United welcome Altrincham to the R Costings Abbey Stadium this evening looking to continue their excellent form in front of the home fans, who have enjoyed ten goals without reply in the past two matches.

However, Martin Ling's men will be fully aware of the awkward threat our Cheshire based visitors pose. Colin Heathcote's side stood between United and the Blue Square Premier title in the final game of last season and, thanks to an obdurate but effective defensive display, denied the U's a single goal, let along the four required to allow champagne corks to hit the ceiling.

That game back in April ended 0-0 with the majority of the 7,090 crowd, which included 166 travelling Alty fans, resigning themselves to another tilt at the play-offs. The rest, shall we say, is history.

That point ensured the Moss Lane outfit finished in a respectable fifteenth place, and will have come as a relief to all following three consecutive seasons battling a return to the Conference North. In each of those three campaigns Heathcote's men were relegated but, remarkably, on each occasion they were reinstated due to the misfortune of rival clubs.

The summer months saw three key players released to make way for new arrivals at Moss Lane, with Heathcote professing that not only did the reduced budget dictate his decision, but he felt the squad needed freshening up in certain areas. Central defender Chris Lane and winger Warren Peyton both departed for the Conference North, with Lane joining Vauxhall Motors to become their new club captain, whilst wide man Peyton has signed for Stalybridge Celtic. Also being shown the door were striker Joe O'Neill and utility man Alex Meechan.

Unfortunately Heathcote has experienced a fair amount of misfortune with his new recruits to date. Midfielder Michael Welch, who has jumped ship from Northwich following a loan spell with Alty last season, is currently sidelined with ankle ligament damage and has not played to date, whilst his fellow Vics colleague Matty Crowell also made the switch to Moss Lane, but after just five matches and a solitary goal the midfielder decided to take up an offer from Australian side Central Coast Mariners.

There has been some success, though, with left-winger Nicky Clee who signed from Hyde United and is slowly establishing himself in the starting line-up. Likewise former Bradford and Halifax midfielder Tom Kearney, who has made six appearances and scored one goal this season following his arrival from Wrexham.

Still menacing defences in the Blue Square Premier this season is striker Colin Little. The Alty legend has notched 110 goals in 228 matches whilst donning a red and white shirt, and has already bulged the onion bag twice this season, as have both Chris Senior and Chris Denham.

However, both Little and Senior may struggle to make the starting line-up on Tuesday due to niggling injuries, likewise fellow forward Dale Johnson and Manchester Utd loanee defender Scott Moffatt, who both limped off during last Saturday's defeat at Kettering. To make matters worse Heathcote will also have to make do without midfielder Shaun Densmore, who is serving a three match ban following his recent dismissal at Kidderminster.

Despite Altrincham looking for a first away win against United this evening, overall honours between us are shared. We have crossed swords eight times in total, with three victories apiece sitting aside two draws.

The Season so Far

Alty began the campaign with a respectable 1-1 home draw with Ebbsfleet, but really got the engines going three days later thanks to a thumping 3-0 win at Barrow. Another away triumph, this time at Hayes & Yeading was swiftly followed by a marvellous replica victory over Histon, and Heathcote must have smiled broadly when he saw his side proudly sitting second in the table.

Nevertheless, the powder has not been so dry of late, and three defeats have unfolded in the past four matches, with a point at home to Chester the only bright spot. Those losses came in tricky fixtures at Kidderminster and Kettering, whilst AFC Wimbledon showed the momentum they have carried over from last season when walking away from Moss Lane with a 1-0 success. Alty now lie in eleventh place, so will be looking to Colin Little, along with fellow strikers Chris Denham and Dale Johnson for inspiration this evening; the Cheshire side having not scored in their previous two matches on the road.

Matchday Connection

United Manager Ken Shellito signed Andy Lee on non-contract terms during the 1985/86 season in a bid to ease our worries of relegation from Canon Division Four. The former Liverpool apprentice played his first game in black & amber on 14 September when the U's travelled to Port Vale. The right-back endured a torrid time as our Staffordshire counterparts inflicted a 4-1 defeat, and it did not get any better for Lee with his next appearance resulting in another 4-1 loss, this time at Colchester. Further catastrophes unfolded against Wrexham (2-6) Stockport (1-3) and Burnley (0-4) with his nine games for United producing just one win, although, this was against local rivals Peterborough.

Andy played his last game for us in the aforementioned fixture with Burnley on 9 November, and was probably glad to wave goodbye to his short U's career. Prior to joining United he had a spells with Wrexham, Bangor City, Stafford Rangers, Tranmere and played temporarily in New Zealand, from where he signed for United. Lee then navigated his way around the non-League circuit, and was twice on the books of Altrincham, Tuesday's visitors to the Abbey, in addition to Runcorn, Telford, Witton Albion, Barrow and Halifax, where he hung up his boots in 1996.

Doug Shulman

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