City reserves and EDS squad returned to their first pre-season action with a game at Altrincham’s Moss Lane ground. The City squad included a few players that would normally just be involved with the first team and so expectation to see City dominate the game was raised.  Goals from Joan Roman and captain Kieran Trippier sealed a win after City went a goal behind early on with a penalty from Damion Reeves.

We had barely had chance to settle in our seats when Altrincham were given a chance to take the lead when a ball over the top down the left caught City’s defence a bit all over the place and Shaun Densmore was able to get a run on Courtney Meppen-Walter and his attempted challenge resulted in Densmore being brought to the ground. Although Ian Lawlor dived the right way he was unable to prevent Reeves from firing into the corner of the goal.

Fortunately for City ten minutes later Meppen-Walter timed his challenge perfectly as he nipped the ball away from Reeves as he would have been clean through into the area. 

City were controlling possession quite well but Altrincham really had their tails up and Michael Twiss nearly curled a shot from the edge of the area into the top corner of the goal in the twenty fifth minute.

City’s trialist then made a very late lunge on Nicky Clee that caught him badly on his ankle that would have certainly been at least a yellow card had the game not been a friendly.

City levelled with ten minutes of the first half remaining with some neat play down the right hand side that came to Craig Bellamy just outside the area and he worked his way past the defenders before slipping the ball into the feet of Joan Roman who fired his shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.

As the first half was drawing to a close Abdul Razak played a cross field pass to Trippier in space and he pushed forward before seeing space from nearly thirty yards for him to strike a fine right footed effort that looped over the despairing dive of Josh Ollerenshaw and into the bottom corner of the goal.

The second half saw City move the ball quicker and get forward with more purpose but not really force Ollerenshaw into too much acrobatic movement. However he was tested twice near the end of the match. The first in the eighty fourth minute when substitute Devante Cole went on a very impressive solo run from the halfway line as he beat all that Altrincham could throw at him except a great diving save from Ollerenhaw. The second was preventing Trippier from scoring a brace when he fired in a direct free kick into the bottom corner of the goal from twenty five yards after Paul Clowes was brought down.

Interesting observations from the game was Michael Johnson looked every bit the disappointing player that we saw last season. Nedum Onuoha was not the player that I enjoyed watching in his early years. Craig Bellamy was unable to use his good movement and positioning to deliver a final ball on many occasions. Sixteen year old Karim Rekik looks a real talent at centre half. Devante Cole looked really sharp up front and was helped by Jeremy Helan who looks to have continued from a good end to last season.

Next up is Stalybridge at Bower Fold on Wednesday evening where we hope there will be an improvement in the attacking profile from today’s match as the fitness of the players improve.



Team:

 Ian Lawlor, Kieran Trippier,Courtney Meppen Walter,Francisco Santos Silva Junior (T), Nedum Onuoha, Karim Rekik, Michael Johnson (Helan 46), Adbul Razak (Clowes 81), Craig Bellamy (Cole 56),Gai Assulin (Benali 59), Joan Angel Roman (Robinson 73)

Subs:(Not Used) Ian Ormson(GK), Ellis Plummer, Kieran Kennedy,Jordi Hiwula, Adam Drury

Attendance: 1298