CHORLEY YOUTH (Black & white striped shirts, black shirts & socks) 1. BOLTON, 2. HAMPSON, 3. FRODSHAM, 4. MARKLAND, 5. MURPHY, 6. NAYLOR, 7. GAVIN, 8. DOWLING, 9. COOKE, 10. BARNES, 11. GELDER. Subs: 12. MARLOW, 14. DASHTI, 15. HADDON, 16. CALLUM, 17. HIGGINSON.

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, white shorts, red socks): 1. Barry GEORGE, 2. Adam DOUTHWAITE, 3. Josh COLLINS, 4. Alex FROST (capt.), 5. Steven HOWARTH, 6. Stuart COOK, 7. Lewis CHALMERS, 8. Paul LEWIS, 9. Steve LUNT, 10. Kieran LUGSDEN, 11. Adam BALL. Subs: 12. Paul BREIDENBACH, 14. James GREENHALGH, 15. James MONAGHAN, 16. Matthew TOOTH, 18. Tom READ (gk).

It was something of a rarity for a NWYA Open Cup match to take place under floodlights and at such a well-appointed venue as Chorley's Victory Park. Chorley v Altrincham encounters go back a long way and, indeed, current Chorley Secretary Mick Wearmouth, who had helped to arrange tonight's match, was in the Chorley side which played Altrincham in the first ever fixture that the Robins played in the Northern Premier League back in 1968. That day, Mick had marked the legendary Alty striker, Jackie Swindells, in a 0-0 draw and the Chorley side then had also included Paul Mariner, who was to go on to play as centre-forward for England and Ipswich Town. Tonight's game was destined to have a few more goals than that one!

As well as missing the injured Kelvin Lugsden, Altrincham Youth were also without the four "T"s (Thorpe, Timms, Taylor and Tooth) from their squad tonight, though Mattie Tooth was available on the bench. Mattie's absence saw Josh Collins move to left-back, whilst Adam Ball started on the left flank and Stuart Cook patrolled the right.

In the early exchanges the pitch proved to be hard as several through balls bounced up high to cause the Alty defence some concerns. However, it was Altrincham who got in the first shot of note when Kieran Lugsden's looping cross from the right was met by Adam Ball at the back post but his good effort went just wide. Within seconds, however, a good ball over the defence by Lewis Chalmers, from a central position inside his own half, allowed Steve Lunt to get the better of his marker and hook the ball home to give Alty an early lead (5 mins).

Paul Lewis then went close before there was a scare at the Alty end when two successive sliced clearances threatened danger till Howarth made a no-nonsense clearance. Next, Ball volleyed over from Lewis's pass as Altrincham began to dominate proceedings. Then Lunt went close again as Alty keeper Barry George was reduced to being a virtual spectator, collecting the odd through ball and getting a good length on the occasional goalkick. At the other end, Bolton's rushed clearance came to Cook whose firmly hit first-time drive the keeper managed to keep out. Soon afterwards Cook again did well, towards the right corner, and won a free-kick (17 mins).

Chorley were playing some neat passing in midfield but were lacking penetration and they appeared to have won the first corner of the game until a discussion between the referee and his assistant decided on a free-kick award to the Magpies instead. The freekick, from the right, was a well-struck left footed in-swinger but Adam Ball bravely got in the way of it before it could enter the box (24 mins). Altrincham went two up when a well judged ball forward from Paul Lewis gave Kieran Lugsden a 50/50 opportunity and the Alty striker made the most of it to hold off his challenger and slot the ball home from left-centre (24 mins). Alex Frost then played a long pass to Lugsden who got past his man well but sliced his shot. However, a retreating defender almost headed it into its own net and was thankful only to concede a corner (27 mins). Douthwaite's corner from the right was cleared.

Chorley than had their best chance of the game to date following a free-kick from 25 yards. The free-kick came to the back post where one of their players found the side netting (28 mins). Altrincham's third goal then arrived, in very direct fashion. Lugsden won a throw on the right and Lewis Chalmers's impressive long throw was met by Lunt's well-timed run and Steve's looping header from the near post cleared the keeper and entered the net towards the back post (30 mins). After Douthwaite had seen off a Chorley attack, Alty went four up. Following a throw on the left, Collins delivered the ball to Lugsden who scored off the inside of the keeper's left upright (33 mins).

