ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (0) 2
MAINE ROAD (0) 0
at The University of Manchester Playing Fields
LINE-UP
ALTRINCHAM YOUTH: 1. Andrew JONES, 2. Jack KIMBER, 3. Ben OLIVER, 4. Alex MURPHY, 5. Reza ZAREH-OURANG, 6. Steven CRANE, 7. Rohin LALLI, 8. Ryan DALY, 9. Tom BAILEY, 10. Sam MADELEY, 11. Chris FRANCIS. Substitutes incl: 12. Tom COSGRAVE, 16. Simon WILLIAMSON, 17. Declan WAKEFIELD, 18. Paul BARRY, GK. Ben RIGBY (gk).
REPORT
Report courtesy of George Heslop.
With Daisy Hill having failed to fulfil their fixtures, their record had been deleted, so Alty went into this game equal on points with Maine Road but behind them on goal. difference. Maine Road have a proud history in this competition and before the game presented Altrincham with a memento which recorded this. For their part, Alty made several changes from the side which had drawn its previous game against Daisy Hill. One of these changes was enforced as Danny Browne had mistaken the revised kick-off time and arrived too late to be included.
From the start Altrincham played positively, moving the ball about well. With both sides keen to win the group title, the game was competitive and the first half passed quickly. Both keepers dealt competently with any threats to their goals but the Maine Road keeper was the busier of the two, making two or three excellent saves. So, half time arrived with the game goalless.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 0 MAINE ROAD 0 |
The second half continued in the same competitive vein as the first but Alty now had the advantage of the wind behind them. The first goal of the game came after Altrincham had defended a corner. The ball was played out decisively and quickly to Lalli, who was on his own up the pitch. He took the opposition on and scored with a fine shot from the edge of the penalty area (35 mins). The goal settled Altrincham and they now played better football. Alty's second goal came when Tom Bailey lashed home a shot from a narrow angle, firing across goal from the keeper's left into the roof of the net (40 mins).
After 45 minutes, Paul Barry replaced Lalli, who had done a steady job on the right, giving his best performance of the competition so far. Altrincham experienced no more problems before the final whistle went on a win which had not been expected by most neutral observers, given the Manchester side's record in the competition. However, both sides qualified for the quarter finals, so may yet meet again..
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 2 MAINE ROAD 0 |