Trafford 0 Alty 4 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Trafford 0 Alty 4

5:14pm Friday 18th July 2008

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ALTY continued their impressive start to preseason after thumping Trafford 4-0 on Thursday night.

The gulf in class was clear from the start as the visitors heaped the pressure on their Unibond League neighbours. Trafford were always likely to crumble.

Rarely have Alty looked so fit, sharp and inventive in the build up to a campaign. There's something in the air at the minute that gives Robins fans hope their team may just steer clear of relegation this time round.

Perhaps most importantly for a team that has struggled to score in recent years, their strikers are banging the goals in.

After Chris Senior grabbed five against Abbey Hey on Saturday, he added another at Shawe View, while the other three were all scored by Colin Little.

It all bodes well for a team who have seriously enhanced their attacking options since the end of last season.

Alty suffered an early scare as Harry Winter rattled the bar with a superb long range effort after just five minutes.

But it didn't take long for the Blue Square Premier side to assert their dominance, the impressive Chris Denham jinking his way to the by-line and squaring for Little to tap home on 15 minutes.

Trafford spent much of the half under the cosh and keeper Tom Read was soon called into action to turn away a bullet from Warren Peyton.

Alty's football was slick and incisive but their best move of the half didn't even yield a goal. A truly sublime ball from debutant Kevin Street released his former Crewe teammate Colin Little, but his first time effort flashed just wide of the post.

The visitors didn't have it all their own way though. Chris Lane found himself caught out by a ball over the top and it took a superb last gasp block from Natt Kerr to deny Scott Barlow the equaliser.

It looked as if Trafford may edge their way back into the game but Alty's response was ruthless.

Five minutes before the break a quick clearance from Stuart Coburn sent Denham haring away down the right. He beat Sam Halligan for pace on the outside and crossed for Little to knock the ball home.

That goal not only signalled the end for Trafford but also for goalie Read. There was a sense of deja vu as the stopper was forced to leave the pitch injured after a collision, as he had in the previous year's friendly between the two sides.

The hosts provided a sterner challenge in the second half and enjoyed a couple of chances, thanks to a more direct and fearless approach.

Former Flixton man Leon Grandison made an impact after coming on and he created an opening after nutmegging Matt Doughty, only for Glyn Barker to shoot straight at Coburn on his Trafford return.

But Alty's ruthless streak soon returned.

Although Denham had an effort cleared off the line by Andy Maclean, Senior made it 3-0 59 minutes in, rifling home Richard Battersby's pass in impressive fashion.

Then, Little wrapped up the scoring after some more excellent wingplay, this time from Luke Horrocks. The former Northwich man beat his man and crossed from the by-line for Little to head home.

Trafford still had a chance to grab a last minute consolation but an off-balance Joz Mitten miskicked after being sent clean through by Barker.

It summed up Trafford's evening.

ALTY

First half (4-4-2): Stuart Coburn; Natt Kerr, Chris Lane, Greg Young, Matt Doughty; Chris Denham, Robbie Lawton, Kevin Street, Warren Peyton; Colin Little, Dale Johnson.

Second half (4-4-2): James Coates; Damien Allen, Lane, Young, Doughty; Denham (Ben McHugh 71), Anthony Danylyk, Street (Battersby 56), Chris Senior; Little (Charlie Weir 71), Johnson (Luke Horrocks 56).

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