LINE-UP

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Lewis BISHOP, 2. Dean WHITE, 3. Ashley McGRATH, 4. Richard GRESTY, 5. Danny GRAY, 6. Astley MULHOLLAND, 7. Hassan ZAREH-OURANG, 8. Andy KEOGH, 9. Ben DEEGAN, 10. Matty WILLIAMS, 11. Anthony DAVIES.

SUBS: 12. Rick CRAWFORD, 14. Michael RISK, 15. Reza ZAREH-OURANG, 16. Ben SHANKS-PEPPER, 18. Danny CHEBRIKA.(gk).

KINGSLEY UNITED YOUTH (All blue): KINGSLEY UNITED: 1. Anthony NOLAN, 2. Ryham FONTENOT, 3. Jordan CRAWFORD, 14. Ramon O'SHEA, 5. Neil OSHEA, 6. Lewis GRIFFITHS, 17. Danny CARTWRIGHT, 8. Phil CLARKE, 9. Ray NICHOLLS, 10. Ray SEPHTON, 11. Ivan JENKINS. SUBS: Warren BROWN, David FARLEY, Muktar MAHAMA, Eric YAJI, Noel JONAS

REPORT

Alty won an early corner when Williams and Deegan exchanged passes and the latter's fierce shot was beaten out by Nolan (4 mins). Soon afterwards, Mulholland got free but dragged his shot across goal (9 mins). As Alty went forward, they were caught offside three times in as many minutes. Next, White and Deegan conspired to set Mulholland at goal, in the box, but his shot hit a defender (17 mins). But after this early pressure, Alty paid for their wastefulness when Kingsley scored from 20 yards with their first real shot, by Cartwright, from 20 yards (18 mins). But soon, Bishop had to make two good saves from Jenkins, after he got behind Gresty and, soon afterwards, Gray, both of whom otherwise gave solid performances (25 mins).

Alty continued to squander chances as Deegan lifted an effort well over the bar (26 mins). Soon, a Mulholland corner was headed narrowly wide by Keogh before Bishop had to make his third good save from Jenkins. But at the other end, Alty's wastefulness continued as Keogh's header found Williams, who dragged his shot across goal (31 mins). Next, Mulholland headed wide at the back post before the same player's low cross evaded everyone in the box. Soon Mulholland shot wide, from the right, from Zareh-Ourang's feed (34 mins).

Moments later, Deegan's shot hit the keeper from Williams's cross from the left. Then, from a corner, Deegan rose well but nodded wide (36 mins). Alty continued to get caught offside before Williams forced the keeper to tip the ball over for a corner. This was cleared before Kingsley won a late corner themselves but half-time arrived with Alty trailing after missing a hatful of chances.

After labouring for 45 minutes to score, it took Alty just 2 second-half minutes to do so, as Deegan got past a defender, to the right of goal, before slotting the ball into the far, bottom corner (47 mins). But, soon, Gresty got injured and had to leave the field for treatment for a dead-leg, though he resumed, hobbling, soon afterwards. Davies then twice fired over the bar before Kingsley's Nicholls forced a fine tip over from Bishop (59 mins). A second Kingsley corner immediately followed before Deegan's good cross from the right was headed home by Williams, only to be ruled out because the cross had gone out of play. But Alty soon went ahead when Williams fed Mulholland and from the right he beat the keeper at the near post (63 mins).

Just after Williams had been denied by the keeper, Kingsley made a substitution, with no.21 coming on (67 mins). Play went through a period with no real chances for either side. Next, Gresty had to admit defeat and come off with his dead-leg, to be replaced by Risk, with Mulholland assuming the captaincy (73 mins). After this, Deegan got past his marker but the keeper did well to block his shot. Kingsley's no.19 now replaced Griffiths and soon afterwards Clarke was replaced by no.4.

Kingsley pressed forward for an equaliser and won a corner (85 mins). As the game went into added time, McGrath set Zareh-Ourang free but he was unable to get full power behind his shot. A surprisingly long five minutes of added time was played and, in the last of these, Crawford replaced Williams for Altrincham. Then, just as Deegan was racing free, up the middle, the referee blew the final whistle.

So, Alty had reached their fourth cup final of the season, (including their appearance in the District Cup as the Altrincham FA representative side). Numerous missed chances, especially in the first half had made victory in this semi-final more difficult than it should have been.