After good work from Chalmers, Lugsden then headed onto the crossbar as Chorley were kept on the back foot (35 mins). A good move on the right, when Douthwaite found Cook, saw the Alty no.6 fouled but a free-kick was awarded to him just as he seemed to be getting free into the box. The keeper did not hold Douthwaite's resulting free-kick, from the right, and Ball took the corner which came from this. This corner was half-cleared but came back into Kieran Lugsden from Howarth's shrewd pass and Kieran looped it past the keeper to give Alty their second five-goal first-half haul in the last five days (37 mins). It could have been even more as Paul Lewis's well-hit shot just cleared the bar from the edge of the box (39 mins) and then Lunt's header dropped just wide from Collins's cross (40 mins). Following a weak clearance from Bolton, Lunt's shot won his side a corner on the right (43 mins) but half-time soon arrived with Altrincham well in control.

Early in the second period Lunt hared up the left and his cross found Lugsden who shot over the bar. Bolton then saved well from Lugsden after good work by Ball and Chalmers on the left but a corner resulted (49 mins). Another fine ball from Lewis gave Lugsden yet another shot, which was saved (50 mins) as Alty kept their feet on the pedal. Alty 'keeper Barry George caught a ball into the box after a neat Chorley move before Chorley's Naylor shot narrowly over the bar. After another Alty corner had been punched clear, Chalmers and Ball combined well on the left for Lunt to get in a header, which was smartly parried by Bolton but the Alty striker knocked home the rebound from close range to make it 6-0 (55 mins).

After a Chalmers shot had been well saved, Chorley brought on Haddon for Gelder (58 mins). Soon afterwards Tooth replaced Douthwaite (62 mins). This meant that Frost moved to right-back and Collins to centre-back as Tooth slotted in at left-back. Soon, Lewis and Lugsden combined and Kieran drove the ball from the right of the goalmouth, low, into the net for number seven (63 mins). Barry George kept his concentration well despite a lack of action and was alert to clear a through ball and then, when Howarth executed a backwards flick, Barry had to clear hurriedly and then save well from the rebound (67 mins). After an attack started by Collins had been seen off, Alty won a free-kick on the left some 22 yards out. Chalmers curled the free-kick into the goalmouth where it evaded both the incoming Lunt and Lugsden but their runs did enough to distract the defence and Chalmers's kick curled its way into the far corner of the net: 8-0 after 70 minutes.

Chorley now brought on a substitute goalkeeper whilst Alty replaced Cook by Breidenbach (71 mins). Alty were still pressing and, soon, Chalmers produced a great shot which clipped the top of the bar from 15 yards (75 mins). Moments later Lunt set up Lugsden for goal number nine (76 mins) and soon afterwards Lugsden headed wide after good work from Ball and Lunt. Alty were now especially impressive on the left as Tooth brought his influence to bear. Chorley then brought on Marlow as Alty sent on Monaghan for Lewis (78 mins). George saw off a through ball from Chorley before Lugsden, at the other end, was tripped in the outer part of the Chorley box, to the right of goal. A penalty was rightly awarded and captain Alex Frost took it. He drove the ball low and hard to the keeper's right to make it 10-0 (81 mins).

There was still time for Chambers to shoot narrowly wide (83 mins) and for Lunt to get onto Ball's pass only for his scissor kick to bounce just wide (85 mins). Lugsden then went close again before Lunt rattled the bar from six yards after the keeper had saved Ball's effort (88 mins). Chorley kept going, however, and won a late corner which was cleared off the line at the back post (89 mins).

The 10-0 score equalled Altrincham's home win score over Euxton Villa three years ago and took to 18 the team's goalscoring total, without reply, in the last five days. It could have been more, as they hit the woodwork three times. Six of the Altrincham lads travel to Norfolk on Friday for Saturday's Cheshire FA clash with Norfolk FA so there is no Sunday game for the Altrincham Youth team this weekend.