LINE-UPS

ALTRINCHAM YOUTH "REDS" (Red & white striped shirts): 1. Dan ROTHELL, 2. Harry SINCLAIR, 4. Nathan GRAY, 5. Andy ROYLE, 3. Tom REID; 7. Declan BARRY, 6. Ryan BARRY (capt), 8. Danny COLLINS, 11. Steven DOUAFFE; 9. Redmond McGUIRE, 10. Derren OFIRIGIAMPH. Subs: GK. Cody WHARTON, 12. Tom WORTHINGTON, 14. Jordan HAMES, 15. Jamie McLELLAN, 16. Anthony BROWN, 17. Chris HASKINS.

ALTRINCHAM YOUTH "BLUES" (Blue & black striped shirts): 1. Joshua BLINSTONE, 2. Jamie ALLEN, 4. Liam NOON (capt), 3. Lyndon WARNER; 7. Sam CARSON, 6. John PYRAH, 8. Ben McPARTLAND, 11. Michael KING; 9. Cosmos OKEKE, 10. Mark UPTON. Subs: GK. Ryan DOOTSON, 14. Lee GREGORY, 15. Steve NJOUKAM, 16. Harry POWER, 17. Kyle PEREIRA

REPORT

This was the second trial match between two teams made up entirely of prospective squad members of the Altrincham FC Youth team for 2011-12. It included one or two familiar faces from last season who remain eligible for the under-18s' NW Youth Alliance League and some Altrincham FC Juniors players. The teams were divided into Reds and Blues, the Reds being captained by Ryan Barry and the Blues by Liam Noon, playing in a defensive role rather than the striker's position he occupied last season.

Three thirty-minute periods were planned for the trial, allowing all the players to have sufficient time to show their skills. On a very warm afternoon, the players were also probably grateful of the shortened sessions. Manager George Heslop had devolved managership of the two sides to coaches Josh Collins (Reds) and Richard Williams (Blues), whilst he and Altrincham FC Juniors' Paul Woolley and his colleagues concentrated on the task of identifying which players to take on for the coming season. George's task has been to reduce more than 50 aspiring players down to a manageable squad for the NW Youth Alliance season.

With five of last year's youth squad training with the Altrincham first-team, the prospect of progressing within the club has rarely looked better for the under-18s as first-team manager Lee Sinnott is keen to exploit the club's youth and junior systems.

Though the first goal threat of the game arrived for the Blues when Reds' keeper Rothell had to tip over a well-taken free-kick effort from Carson, it was the Reds who soon got the upper hand. In fact, the Reds opened the scoring in the eighth minute when the lively McGuire, a Juniors' player last season, curled a fine shot past the Blues' keeper, Blinstone, from a feed by Derren Ofirigiamph.

Collins, who had a good game with Ryan Barry in midfield, now fired narrowly over the bar for the Reds before his next effort was reached by 'keeper Blinstone but he could not keep the ball out of the net (14 mins). A minute later it was 3-0 as McGuire received Ofirigiamph's measured pass from the right to score.

The Blues responded as Upton forced a good save from Rothell but at the other end McGuire got clear. Though forced to the left of goal, McGuire laid the ball inside to Declan Barry who took his chance well to make it 4-0 in the 23rd minute. The same player added a fifth (28 mins). Just before the first break, Douaffe's shot hit the post and McGuire put the rebound into the Blues' net to make it 6-0 before the interval whistle sounded.