LINE-UP

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Pale blue shirts, dark blue shorts and socks): 1. David LEIGH, 2. Michael HOWE, 3. Tom BARCLAY (capt), 4. Alex MURPHY, 5. Kieran RAYNES, 6. Marcus BAXBY, 7. Paul BARRY, 8. Danny BROWNE, 9. Tom BAILEY, 10. Rick CRAWFORD, 11. Anthony DAVIES. Subs: 12. Lewis DAVIES, 14. Jason MELLING-FONG, 15. Rico COLULO, GK. Lewis BISHOP.

REPORT

Altrincham showed some changes from their last match, at Morecambe. David Leigh came in as goalkeeper. Positionally, Michael Howe reverted to right-back from centre-back and Tom Barclay switched to the left, as left-back Rico Colulo had been held up by an accident on the M60 and arrived late. Kieran Raynes returned to central defence whilst, on the bench, Lewis Davies and Jason Melling-Fong came in. There was only one linesman available so a Woodley official ran the line at one end.

The game was played in very bright sunshine and in exceptionally warm conditions for early February on Woodley's artificial pitch. The sides changed ends, giving Altrincham both the kick off and the first-half benefit of having the low sun behind them. Alty started quite brightly with Tom Bailey firing in the first shot of note, which was saved (4 mins). What was to turn into a catalogue of injuries for Woodley started in the 6th minute when their number eleven had to go off with a hamstring pull and he was soon replaced by their no.12. The home team then won a corner and soon afterwards were pressing forward when their no.8 found the side netting after a good move. Then the substitute was brought down on the edge of the box by Howe and, at first, it seemed that the referee had awarded a penalty. But, after consulting his linesman, a freekick was awarded on the front edge of the box, left of goal. The freekick was firmly driven and Howe made an excellent headed interception which must have left him seeing stars.

At the other end, Bailey played a ball for Crawford to chase but, presumably thinking he was offside, Crawford hesitated and the ball ran safely to the keeper - but no flag went up (18 mins). Next, Crawford dribbled into the box but went down, to no avail. Woodley now won a corner which Leigh punched out and the keeper also caught the follow-up shot confidently. Play was now fairly even and, indeed, Altrincham almost took the lead when a fine cross from the left by Davies was met, as it hit the ground, by a first time shot from Bailey but the keeper saved well (32 mins). However, Woodley continued to win corners at regular intervals and, from one of these, Baxby did very well to head the ball off the line as the Woodley no.8's shot headed for the top corner (33 mins).

Leigh then had a good save at the near post from a firm shot from the no.8 (35 mins). Crawford missed a good chance when Howe delivered an excellent ball forward from the right touchline but the Alty forward slotted the ball wide with his left foot (36 mins). More misfortune befell Woodley when the no.2 had to give way to no.18, again due to a hamstring injury (38 mins). Nevertheless, Woodley now had Alty on the backfoot but their troubles continued as their no.7 went down with a clearly broken forearm after falling awkwardly from an aerial challenge (44 mins). No.15 came on to replace him and within a minute the new man had been instrumental in setting up the first goal of the game. The substitute got towards the by-line, right of the Alty goal, and laid the ball back to the no.9 who hammered it past Leigh to make it 1-0 (45 mins). Another Woodley corner arrived in added time from which Woodley had a free header and, when the ball was half cleared, the no.9 crashed a fierce shot off the Altrincham crossbar as the visitors' defence now looked far from certain.

Just before the break Anthony Davies cut in well, from the left, and fired in an excellent 25-yarder which the home keeper did well to tip over for a corner. But half-time arrived with Altrincham still a goal behind.

There was a change of linesman at the interval as another Woodley official took over running the line in the half towards which the home side was attacking. Within two minutes Sports had doubled their lead when an aerial ball evaded Kieran Raynes about 22 yards from goal and the loose ball was played to the right by a Woodley player. He found his number nine who hammered an excellent, low shot which beat Leigh with its pace at the near post (47 mins). Three minutes later the game was over when the no.19 fired home another excellent shot to make it 3-0 (50 mins). Alty were now on the rack but they did get to the other end with Davies shooting wide from an acute angle from Barry's pass (51 mins). At this stage Colulo came on for Raynes (52 mins). Howe now moved to centre-back as Colulo came in at left-back and Barclay moved across to right-back.

Above, Lewis Davies, Danny Brown and Marcus Baxby (all in blue) in action against Woodley

Following lengthy treatment for Anthony Davies, substitute Lewis Davies replaced Rick Crawford (57 mins). After Alty had conceded an unnecessary corner, which Leigh collected well, the Woodley number nine had the ball in the net again but only after an offside had been given against him (61 mins). Next, Colulo was dispossessed and another Woodley corner resulted, which led to a second immediately afterwards. From this, the unchallenged number six scored to make it 4-0 (62 mins). Any glimmer of an instant response went when Baxby was bundled over in the box but nothing was given. Then Browne's long range shot was spilled by the keeper but there was no Alty player on hand to take advantage before the keeper recovered the ball. And, following a throw, Lewis Davies's excellent shot hit the top of the crossbar to underline that Altrincham's luck was out (65 mins).

Soon after, Altrincham won a corner, at which point Melling-Fong came on for Barry on the right (69 mins). But Alty's revival was cut short after 70 minutes when the no.19 got past Colulo and crossed from the right for the no.10 to score from close range and make it 5-0. And a minute later it got even worse when Murphy dwelt on the ball and was dispossessed 25 yards from goal. From the right, the Woodley no.10 fed the no.9, inside him, and he completed his hat-trick and made it 6-0 (71 mins). Altrincham responded by winning a corner but then a good block by Colulo at the other end gave Woodley a corner themselves, from which a shot was blocked (75 mins).

Altrincham continued to press forward but the most tangible reward they got was a corner after 86 minutes before the Woodley no.6 threatened Alty by getting to the by-line at the other end.. Lewis Davies made a promising 40 yard run up the middle but was blocked off on the edge of the box as the game went into added time. After two minutes of added time, Alty won another corner and though the keeper missed Davies's flagkick from the right, the ball dropped just beyond the back post where Howe was unable to turn it in (90+3). Soon the final whistle went on a hugely disappointing afternoon for Altrincham, who had started promisingly but had lost their way badly once they went behind.