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. Ryan McDARMAID, 9. Ben DEEGAN, 10. Lee HENDLEY (capt.), 11. Ryan STEWART. Subs: 12. Arron HEVINGHAM, 14. Hassan ZAREH-OURANG, 15. Ryan Donnelly, 16. Chris Bailey, 18. Sam FOX (gk).

BARROW YOUTH (White shirts and socks, red shorts): 1. Colin ARCHER, 2. Damian BEACH, 3. Rob PARKER, 4. Phil COOMBE (capt.), 5. Graham CAPSTICK, 6. Chris PLATT, 7. Richard CONWAY, 8. Rayner DAVIES, 9. Carl MARKHAM, 10. Kieron O'CONNOR, 11. Mike MELIA. Subs: 12. Damian THOMPSON, 14. David KEWLEY.

REPORT

Altrincham's starting line-up was unchanged from that which trounced the previously unbeaten Morecambe last week. There were changes on the bench, however, as Hassan Zareh-Ourang, Ryan Donnelly and Chris Bailey came in. Altrincham started the game unbeaten in the league since late November, a run of ten games before today's match.

Chris Waugh was forced to concede an early corner to the visitors but Altrincham went close soon afterwards when Deegan did well and fed Walker, whose half-hit shot from right of goal got caught up in the goalkeeper's legs (8 mins). But, following a throw-in from Parker-Chambers on the Alty left, the ball was played forward to Hendley and, with Barrow waiting for an offside decision which never came, Hendley shot the ball firmly past the keeper into the net from left-centre of goal (9 mins). It was the 9th successive league match in which Lee had scored.

Soon after the restart, Alty won a corner and from Stewart's kick Deegan saw his initial shot blocked but he blasted the rebound home from 12 yards or so to make it 2-0 (12 mins). At this stage it looked as if Altrincham would be in for a comfortable afternoon but that was not to be the case, even though Hendley got in a decent half-volley at the keeper soon afterwards (14 mins).

Indeed, it was to be another ten minutes, till Deegan nodded a fine cross from Stewart over the bar, before Alty had another clear chance (24 mins). Rain was now falling as the otherwise excellent refereeing team gave Alty a goalkick when it looked as if it was clearly a Barrow corner. Soon afterwards, at the other end, Hendley again sprang the offside trap but this time the keeper came out well to save. Keeper Archer did even better soon afterwards when Hendley got past two defenders and into the box but the Barrow no.1 saved with his legs. Ryan Stewart then forced a save from Archer which gave Alty a corner. Taken by Bryant, the corner from the left yielded a second one straightaway but this was cleared.

After Garland had twice broken up attacks in quick succession, Davies got to the by-line for Barrow, left of the Alty goal, but was unable to get in a cross (39 mins). Alty went to the other end where, from a Hendley feed, Stewart forced another fine save from Archer (40 mins). Barrow's Beach was then booked for a foul on Stewart on the front corner of the Barrow penalty area. Bryant's freekick prompted another excellent save from Archer (42 mins). As half-time approached a cross from Deegan just evaded Hendley at the back post but there was still time for another chance as the impressive Stewart had a shot cleared off the line following an error by the Barrow right-back (45 mins).

Alty remained two-up but it had taken several good saves from Archer to keep the score down. For ALty the back-line had again looked solid in front of the capable Milner.

Rain was now falling more steadily and, just five minutes into the second half, John Parker-Chambers had to come off with an ankle injury and was replaced by Arron Hevingham, which meant that Stewart moved to left-back as Hevingham went to the left-side of midfield (50 mins). Alty continued to press and from Walker's cross, Bryant nodded wide (54 mins). But Barrow were getting more into the game in the second half and Markham now got in a shot at Milner. Soon Barrow won a corner, but after this Deeghan fed Walker on the Alty right and he lashed in a good shot which was well saved (66 mins).

An Alty corner followed, but then Barrow forced a good save from Milner to win a corner for themselves. Play continued in fairly unexceptional manner until the 76th minute when Altrincham brought on Zareh-Ourang for McDarmaid in midfield. Soon after this, Hendley advanced on the left to win a corner which Garland won in the air, but hurt his back in the process.

Following a bit of silliness, Deegan and two Barrow men, Coombe and Capstick were booked by the referee (81 mins). Alty now made another change with Donnelly replacing Waugh, (83 mins). The referee soon needed to have a word with Hevingham and a Barrow player after an off the ball push before a free-kick, but when the Alty kick was finally taken by Gresty, the keeper punched clear. Both Alty subs were showing some good touches as Barrow won the game's last corner. But this came to nothing and Alty ran out winners, 2-0. The second half had witnessed a rather flat performance after the lively opening to the game but Altrincham were deserved winners against a more than capable Barrow side, who have reached the Premier Cup Final.