ALTRINCHAM'S community staff have teamed up with a national sports equipment supplier to launch an innovative scheme aimed at enticing even more youngsters along to The J.Davidson Stadium, starting with Saturday's game against Stalybridge Celtic.

Alty have placed 2,000 tickets at the disposal of local schools, with the added incentive of a £2 voucher to spend at Sports Directory UK for each of their pupils who take up the offer and attend the game.

Each child will be admitted free but must be accompanied by an adult, whose entry cost will be just £5, rather than the usual £14.

Additionally, Alty's community staff will be able to identify which school each child goes to and allocate a £2 voucher per pupil for the school to spend on equipment from Sports Directory UK.

"The link with Sports Directory UK comes from when the community sports hall was built," explained community co-ordinator Judy Henson.

"They were the company whose equipment we bought, and we were so impressed with their quality and pricing, they were the first ones we thought of when we came up with this idea.

"Fortunately, they were up for it and agreed to match the £1 we are donating for each pupil at the game.

"That's £2 per child, and we will tally it up after the game and send out vouchers.

"Schools could be looking at hundreds of pounds-worth of free sports equipment if they get enough kids involved.

"It's a fantastic incentive for schools, and an obvious benefit for the club.

"The hope is the children will enjoy their day, want to come again and become Altrincham fans."

Alty are looking to build on a 1-0 win at Boston United that was a triumph for continuity, according to manager Matt Doughty.

"We had got through far too many players during the course of the season," he said.

"If you are playing with someone different every week, it's no way to develop partnerships or an understanding.

"We've kept a settled side as much as possible, and you can see the benefits."