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ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (red & white striped shirts, black shirts, red socks) 1. Sam FOX, 2. Andrew BYRNE, 3. Ryan STEWART, 4. Marcus MADDIX, 5. Matt GARLAND, 6. Alex MIKE, 7. Aron HEVINGHAM, 8. Ben DEEGAN, 9. Lee HENDLEY, 10. Terrell FREEMAN, 11. Kieran SALMON. Subs: 12. Peter MUSCOLINO, 14. Tom HORNER, 15. Daniel CLAFFEY, 16. James MONAGHAN, 18. Chris ROWLEY (gk).

Right: Terrell Freeman (back) and Ben Deegan (front) in action this afternoon.

This match was arranged between Alty's first-team captain (and Liverpudlian) Mark Maddox with Alty youth team manager George Heslop and it turned out to be a well-contested game, played in an excellent spirit. Both Mark and George were in attendance, George having been given his doctor's go-ahead to attend despite the foot problems which have forced him to miss recent matches.

The Farmers are a Liverpool-based side, who have played together in many cases since childhood. They had also recently won an international tournament on Merseyside. In contrast, Alty's side was an experimental pre-season squad, which was almost completely different from that fielded in last Sunday's friendly at Runcorn. Altrincham made five changes every half-hour during this game whilst The Farmers employed virtually the same eleven throughout on what was a very warm afternoon.

Alty won the first corner when the visitors' keeper palmed over Hevingham's well-struck free-kick from the right (7 mins). Then, after Hendley's shot had been blocked, Alty had a second corner five minutes later. An Alty head put the ball just over from the corner, taken by Mike. However, the game was evenly contested and, from a freekick, the Farmers no.10 shot wide (16 mins). Alty came nearer to scoring when Hendley fed Salmon and his cross almost induced an own goal, the visiting keeper having to go to full stretch to put a defender's header over the bar (28 mins).

Left: Kieran Salmon

For Alty, Garland was looking particularly useful at the back but then Alty made five changes after 31 minutes. Chris Rowley took over in goal from Fox, Claffey came on at left back (for Stewart), Muscolino arrived up front (for Freeman), Monaghan moved into midfield (for Deegan) and Horner arrived at centre-back in place of Maddix, who had played more than half a game yesterday for Altrincham Reserves. Almost immediately the visitors no.10 volleyed a shot onto the outside of Chris Rowley's left upright from 15 yards (34 mins) and then the no.7 scored with a looping shot from the right corner which sailed into the top, far corner of the net (38 mins).

Alty responded with the skilful Hevingham feeding Hendley but a defender closed him down before he could take the chance (40 mins). Hendley soon got behind the Farmers' defence again but shot over the bar (41 mins). More good work from Hendley saw his sidefooted shot strike a defender, following build-up play by Horner and Salmon. But The Farmers then made progress on the right and their no.12 thumped the resulting low cross into the net from outside the box, giving Chris Rowley no chance (44 mins). After three minutes of added time, the interval arrived with Alty two down.

Right: Lee Hendley (9) contests possession

Rowley had to make a very early save from the no.10 as the second half began, before Hendley shot wide from Muscolino's pass. Alty then made another five changes after 61 minutes, Fox returning in goal, and Salmon, Deegan, Freeman and Maddix all also rejoining the game. Alty soon won a corner and then a freekick, both of which came to nothing. Alty now applied some sustained pressure and a great run up the right by Hendley led to a lay-off, inside, to Deegan whose effort cleared the bar from close range (72 mins). The Farmers' keeper was then fortunate to keep out an effort from Freeman. Freeman then started a move up the Alty inside-left channel with the ball coming to Deegan whose 'up and under' was finished, first-time, by Hendley's looping shot over the keeper and into the empty net from the edge of the box to make it 1-2 (75 mins).

Alty continued to press and a Monaghan freekick only just cleared the bar (78 mins). Alty were caught offside several times as they enjoyed the better of the final stages. But The Farmers were still a danger on the break and Maddix had to be alert at the back. Claffey, Salmon and Stewart then combined on the left and won their side a corner, which the keeper dropped but which was cleared (88 mins). Another corner followed from which Freeman's firm header prompted a magnificent save, in his left top-corner, by the Farmers' keeper (89 mins). Despite two corners in injury time to Altrincham, they could not find an equaliser.

This was a good workout for the youth team and will have helped manager George Heslop and assistant coach Tony Spilsbury to formulate their squad for next season. (Coach Neil Thomason was away on a well deserved holiday).