Altrincham F.C. Reserves: Match Report.

The Altrincham side once again showed many changes from the last home game, including the surprise inclusion of Kurt Edginton in goal. Current Youth team players Paul Robinson and Lee Thompson were in the side, whilst striker Jason Anthony was playing one of his last games before starting a fifteen-week suspension for his sending off at Bamber Bridge.

Burscough started the stronger and it was not until the 13th minute that Altrincham won their first corner. Soon after this the visitors' centre-forward shot wide when he went for goal rather than passing to an unmarked colleague to his left (14 mins).

Altrincham now began to get into the game with Bullen and Mairs tackling solidly in midfield and Baker impressing on the left. Indeed, the Alty captain, Keith Mairs, was booked for an over enthusiastic challenge after 20 minutes. Sam Baker then went close with a good shot which just cleared the bar (22 mins) before a dipping shot from Lee Thompson also went only slightly over the cross bar (24 mins).

Otutu then fed Anthony and his cross was headed out for an Alty corner (30 mins). Burscough ensured there was still pressure at the other end, too, but Claffey and Rudd kept the attackers at bay down the middle whilst Robinson and Guildford attended efficiently to their opponents' flank players. As half-time approached, a well directed ball forward through the middle from Mairs found Lee Thompson on the edge of the Burscough box, in a central position.

Lee held off a challenge well and drove the ball firmly past the Burscough keeper to give Altrincham the lead (40 mins). Altrincham went on to dominate the closing stages of the first half which ended in lashing hail.

The rain and hail stopped at the interval as Altrincham brought on James Wilkinson for Kevin Bullen and Burscough made a couple of substitutions. The visitors came out strongly in the early part of the second half and it took a good covering tackle by Baker to repel an attack on the left (52 mins). Anthony then shot wide from a Mairs pass (57 mins) before Robinson and Wilkinson, not for the last time, combined well on the left flank. Thompson got in another good shot after holding off a tackle but the Burscough keeper saved it (69 mins).

Burscough made another substitution (71 mins) but at this stage they had hardly troubled the Alty defence in the second half. Lee Evans then came on, up front, in place of Lee Thompson (75 mins) before Edginton was belatedly called into action to save a shot after 76 minutes. Burscough upped the pressure in the closing stages and their number five got in a good header which seemed to be heading for the bottom right-hand corner of Edginton's net before bouncing wide off the muddy surface (80 mins).

Jason Anthony now gave way to Gavin Samuel (82 mins) before Evans set off on an impressive attacking run which was finally blocked off by Burscough's defence. Burscough continued to attack to the end and it took Edginton's dive to his right to save a well-struck free-kick by the Burscough number eight in the final minute to ensure that Altrincham secured their first win in five games.