ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. Keith WEDGE (capt), 3. Colin McALLISTER, 4. Aaron EDWARDS, 5. Laurence BALL, 6.Eddie HUSSIN, 7. Colin POTTS, 8. Pat McFADDEN, 9. Kieran LUGSDEN, 10. Peter THOMSON, 11. Justin BOWLER. Subs: 12. Danny HEFFERNAN, 14. Astley MULHOLLAND, 15. Michael RISK, 16. Mike BROWN. 17. Chris ROWLEY (gk)

OSSETT ALBION RESERVES (All yellow):

REPORT

Manager Neil Brown had to accommodate no fewer than eight of the first-team squad in this game, so many changes were necessary from the team which had drawn at Leigh in the League Cup on Saturday. The eight first-teamers comprised players still regaining match fitness after injuries (Coburn, Hussin, Potts, Thomson) and those who have not started regularly for the first team recently (Lugsden, McFadden, Bowler, Heffernan). Of the eight, Heffernan was on the bench but the rest all began this game. The match was played on a calm, dry night when the temperature was still 13 degrees Celsius after the game, so Justin Bowler's attire of short-sleeved shirt and black gloves seemed to be more of a fashion statement than a reflection of adverse weather! Although both teams appeared to be ready to start the game on time, for some reason it did not kick off till nine minutes late.

Alty deployed striker Pat McFadden in an unaccustomed central midfield role in a side where non-first-teamers made up the entire back four but none of the other positions. Early on, a Lugsden lay-off set up a thunderous shot by Thomson which whistled past the post but which promised a potential addition of potent firepower to Alty's first team in the coming weeks (4 weeks). The game was being played at a very fast pace and it was the visitors who won the game's first two corners. In between these, Bowler got in a good shot which was deflected to the keeper. Next, from a Coburn punt, Lugsden went down in the box under a challenge but play continued. However, a minute or two later, Lugsden chased a ball into the front corner of the box, left of goal, and was tripped by the keeper's arm as he headed away from goal and, this time, the referee pointed to the spot. Eddie Hussin sent the keeper the wrong way with the penalty-kick to put Altrincham ahead (16 mins).

The Alty back-four was playing well togther as Ball and Edwards formed a good partnership in the middle whilst the quietly effective Wedge and the mobile McAllister patrolled the flanks. McFadden, too, seemed to be relishing his midfield role alongside the experienced Eddie Hussin, whose fitness improves with every game after his year-long lay-off.

Up front Thomson got in another firerce shot which struck the unfortunate Ossett no.5 before falling to Potts, whose effort went wide. Lugsden was, as usual, giving the Ossett defenders a chasing but he then saw a shot of his saved (23 mins). However, Ossett were playing some neat football themselves and it was not until the 24th minute that Alty won their first corner when Potts's low drive into the box was cleared off the goal-line, just past his own post, by the covering no. 4. From Potts's corner the ball came, via Bowler and Edwards, to Thomson who put the ball in the net only for the goal to be ruled out for an infringement.

But, out of nothing, Ossett equalised when the ball came to their no.9, who was not closed down, and from a central position, 25 yards out, he rifled an excellent low shot just inside the post, to the diving Coburn's right (28 mins). The score remained level for almost ten minutes until McAllister made an excellent advance up the left and forced a good save from the keeper but the loose ball span out to Lugsden who screwed it into the far corner of the net from six yards to make it 2-1 (37 mins). Ossett then went through a torrid patch as they conceded a further two goals in five minutes.

The first came from Potts's corner from the left which was met with tremendous force by a header from the incoming Thomson, which flew into the net - 3-1 (39 mins). Alty won a corner soon after this from which Edwards's firm header was cleared off the line. Soon, a massive throw from the left, about 28 yards out by McAllister evaded a number of players in the goalmouth and bounced towards the back post where Potts had simply to nod it into the net to make it 4-1 (42 mins). Ossett were now on the rack after their steady opening half hour and were glad to reach the interval, having seen off another Alty corner as the half went into added time.

For some reason both teams were out on the pitch for some minutes, minus the officials, before Eddie Hussin disappeared back down the tunnel. Either as a consequence of Eddie's action, or coincidentally, the match officials then emerged from the changing rooms. After failing with a penalty appeal when Potts went down in the box, Alty won an early corner (48 mins). This was cleared but, soon, Thomson had a shot which went narrowly wide and then one of several superb long balls tonight from Potts found Lugsden but his shot was saved.

Ossett then switched their goalkeeper for a substitute keeper (53 mins), though the original number one was not to blame for the four goals conceded to date. Lugsden continued to threaten, turning well, but not hitting his shot with full power. McAllister then did well and his cross found Hussin but he miscontrolled the ball and the chance disappeared. Ossett's no.12 now replaced their no.10 and the visitors won a corner but this came to nothing before former Alty Youth player Astley Mulholland was introduced, replacing Peter Thomson up front for Alty (63 mins).

Osset then scored a second goal with another long range effort from their no.9. This time his goal had some good fortune as his well-hit shot from 30 yards struck an Alty player and looped over the stranded Coburn into the net (65 mins). In a game where was otherwise hardly tested, Coburn will feel unlucky to have conceded twice (65 mins). The new Ossett goalkeeper had to be alert to catch a deflected cross from Bowler which came off one of his defenders at close range. Next, Heffernan replaced McFadden for Altrincham (68 mins). Lugsden had another chance after this but shot wide before Ossett made their final change as their no.4 gave way to no.15. (70 mins).

Lugsden then fed Mulholland, who at first seemed to have been checked, but he made space well and scored with a low shot into the corner of the net. Next, Risk replaced Wedge at right-back (74 mins). Alty continued to have the upper hand and shrotly after he had headed wide, from another good cross by Potts, Lugsden scored with a low shot after receiving the ball from Bowler, who had got to the by-line left of goal, after a slick sequence of passes by Altrincham up the left. So, it was now 6-2 (77 mins).

Five minutes later, Lugsden returned the favour to Bowler, laying the ball into his path for him to score with a low shot from the edge of the box to make it 7-2 (82 mins). Soon, Heffernan went close with a header from yet another Potts cross and, in the final minutes of normal time, Alty won two corners to maintain the pressure. From the first, Heffernan rose well but headed narrowly over the bar. The referee played more than three minutes of added time before the final whistle went to confirm Altrincham's sixth successive league win and maintain their 100% start to the league campaign. A further cause for satisfaction is that all of the players recovering from injury appear to have come through the match without setbacks.