ALTRINCHAM: 1. Richard HARRISON, 2. Paul GLYNN(capt.), 3. Mark GRIFFITHS, 4. Michael BAILEY, 5. Greg BYRNE, 6. Alex FROST, 7. Mark POVER , 8. John McEVOY, 9. Francis EVANS, 10. Luke KILLEEN, 11. Ian TAYLOR. Subs: 12. Adam DOUTHWAITE, 14. Anthony POTTS, 15. Steve McGRATH, 18. Barry GEORGE (gk).

Altrincham were without striker Steve Lunt, who had a back injury, up front. In his place, Francis Evans moved forward from midfield and into the starting line-up came Mark Pover, in central midfield. Otherwise the team was that which narrowly lost at Burscough in the FA Youth Cup last Wednesday. Leigh had previously drawn 0-0 at home to Marine, lost 3-4 to Kingsley United also at home, but they had won 5-3 away at South Sefton, the reigning champions.

No.3 Mark Griffiths's shot is about to curl into the top corner of the net in today's Youth game. Unfortunately it was ruled out for offside against Francis Evans.

Altrincham started well with Mark Pover's strong 20 yard drive being tipped onto the crossbar and over the goal by Leigh keeper Morton in the second minute. A second corner followed immediately but both were cleared. However, the visitors soon settled down and enjoyed the better of the next few minutes. Another Alty corner came and went before keeper Harrison was forced to make a good save after Leigh had advanced up the left. Alty were giving away quite a few free-kicks in midfield in these early stages in what was becoming an evenly balanced game.

Following a throw on the Alty left, Mark Griffiths curled an excellent curling shot from the touchline, 20 yards out, into the top corner of the Leigh net but the whistle went for offside and the goal did not stand (26 mins). Then Bailey and Griffiths fed Francis Evans, who got to the by-line to the left of goal. Francis elected to shoot to the near post where the keeper knocked it out for another Alty corner, on the left (28 mins). Killeen's well struck shot then just cleared the bar (33 mins) as Alty carved out the better chances despite possession being fairly even.

However, the home side were not yet firing on all cylinders and passes were regularly going astray. Ian Taylor, who had a good game on the Alty left, got in a low ball across goal from a build up by McEvoy and Griffiths before Settle, the Leigh captain, had a long shot at Richard Harrison, which the Alty keeper fielded comfortably (37 mins). Glynn, Griffiths, Bailey and Byrne were dealing well with all that was thrown at them in the Alty defence and Leigh got few sights of the Alty goal.

Frost won the ball well in midfield but ran out of space for his cross as the interval approached. Following a Glynn throw, the ball came back via Taylor and a thirty yard sideways pass from Frost to Glynn. The Alty captain powered into the right side of the box to win a corner (43 mins). But Alty were unable to score and the half ended 0-0.

Alty's best effort in the early stages of the second period was a shot from Evans, which the keeper held at the second attempt (50 mins). Paul Glynn began to press forward on the right as Alty looked to improve on their stuttering first half performance but his 35 yard effort did not trouble the visiting keeper. Harrison was once more forced to make a good save when the Leigh number ten got clear into the box and Byrne completed the clearance (57 mins). Altrincham responded with a free-kick which was headed at goal by Pover, but saved at the foot of his post by the Leigh keeper. Leigh now enjoyed a good share of possession without carving out many shooting opportunities and for Alty Bailey made a couple of good clearances.

Then, a moment of magic from Ian Taylor produced the decisive goal for Altrincham. Ian got past a couple of players on the left touchline and crossed to the far post where McEvoy knocked the ball back inside for Killeen to score from close range (67 mins). With Leigh's number 12 already on the pitch (for no.7), the visitors made another switch with no.14 replacing no.10 (72 mins). But it was Altrincham who were making the better chances and when McEvoy and Killeen combined on the right, McEvoy fired in a strong shot which Morton did well to tip around the post for a corner (75 mins).

Soon after this the Leigh number 9 did put the ball in the Alty net but an offside had been given (76 mins). Leigh made their third change (15 for 11) but the home side held on without too many alarms and recorded their first league win after two draws. This was not the most fluent of Altrincham performances but they deserved their win in a closely fought game.