEK, 8. Matt ECKERSLEY, 9. Mike CAVANAGH, 10. James JAGGARD, 11. Jonathan DAVIES. Subs: 12. Shola YAY, 13. Vic PEOPLES, 14. Dean ALEXANDER, 21. Craig DUNCAN.

ALTRINCHAM RESERVES: 1. Chris ROWLEY, 2. Keith WEDGE (capt), 3. Colin McALLISTER, 4. Aaron EDWARDS, 5. Laurence BALL, 6. Lee MANNION, 7. Justin BOWLER, 8. John MALONEY, 9. Astley MULHOLLAND, 10. Peter THOMSON, 11. Danny HEFFERNAN. Subs: 12. Michael RISK, 14. Ben DEEGAN, 15. Steve COLLIER, 16. Mike BROWN.

REPORT

Report based on information kindly provided by Neil Brown.

This was Altrincham's first game in the newly instituted Lancashire League Cup, which is played initally in four groups, on a league basis. The winners of each of the four groups will meet in semi-finals which will be on a knock-out basis. Alty's group also includes Woodley Sports, Hyde United, Leigh RMI and Atherton LR, with each side playing the other once only.

From the side which had beaten Woodley in their last outing, and which had included several first-teamers, Altrincham made several changes. Into goal came Chris Rowley, whilst Laurence Ball returned at centre-back. Up front, Astley Mulholland came in to the side whilst Danny Heffernan started on the left. Justin Bowler was a late inclusion, having been unwell enough not to travel to Oxford for the first-team match on the same day as this one. A new face on the bench was striker Steve Collier.

Overall, the first half was fairly even but Leigh's Eckersley suffered an early injury when his robust challenge on Thomson saw him come off worse than the Altrincham striker and he had to be replaced after just five minutes or so. Also in the opening minutes Maloney was laid low by another strong challenge, made after the whistle had gone for Eckersley's earlier foul.

RMI took the lead around the half-hour mark from a corner. The corner came across the goalmouth to beyond the back post. A Leigh player lunged at the ball, sending it spinning up in the air. Rowley came to punch the ball clear but was pulled back by an opponent tugging at his shirt. As a result the ball fell to another Leigh player who lashed it into the top corner from ten yards - and the goal was allowed to stand.

In the second half, Altrincham's performance was a mixture of good and indifferent spells.

On the hour mark Ben Deegan replaced Peter Thomson and Steve Collier came on for John Maloney, Collier having a steady performance on his debut. Thomson is still some way from full match fitness but today's game was a step nearer to his making a first-team debut after being sidelined all season by an abdominal problem. After 70 minutes, Alty made their last change, Michael Risk coming on for Justin Bowler. Bowler had several times got past his marker and put in early crosses before his team-mates had arrived in the box to convert them. But it was in the final quarter of an hour that Altrincham really got on top and they finally equalised after eighty minutes. Altrincham won a freekick and moved from a 4-4-2 to a 3-4-3 formation. From the freekick, Deegan beat his marker in the air to flick the ball on for Mulholland who was confronted by the advancing keeper. But Mulholland produced an excellent finish, lifting the ball over the keeper into the left-hand corner of the net. Having got the equaliser, Alty immediately reverted to 4-4-2.

For Altrincham, Chris Rowley showed a safe pair of hands in goal, dealing cleanly with some long range, powerful shots at him, though otherwise he was underemployed. Also at the back, Colin McAllister had another good game.