WHITCHURCH Alport welcomed supporters back to the KMJ Mortgages Stadium at Yockings Park for the first time in almost six months at the weekend.

An all ticket restricted sell-out of 140 attended the inaugural Eddie Morris trophy with Nantwich Town agreeing to contest the fixture each pre-season.

The visitors – who play two leagues higher than Alport – took the spoils with a narrow 2–1 victory with Ryan Allcock’s howitzer halving the deficit to set up a rip-roaring finale.

Alport came up just short in the match but the biggest test came in ensuring the safe return of fans to the ground.

It set the club up perfectly for last night’s (Tuesday) FA Cup tie against Haughmond where a crowd in excess of 200 was expected.

Reds boss, Luke Goddard, was proud with the club’s efforts: “Today was about much more than the result,” he said.

“Of course, it would have been nice to have taken the game to penalties and young Jack (Griffiths) was mightily close to earning us that right but for a magnificent save from their keeper.

"We pushed them all the way but the comments we received afterwards from Nantwich, who play at a much higher level than ourselves, were fantastic.

"It was a terrific day all round and it was great to have fans back in the ground.”

There was disappointment last Wednesday night when a scheduled friendly had to be postponed.

Shrewsbury Town should have provided the opposition at the KMJ but pulled out at late notice.

The fixture has been rearranged for next Tuesday night (September 8) with a kick-off time of 7.45pm and Alport have asked Shrewsbury if they will be agreeable to letting spectators attend the match and further details will be announced via the club’s social media channels in due course.