Match Reports, 2005-06


SELBY TOWN YOUTH (1) 2
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (1) 1

F.A. Youth Cup
First Qualifying Round


played on Monday, 26th September 2005 at 7.45pm


LINE-UP

SELBY TOWN YOUTH (All red): 1. Carl BLUNDELL, 2. Duane JOHNSON, 3. James TOPPING, 4. Luke CAULDWELL, 5. Luke CROWTHER (capt), 6. Kris LITTLER, 7. Joe BAXTER, 8. James CAVIN, 9. James TWEEDIE, 10. Edward WILEMAN, 11. Ashley LATTIMORE. Subs: 12. Michael BRAITHWAITE, 14. David HERON, 15. Michael BROOKS, 16. Dale LUMLEY, 17. Tom HOGG.

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Pale blue shirts and socks, dark blue socks): 1. Danny CHEBRIKA, 2. Dean WHITE, 3.Tom BANE, 4. Michael DARBYSHIRE, 5. Michael RISK, 6. Astley MULHOLLAND, 7. Hassan ZAREH-OURANG, 8. Andy KEOGH, 9. Ben DEEGAN (capt), 10. Matty WILLIAMS, 11. Anthony DAVIES. Subs: 12. Curtis CONNELL, 14. Ben ROBSON, 15. Tom BARCLAY, 16. Ben SHANKS-PEPPER, 17. Philip LEAFF (gk).


REPORT

Yorkshire club Selby Town were something of an unknown quantity to Altrincham, who arrived on the back of three successive league wins in which 13 goals had been scored. For their part, Selby's under-19 Academy side had won all three of their league games but the rules of the FA Youth Cup meant that many of their regulars were over-age so tonight's home line-up was much changed. Selby is a very pleasant market town, not far from York, and the club made their visitors welcome and produced an interesting matchday programme for the game.

Altrincham centre-back Kieran Raynes was working in Scotland so unvailable tonight and his place was taken by Michael Darbyshire, returning after injury. The only other changes from Alty's last league game were that Tom Barclay replaced Dale Benson on the bench, on which new goalkeeper, Philip Leaff, was also named.

Altrincham kicked off but Selby started the better with Baxter volleying just wide after only two minutes. Tweedie was also impressing up front for Selby, who soon won the game's first corner. This was cleared but Selby continued to have the upper hand as a shot flew across the face of the Alty goal. But then Alty missed a good chance to go ahead. The chance arose from good work by Mulholland, who picked up a misplaced Selby pass on the far right. Mulholland fed the unmarked Williams but he placed his shot over the bar from the middle of the box (7 mins). The game was being played at a frantic pace and it was the home side who were stringing their passes together the better as they won another corner after 14 minutes. However, at the other end, Deegan got in a shot from a Williams pass but only with the outside of his boot, so the shot had insufficient force to beat the keeper. After a stoppage for treatment to Bane, who had been hurt by a clash of heads, Tweedie got in a well-struck, curling shot which Chebrika caught well.

After Risk had got in a good tackle to stem another Selby move, Altrincham went ahead against the run of play. The goal came when Mulholland's persistence on the right induced a Selby defender to lose possession and the ball came to Keogh on the Alty right about 25 yards out. Keogh's cross to the back post was met by a firm header into the net by Deegan (25 mins). White was soon forced to concede another corner to Selby and this was followed soon after by a freekick conceded by Keogh, 22 yards out. Cavin's curling freekick went just wide. But Town soon won another corner as Bane cleared a freekick by the captain of Selby, Crowther. A second corner immediately followed but this came to nothing.

Altrincham finally won a corner themselves but soon Selby were back at the Alty end. When, right of goal, Cavin underhit his shot from Tweedie's pass, it looked like Chebrika would make a routine save but somehow the ball squirmed through his hands and into the net for Selby's equaliser (38 mins). Altrincham continued to concede unnecessary fouls as their performance continued to be below par. Light rain started just before the interval as Altrincham won a corner through Wiliams. From Davies's corner, Deegan headed over the bar and half-time arrived with scores level.


Half-Time: SELBY TOWN YOUTH 1
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1

Following a ten-minute interval, play resumed with the gusty wind now behind the home team as the rain continued- but it soon petered out. Selby again started the better of the two teams. But after a foul on Bane, Davies's freekick was cleared. Deegan then challenged in the air for a 50/50 ball with the keeper which left the keeper down and needing treatment to his leg. The Selby manager came on and made his displeasure clear as he ran to his keeper, proclaiming "bl**dy idiot"! However, the referee saw nothing wrong with the challenge though he did have a word with Deegan. After this, Crowther took the home side's goalkicks. Davies's next advance up the left was halted just before Keogh got in a good shot from 20 yards which went just wide (57 mins). Alty's slight improvement continued as they won another corner but most of the play remained in their own half.

The Selby players' numbers, black on red, were difficult to read but they now made a substitution (62 mins). Immediately after this, Risk faield to make a clearing header and the ball fell to a Selby player who volleyed home impressively from left of goal to put his side 2-1 ahead (62 mins). Alty themselves made what was to be their only substitution of the game with Ben Shanks-Pepper coming on for Astley Mulholland (68 mins). Soon,the new man had a golden chance to equalise as Alty belatedly began to get forward a bit more. A cross from the left by Davies sliced off a defender to Shanks-Pepper but he lifted the ball over the bar from six yards (73 mins). Soon afterwards, Selby fired in a low shot from the right, which flew across the face of goal (74 mins).

Altrincham now applied some pressure and won three corners in five minutes, as White now got forward on the right. The first corner arrived as Shanks-Pepper's goalbound shot struck a defender. Just before the second of the corners, Selby made another substitution. Alty's third corner came when Davies's shot was deflected out of play. After this, Shanks-Pepper found Keogh who lashed a shot over the bar (82 mins). Alty continued to push forward but Selby made their final substitution after 87 minutes. Alty had another scare, though, when Chebrika came out towards his right touchline to clear but the ball went to an opponent some 40 yards out. As the keeper slipped in trying to recover his ground, the Selby man shot well wide. Selby won a late corner and as the game went into added time, Alty's Davies was booked for trying to get at the ball as two home players attempted to play out time. Despite another couple of minutes of added time, Alty could find no equaliser and exited the FA Cup after a generally disappointing performance against a Selby Town who passed the ball better and showed an urgency which Altrincham lacked for periods of the game.

Altrincham wish Selby well in the next round, when they travel to play our Allied Trophies League colleagues, either Lancaster City or Formby.


Full-Time: SELBY TOWN YOUTH 2
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1