In Saturday’s 2-0 win at Warrington, Alty included keeper Louie Fallon, centre-back Joel Bailey, and midfielder Owen German in the starting lineup. Parkinson then brought all three on as substitutes in Tuesday night’s tough match at The J.Davidson Stadium, where the team earned a well-deserved draw with a Justin Amaluzor equalizer against League One opponents.
While Alty made key senior signings in Joe Nuttall and Tom Crawford during the summer, the manager is equally excited about the potential contributions of Academy prospects in the upcoming National League campaign.
“We got exactly what we wanted from the Salford game – a tough, competitive match that gave the lads valuable experience,” Parkinson commented. “Our plan was always to make wholesale changes after an hour, and I was really impressed with the young players from the Academy who stepped up.
“Louie was outstanding in goal, especially with his distribution, and Joel was exceptional after coming on, showing real potential. He’s a product of the Academy and we’re considering options like a loan, but based on his performance, he may be ready for the National League now.
“Owen was equally impressive. Despite being a second year pro, he played with the confidence of a seasoned player. They faced tough opponents from the Football League, but all three really stood out.”
Alty’s pre-season continues with a match against Chester on Saturday (3pm kickoff) followed by another away game at Curzon Ashton next Tuesday (7.45pm kickoff).