ALTRINCHAM 0 CITY 0

THEY were trumpeted by Graham Alexander as the two new signings already in the building when pre-season began.

City had spent so long without Alex Pattison and Jake Young that it felt like recruiting another couple of fresh faces over the summer.

But as the final friendly fades quickly from the memory, the long-term absentees are experiencing contrasting fortunes on their return.

Pattison eagerly threw himself into several beefy challenges at the J. Davidson Stadium to underline his confidence that all is well with his plans on making up for a write-off first year.

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Handed the captain's armband until Richie Smallwood made a delayed appearance, the midfielder looks to have played his way straight into the starting line-up for next weekend’s opening showdown at MK Dons.

Things, though, are a lot less clear with Young.

Two plus two does not equal five and he has become the odd man out in the attacking nap hand at his manager’s disposal.

Vadaine Oliver, with no clear takers in the window up to now, is getting the opportunities to prove he can still back up Andy Cook.

Tyler Smith, given the starting nod alongside Cook, will fight Calum Kavanagh for the other role.

And that leaves Young reduced to 12 minutes at the end of the game once Alexander had shuffled the shape up top.

Having not kicked a ball against Sunderland in midweek, the striker was the eighth of eight subs against the National League side.

When Alexander was readying the first six of those in a mass change on 65 minutes, Young slipped away to the dressing room.

Nothing more than a call of nature maybe but an indication that he knew he wasn’t being thrown on any time soon.

Ciaran Kelly played the full game along with Aden BaldwinCiaran Kelly played the full game along with Aden Baldwin (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Alexander insists there is no agenda with the man he fought to keep amid heavy interest in the January window, only to lose to a season-ending hamstring injury within weeks.

Young recently made it clear to the T&A that this is a fresh start for his Valley Parade ambitions and he does not intend to quit.

But his situation is once more a hot topic among fans questioning his lack of involvement at this stage. It is likely to remain so right up to 11pm on August 30 when the window shuts.

Young nearly had the final say of an underwhelming contest that followed in the tradition of most last pre-season friendlies as one to easily forget.

He worked room on the edge of the box to unleash a curler towards the top corner. But instead, it flew high and wide, matching pretty much everything else that had gone on before.

 

 

The final warm-up should come with a warning for those prepared to shell out good money to watch.

Nearly 500 popped over the Pennines to swell the Altrincham coffers. But they must have known what was coming.

The final dress rehearsal before the main event is not a time for risk-taking or grandstanding. Nobody wants to suffer a knock so late on and run the risk of sitting out the first game that actually matters.

So, it made for a plodding defensive-dominated tussle lacking tempo and any moments of genuine excitement. No wonder the club did not rush out a highlights reel online.

City’s back five pretty much picks itself and there was nothing to suggest that will change.

Newest recruit Jack Shepherd looked tidy when he did get on but Ciaran Kelly, Neill Byrne and Aden Baldwin were never troubled.

Kelly’s distribution might have gone awry at times but he more than made up for that by throwing his body at the ball to muzzle Altrincham’s shooting intentions.

Like Baldwin, whose fitness has rapidly picked up after missing the early pre-season, the Irishman stayed on for the entirety.

On-loan Barnsley defender Jack Shepherd came off the benchOn-loan Barnsley defender Jack Shepherd came off the bench (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Sam Walker’s easy afternoon in goal was mirrored by his home counterpart Ethan Ross.

With centre half James Jones doing the Kelly role in successfully smothering most City attempts, actual efforts on target were at a premium.

There is hot competition for midfield starting spots with Jamie Walker and Bobby Pointon handed the chance to press their claims.

Walker rattled one shot past the post and another straight at the keeper but they were sporadic attempts as the game drifted by.

Kavanagh tried his luck a couple of times after the forward changes were made before Young launched the final shot into the stand.

CITY: S Walker, Baldwin, Byrne (Shepherd 66min), Kelly, Halliday (Gilliead 66min), Pattison (Smallwood 66min), Wright (Richards 66min), J Walker (Sarcevic 76min), Pointon (Young 78min), Smith (Kavanagh 66min), Cook (Oliver 66min).