Friendly Saturday October 12 THIS hastily arranged friendly filled the gap in the fixture list created by Altrincham's dismissal from the FA Cup by Trafford FC. 1874 Northwich are a new club, founded in late 2012 and run by a Supporters'

Trust, whose ambition is to bring non-League football back to the town after the famous Northwich Victoria club decamped, first to Stafford, and currently to Flixton, amidst financial turmoil.

1874 Northwich play four levels below Altrincham in the NW Counties First Division but they gave Altrincham a good test, especially in the first half. However, it has to be said that The Robins had included two trialists in their squad and again experimented with a back line of three players, midfielder Carl Rodgers being one of them.

After a bright start, Altrincham grabbed a 13th minute lead through Kyle Perry, who scored from Junior Smikle's pass, with a firm shot from the edge of the box. But Northwich levelled the score after 26 minutes, when Tom Peers got behind Rodgers. His resulting cross fell to Lee Jones, who netted with an effort which went into the net off the post of Alty's trialist keeper, the former Barrow player, Shaun Pearson.

It almost got worse a couple of minutes later when the visitors missed a penalty, after Ward had been tripped. A weak spot-kick, however, allowed Pearson to make a save, low to his right.

Altrincham made three changes at the break, one of which saw the introductionof six feet six New Zealander, Adam Cowen, a trialist centre-back. An improved home performance meant that the visitors found themselves on the back foot for much of the half but they only conceded once.

What turned out to be the winning goal arrived in the 70th minute, when a long ball set Damian Reeves running at goal and, from his cross from the right, James Lawrie scored from close range.

Altrincham ultimately deserved their win but 1874 Northwich had played well and, on this evidence, will soon be moving upwards through the non-League pyramid.

ALTRINCHAM: Pearson; Rodgers, Havern (capt), Leather; Smikle, Richman, Boshell, Doughty; Lawrie; Perry, Reeves. Subs: Densmore, Cowen, Moult, Gilroy, Clee, Lloyd and Walshaw.