ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1
MACCLESFIELD & DISTRICT F.A. 0
at The University of Manchester Playing Fields
LINE-UP
ALTRINCHAM YOUTH: 1. Ben RIGBY, 2. Jack KIMBER, 4. Alex MURPHY, 5. Reza ZAREH-OURANG, 6. Steven CRANE, 7. Danny BROWNE, 8. Paul BARRY, 9. Tom BAILEY, 10. Sam MADELEY, 11. Chris FRANCIS, 14.Ryan DALEY. Substitutes: 12. Declan WAKEFIELD, 14. Tom COSGRAVE, 15. Rohin LALLI, 16. Adam ALWILL, GK. Andrew JONES (gk).
REPORT
Report courtesy of George Heslop.
Ben Rigby returned in goal and with Ben Oliver away on holiday, Chris Francis moved to left-back. Danny Browne and Paul Barry returned to the starting line-up in place of Oliver and Rohin Lalli.
This game brought together two long-established rivals who have frequently clashed in the Cheshire County FA District Cup comeptition over the years. Alty had an early scare when Macclesfield's first real shot hit an Alty defender but fortunately the deflection carried it over the bar (5 mins). From then on it was nip and tuck all over the park with neither side dominating. The early signs suggested that it might only need a single goal to settle the outcome. Both sides passed the ball well and contested every ball in a sporting fashion. But there were not many goal threats before half-time which arrived with the game still goalless and a fair reflection of the proceedings.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 0 MACCLESFIELD & DISTRICT F.A. 0 |
However, from the start of the secod half, Altrincham played in a very determined fashion as they sought to get their noses in front. Two minutes into the half they gained a corner on the left side of the Macclesfield defence. This was well taken and as Alty players challenged in the box, and Macclesfield vainly tried to scramble the ball away, Steven Crane put the ball in the net at the back post to give Alty a 1-0 lead, to the delight of his many friends and relatives in the crowd.
With a view to ensuring that as many of the squad as possible had some experience of Finals Day, the first time that Alty had reached this stage, manager George Heslop rang the changes in the second period. Tom Cosgrave came on for Alex Murphy at the back and then Reza Zareh-Ourang was replaced by Declan Wakefield to form a completely new pairing at centre-back. Next, Adam Alwill came on for Sam Madeley before Rohin Lalli replaced Paul Barry on the right. Barry's dedication was such that he had adjusted his plans to attend a family wedding in order to take part in the match for which Altrincham had only 16 squad members left.
Alty had to withstand sustained pressure in the last five minutes of this 25-minutes-a-half game but they did so and progressed to the Final, later the same day.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 MACCLESFIELD & DISTRICT F.A. 0 |