ALTRINCHAM RESERVES (0) 2
ATHERTON COLLIERIES RESERVES (0) 0
Lancashire League Cup Match
played on Saturday, 24 February 2007 at 2pm
LINE-UP
ALTRINCHAM RESERVES : 1. Richard ACTON, 2. Keith WEDGE (capt), 3. Andy SCOTT, 4. Gary TALBOT, 5. Stephen ROSE, 6. Pat McFADDEN, 7. Justin BOWLER, 8. Rick CHETCUTI, 9. Chris SENIOR, 10. Peter THOMSON, 11. Rod THORNLEY. Subs: 12. John MALONEY, 14. Astley MULHOLLAND, 15. Aaron EDWARDS, GK. Chris ROWLEY.
REPORT
Alty first-team boss Graham Heathcote wanted to give a run out to nine of his squad, so the normal Reserves' side was transformed from the one which lost at Farsley in mid-week. No fewer than nine players who had played in the Conference this season started this match. So only Rick Chetcuti, Justin Bowler and Peter Thomson remained today from the midweek starting eleven. Pat McFadden was a late addition to the starting line-up, having originally been drafted to play for Flixton today but their match was postponed late on Saturday morning.
After kick-off, Altrincham soon began to press forward but it was not until the ninth minute that they created a clear chance when Senior did well to the right of goal and, from his cross, Thornley volleyed a difficult chance over the bar. Soon afterwards Senior chipped a shot just over the bar from Thomson's feed (10 mins). The openings continued to come as Thomson shot wide and Bowler got in a shot from right of goal which the keeper held well (12 mins). Next Senior got to the by-line to win a corner on the Alty right. Another Alty corner soon followed, taken by Chetcuti. In a foray to the other end,the visitors' number nine overhit a cross from the right.
Andy Scott then appeared to fall awkwardly and needed treatment before resuming. But then Alty had a let off when a low shot was fingered onto the upright, to his right, by Acton and an Atherton corner resulted. The visitors went close again soon afterwards when a fine shot from their number seven was beaten out well by Acton but it took a goal-line clearance from Keith Wedge to keep the scores blank, again at the cost of a corner. Alty's next effort was a wide shot from Bowler (19 mins), followed by a blocked effort from Thornley (21 mins). Pat McFadden, playing in a central midfield role rather than his more normal forward position made two successive winning tackles to prompt further Alty attacks and, from one of these, the keeper punched clear to Chetcuti, who sliced his shot wide (24 mins). After a forty-yard run by Bowler, McFadden was fouled to yield a freekick on the edge of the penalty "D". Thornley drove the kick over the bar but when Thornley himself was fouled from behind soon afterwards, the Collierymen's number two saw a yellow card. Thornley's freekick, from 35 yards, came to Thomson, whose fierce drive forced a good save from the keeper. Alty continued to have the better of things and a fine shot from Bowler forced another good save from the visitors' keeper, who pushed the ball over the bar for a corner (34 mins).
From Chetcuti's corner, Talbot nodded wide. But Atherton soon went to the other end and a fine shot from right of goal forced a good tip round the post from the alert Acton. But soon Alty won themselves another corner from which Thornley got in a shot which prompted another good save from the goalkeeper at the cost of another corner (42 mins). As half time approached, Bowler blazed over the bar.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 0 ATHERTON COLLIERIES RESERVES 0 |
In the first minute of the second half Chetcuti shot over the bar but Alty soon won two corners. After these Atherton brought on their no.14 for the no.4 who took over the coaching role in the technical area (50 mins). Alty were applying plenty of pressure without looking sharp in the final third of the pitch. A shot from the visitors' no.7 gave Atherton a corner but play drifted for a period until John Maloney replaced the ailing Andy Scott for Alty and Atherton's number 12 came on for the no.5 (60 mins). Keith Wedge now switched to left-back. An excellent flying header from Senior forced another good save before Thornley flashed the resulting loose ball wide of goal (61 mins). Two minutes later Astley Mulholland came on to replace Rick Chetcuti (63 mins), the new player slotting in to midfield. Atherton then made another substitution as no.15 replaced no.6 (67 mins).
Good work from McFadden led to Senior crossing for Thomson who was unable to control the ball and could only relay it back to Senior who likewise failed to convert from close range as it began to look as if Altrincham could play all day without converting any of their chances. At this point Aaron Edwards came on for Keith Wedge (72 mins) as Alty changed to a 3-4-1-2 formation. Mulholland soon impressed with a fine ball for Senior who appeared to have dribbled successively round the keeper only for the visitors' number one to stick out a hand and grab the ball (72 mins). Bowler than needed treatment for a head injury and emerged wearing a large white plaster on his forehead.
Edwards and Mulholland sparked a bit more activity from Altrincham but still the chances went unconverted as Mulholland headed over the bar. Then a good shot from Senior won Alty another corner. Richard Acton was having little to do at the other end but as the game went into the 86th minute, a Collieries player was injured and, after treatment, he made the mandatory trip to the touchline. Whilst he was off the pitch, Altricnham at last scored a goal. It came when Acton fed Bowler who got the ball forward to Mulholland on the right. He crossed the ball into the box where Senior slid it home from close range for his first goal since joining Altrincham from Halifax (87 mins). Alty now dominated the closing stages. Their sceond goal came again from a good piece of distribution by Acton, whose long throw set McFadden going forward and, via Thornley, the ball came to Mulholland, who skipped past a defender into the box before slotting the ball neatly past the exposed goalkeeper (90 mins). Rain now started to pour down as Alty won another corner. But there were to be no more goals and, after Acton had had to rush out to kick clear from an Atherton player, the whistle went to confirm Altrincham's win and, hopefully, their progress to the next round (90+ 3 mins).
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM RESERVES 2 ATHERTON COLLIERIES RESERVES 0 |