ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (All red): 1. Danny CHEBRIKA, 2. Kieran RAYNES, 3.Tom BANE, 4. Danny GRAY, 5. Michael RISK, 6. Dean WHITE, 7. Hassan ZAREH-OURANG, 8. Andy KEOGH (capt), 9. Astley MULHOLLAND, 10. Matty WILLIAMS, 11. Anthony DAVIES. Subs: 12. Curtis CONNELL, 14. Ashley McGRATH, 15. Michael HOWE, 16. Ben SHANKS-PEPPER, 17. Graham BRYANT

MARINE YOUTH (Pale blue shirts & socks, dark blue shorts): 1. BURKE, 2.CROSBIE, 3. BARNBROOK, 4. GRANT, 5. RICE, 6. McSHANE, 7. SUMNER, 8. SMITH, 9. JOHNSON, 10. WONG, 11. FORD. Subs: GROURKE, STANARD, LAWRENCE, MANNING, CLARK.

Ref: Mr C. Leungsangnam

REPORT

For the second home match running, proceedings had been put in doubt when the visitors arrived without any kit. This was due to a mix-up over who was supposed to collect it from the launderette. So, at great risk to his domestic harmony, Alty boss George Heslop provided Marine with a spare Alty kit, doubling his long-suffering wife Jenny's dirty washing load at a stroke. As a result of the kit problem, Marine fielded two number sevens and two number tens, which made identification difficult.

Alty were without their captain Richard Gresty, who has broken bones in his foot, and striker Ben Deegan, who is suspended. So, Astley Mulholland started up front and Danny Gray came into the side at centre-back.

Above: Dean White gives Astley Mulholland a helping hand against Marine.

Alty won an early penalty when Williams was bundled over as he entered the left front edge of the box. Gray stepped up to take the kick but the keeper saved well, diving to his left, to concede a corner. After the home side had enjoyed the better of the opening stages, Marine began to get forward, especially on their right flank. Then, from a freekick on their left, Chebrika did well to tip Crosbie's effort over the bar for a corner (25 mins). From this, Rice's header was cleared. There was almost a bizarre goal at the other end when a strong challenge from a Marine defender saw the ball screw off him and only just wide of his own goal, for a corner. White's corner came out to Davies, whose volley just cleared the bar (28 mins). Alty soon won another corner, taken by Davies, and from White's kick the ball was cleared off the line by a defender.

Marine then broke away and forced Chebrika to parry well from one of the two number sevens on the Marine side (31 mins). From a freekick won by Williams on the wide left, the ball drifted across goal from White's deadball kick and, though Gray almost got a touch, it went straight into the net to put Alty ahead (37 mins). Marine replied as one of the no.7s shot narrowly over the bar. But the visitors soon levelled things with the game's second goal directly from a freekick. This time, Marine had won a freekick 25 yards out in a fairly central position. Crosbie curled the ball expertly into the top corner to the keeper's right to make it 1-1 (41 mins).

Some fine skill from Davies on the left ended with a good cross which the Marine keeper held well (44 mins). With the game deep into a surprisingly long period of added time, one of the Marine number 10s was booked.

From a Davies cross, Williams forced a fine save in the first minute of the second period and this gave Alty a corner. Zareh-Ourang now got into the box but he was seen off before a Marine shot from a no.7 just cleared the Alty bar after the speedy Johnson had got behind the defence. Marine now replaced a number 7 with a number 11 (52 mins) and soon after a no.6 came on for a no.8. A fine cross from White then found Alty's Mulholland in front of goal but he was probably thankful to see an offside flag as he miscontrolled the ball.

Williams then turned well and scored Alty's second following a freekick from half-way (62 mins). Next, a move up the Alty left by Mulholland saw him find White to his right and his cross found Davies, whose header produced a brilliant save from Burke at the cost of a corner (65 mins). But Marine were contributing plenty to an entertaining game and soon Johnson fired just wide (67 mins). The visitors then made their final substitution before Risk did well to stop Johnson. After Davies had kicked the ball away at a freekick, he was booked by the referee (79 mins). Soon afterwards, Connell came on, up front, for Williams (81 mins). Moments later a magnificent strike from 35 yards by Keogh flew narrowly wide of the target. Raynes then appeared to be booked before Alty won a freekick in the centre-circle. Following this, Connell poked a shot just wide. Zareh-Ourang now limped off, to be replaced by Shanks-Pepper (86 mins).

Alty were looking fairly comfortable with their lead but they made sure of victory after 88 minutes when a ball up the middle was missed by the defence, allowing Connell to lift the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper and put it into an unguarded net. A minute later the Marine no.11 was sent off for kicking out at Keogh. There was still time for White to force a good save at the back post after good work from Keogh and Davies. Soon, the final whistle went to confirm a 3-1 win in what had been an enjoyable game and a good performance by Altrincham against a previously unbeaten side.