ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Lee MILNER, 2. Chris WAUGH, 3. John PARKER-CHAMBERS, 4. Richard GRESTY, 5. Matt GARLAND, 6. Adam WALKER, 7. Graham BRYANT, 8. Aaron HEVINGHAM, 9. Ben DEEGAN, 10. Lee HENDLEY (capt.), 11. Ryan STEWART. Subs: 12. Dion DEPEIAZA, 14. Hassan ZAREH-OURANG, 15. Danny GREY, 18. Sam FOX (gk).

WOODLEY SPORTS (Yellow shirts and socks, black shorts): 1. MAIDMENT, 3. BELL, 5. ROURKE, 18. WOODBRIDGE, 14. TEASDALE, 8. PENNINGTON, 7. ?SCROOGLES?, 4. HYNES, 10. MARSDEN, 17. HASLAM, 6. GEE. Subs: 11. SMITH, 9. CARTER.

REPORT

John Parker-Chambers returned at left-back, Ben Deegan up front and Arron Hevingham was also back, in midfield, with Ben Robson, James Monaghan and Ryan McDarmaid the absentees from last week's starting line-up. On a dull afternoon, Woodley matched Altrincham in the early stages, winning the game's first corner (11 mins). Then, a deflected Woodley shot was held well by Milner. Garland soon had to be alert to clear the ball from a couple of yards in front of his own goal-line as Woodley got into their stride. But Alty soon came to life with Deegan turning neatly past Woodbridge to get in a shot which was blocked well by Rourke. On the left, Bryant now prompted a dangerous attack which saw Stewart's cross pick out Walker at the far post but his cross/shot from the right found no colleague to convert the chance (18 mins). Alty were now pressing forward well and won a corner through Hendley, who until now had been kept quiet by the Woodley defence (22 mins). Alty were then harshly denied a goal when Deegan won the ball left of goal and got it to Hendley who hooked it over the advancing keeper and put the ball into the net. However, the referee judged Hendley to have raised his foot dangerously at the keeper and ruled out the goal (25 mins). But Alty continued to attack and a minute later Stewart and Deegan got the ball to Hendley, whose nod found Walker, but Adam's first-time volley from the right flew wide. Altrincham's dominance was then converted into a well-worked goal, Deegan passed to Hendley who found Bryant just inside the box, left of centre. The Alty central midfielder calmly drove a low shot into the bottom corner of the net, just beyond the keeper's dive to his right (30 mins).

With rain now falling, Walker cleared the ball from his own half and the bounce deceived a Woodley player in midfield before it reached Hendley in the centre of the pitch near half-way. Hendley then embarked on a speedy run up the middle, past three defenders' attempted challenges, before driving the ball firmly past the keeper for an excellent goal which had manager George Heslop jigging with delight on the touchline (32 mins). Before play resumed, Woodley brought on Smith for the injured Rourke. Following a freekick for handball against Waugh, Woodley won a corner which Hevingham cleared well. Woodley than got a potential lifeline when Waugh pulled back a Woodley player as he entered the box and the referee correctly awarded a penalty against Altrincham. Though Milner dived the wrong way, substitute Smith's spot kick struck the top of the cross bar to the keeper's left and went out of play (37 mins).

Woodley were not getting many other sights of Milner's goal as the Alty back four put in a solid performance. The referee somehow found four minutes of added time before the whistle finally went for the interval.

Altrincham dominated the early period of the second half which was played in steady but light rain. The home side made it 3-0 after 57 minutes with their third good goal of the match. The goal started in very unlikely circumstances with a throw in to Altrincham right by the corner flag to the right of their own goal. Indeed, Gresty's run up for his long throw up the touchline on the Alty right started from some yards behind the by-line. His throw was nodded on well by Deegan before the ball came across to Hendley on the left wing. Hendley cut in and beat a man before driving the ball, left footed, across the goal and into the bottom far corner of the net for a very good goal.

Altrincham continued to play some impressive football as Hendley swept the ball to the right to Walker, who beat a man and got into the box but a great tackle from Woodbridge stopped him (62 mins). After more good work from Walker, Deegan appeared to knock the ball out of play but the referee gave Alty a corner, nevertheless. Stewart's well-taken flag-kick was met by Bryant whose header hit Hendley as it headed towards goal (66 mins). Stewart then caused further problems on the Alty left before Woodley hacked the ball clear but from a Parker-Chambers throw, soon afterwards, a corner was won by Alty. Via Hevingham and Deegan the ball eventually came to the visitors' keeper. Then Hevingham and Hendley combined to give Stewart a shot which went only narrowly wide as Altrincham played some of their best football of the season (69 mins). At the other end, Smith headed a cross well wide from a cross from the left by the hardworking Gee.

Alty soon attacked again and this time Deegan turned well to fire in a shot which keeper Maidment did very well to tip round the post for a corner (72 mins). Next, Walker headed a Stewart cross wide, as more goals looked likely for Altrincham. But Woodley did not give up and it took an important Bryant tackle to break up an attack at the cost of a corner. From the corner, an Alty defender failed to clear at the near post and then Bryant miskicked in the centre of the box to allow Gee a shot, which he drove firmly past Milner to make it 3-1 (77 mins).

From the right, Deegan then set up a header for Stewart which was hooked off the line for a corner (80 mins). Alty now made a change with Hassan Zareh-Ourang replacing Adam Walker on the right (83 mins). Woodley were now having a lot of the ball as Alty took their foot off the pedal. Next Depeiaza came on in place of Bryant (85 mins) so Deegan moved back to midfield as the new man went up front with Hendley. In the second minute of added time, Grey replaced Parker-Chambers at left-back for Altrincham. Woodley continued to press as five minutes of added time were played but there was no way back for them. This was an excellent showing from Altrincham, built on a solid defence, a hardworking midfield and the speed and strength of Hendley and Deegan up front.

Alty now travel to Formby, next Sunday, for the semi-final of the Open Cup.

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