Match Reports, 2003-04
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (2) 3
MORECAMBE (0) 0
NWYA Premier Division Match
played at Wythenshawe Town FC,
on Sunday, 7 September, 2003, at 2pm.
LINE-UP
ALTRINCHAM YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, white shorts, black socks): 1. Barry GEORGE, 2. Adam DOUTHWAITE, 3. Matthew TOOTH, 4. Alex FROST (capt.), 5. Michael BAILEY, 6. Kelvin LUGSDEN, 7. Lewis CHALMERS, 8. Stevie TAYLOR, 9. Kieran LUGSDEN, 10. Andy THORPE, 11. Josh COLLINS. Subs: 12. Stuart COOK, 14. Mark BRANNICK, 15. Anthony POTTS, 16. James GREENHALGH.
MORECAMBE YOUTH (All yellow): 1. Leigh, 2. Smith, 3. Bray, 4. Whiteley, 5. Davies, 6. Brierley, 7. Lothian, 8. Ward, 9. Ecab, 10. Makin, 11. Larkin. Subs: Ford, Davies (gk).
MATCH REPORT
The goalkeeping jinx which has seen three Altrincham first-team goalkeepers injured in the last fortnight struck again when Clint Walker was taken ill before kick-off but Alty had a very able deputy in Barry George, the Cheshire FA keeper. Remarkably, Morecambe's keeper Davies also had to drop out just before kick-off. Otherwise, Alty made one change with Steve Lunt being replaced by Andy Thorpe up front and into the Alty squad came Mark Brannick.
Referee Shaun Brown, himself a late substitute for Charlie Catterall, got the game under way but after early Altrincham pressure it was the visitors who won the first corner off Kelvin Lugsden (13 mins). Nevertheless, the home side took the lead soon afterwards when Chalmers rose well to head on George's goalkick and, from the left, Kieran Lugsden shot across the goal, his effort rebounding off the far post to his twin brother Kelvin who knocked the ball back into the net (17 mins). After the re-start, Alty soon won a corner which was cleared but then Morecambe's Larkin got in a 20 yard shot which just cleared the bar (22 mins).
Andy Thorpe then did well to win an Alty corner on the left and soon afterwards another Altrincham flag-kick followed. Altrincham had a narrow escape when a cross from the left evaded George but Makin was unable to turn the ball into the net. Next Stevie Taylor, who had an impressive game, got in a cross which just evaded Kelvin Lugsden (31 mins). Altrincham were now well on top and Taylor soon did well again and he set up a shot for Kelvin Lugsden which was well saved by Leigh in the Morecambe goal (37 mins). Tooth then advanced up the left and fed Chalmers whose shot was deflected for a corner. From Douthwaite's well flighted corner, Chalmers's header towards Collins ended with Josh being penalised (38 mins). But when Douthwaite was forced inside from the right touchline he passed to Chalmers who drove home a superb goal from 25 yards (39 mins).
The Altrincham defence was keeping the Morecambe attack under control but the visitors did win a corner from a breakaway shortly before the whistle. This led to two more Morecambe corners in quick succession but Alty arrived at the interval with their two-goal lead intact.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 2 MORECAMBE YOUTH 0 |
Morecambe brought on their no.12 at the interval in place of Lothian. Altrincham soon won two corners but the game now went through a scrappy few minutes. Stevie Taylor received a booking after he retaliated to a foul challenge (53 mins). Taylor was immediately fouled again but Altrincham soon won a third corner, taken by Douthwaite (57 mins). Following a poor goalkick by Morecambe, Kieran Lugsden played in Thorpe but he lifted his shot over the bar (58 mins). Then, from a Taylor pass, Davies made an error and Kieran Lugsden got in a good shot which was very well saved as the keeper dived to his right to concede a corner.
The Morecambe keeper makes a great save from Kieran Lugsden.
Following another Morecambe defensive error, Thorpe shot narrowly wide as Alty dominated the second half. Altrincham soon made a change with Stevie Taylor giving way to Mark Brannick in central midfield (64 mins). Douthwaite then broke up a rare Morecambe attack before a fine ball from Chalmers saw Kelvin Lugsden volley wide at the other end (68 mins). An Alty corner was then won by Thorpe before Morecambe's best effort of the half saw them shoot narrowly wide from the right (71 mins). Alty now brought on Cook for Frost, with Kelvin Lugsden moving onto the back four (72 mins). Almost immediately goal number three arrived when Cook, on the right, fed Kieran Lugsden who made no mistake to keep up his record of a goal in every league game this season (73 mins).
Douthwaite's free-kick then won Alty a corner on the right. Leigh then had to stop Kieran Lugsden after good work by Brannick through the middle (78 mins). Anthony Potts then replaced Kieran Lugsden (82 mins) before Morecambe won their only corner of the half (84 mins). Morecambe's Whiteley was then booked for a foul on Potts before Altrincham saw out the final few minutes without any alarms for George, who had very little to do in the second period behind his strong defence and midfield.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 3 MORECAMBE 0 |