YOUTH REPORT

Right: Gavin O'Connor (left) and a Woodley player, in action.

Woodley and Altrincham were two of the four clubs covered by a single point at the top of the NW Youth Alliance Premier Division before kick off. Altrincham were without injured striker Tom Bailey today, so Gavin O'Connor started as Sam Madeley's partner up front. Otherwise the team that started was unchanged from last Sunday's win over Bootle.

The visitors won two successive early corners and, though Bebbington put the ball in the net following the second one, it was ruled out for pushing (3 mins). But Alty then began to enjoy territorial advantage, aided by a series of freekicks conceded by Woodley in the midfield zone. But the nearest that Alty came to a goal at this stage was a blistering 30-yarder from Declan Wakefield which just cleared the bar after Killilea's cross from the right had been half-cleared to him (17 mins).

But Woodley then went to the other end and a ball up their inside right channel forced Jones to come out. Samuels tried to lob the Alty keeper but his effort cleared the bar comfortably (18 mins). Following a good Alty move, on a bobbly pitch, another Killilea cross led to the ball coming out to Weir, whose shot was deflected out for an Alty corner (21 mins). Altrincham continued to press forward but Woodley were the next to win a corner. This was caught by Jones (28 mins). An Alty corner soon followed which keeper Holt dropped but neither O'Connor nor a team-mate was able to turn it in.

Next, a fine ball from Lillie, who with Browne was working hard in midfield, gave O'Connor a shot which the keeper only held at the second attempt (34 mins). The play continued to be predominantly towards the Woodley goal as another Alty corner arrived after 39 minutes. The Alty back four was proving reliable in rebuffing Woodley's occasional attacks but half time arrived with Alty having been unable to convert their good play and pressure into a lead.

Altrincham maintained the pressure and won four corners in the first ten minutes of the second half before Woodley replied with two of their own. Jones did well to claw away Woodley's first corner, well-taken from the left by McNally. But then Alty won their fifth corner and the eighth of the half, just before the hour mark. Four minutes later Woodley won yet another flagkick but the game remained deadlocked at 0-0 despite plenty of attacking play, especially from Altrincham. A well constructed Alty move now ended with Kimber's chip over the bar (66 mins) before McNally shot wide of Jones's goal at the other end (67 mins). Following a foul on Madeley, Killilea's fine cross from the right was then almost turned in by Madeley.

In the 70th minute, Woodley's Wilson replaced Wilde. Just after a Killilea shot had been saved, Alty made a change themselves, bringing on Francis on the left and withdrawing O'Connor. Weir now moved up front (77 mins). Almost immediately, Madeley had a shot saved by the keeper at the cost of a corner to Altrincham. A minute later Woodley's Brady replaced Dickinson (80 mins). Alty now won three corners in quick succession but the minutes were ticking away.

As the game went into the final minute of normal time, the ball came to Woodley's last defender, MacFarlane, near the centre spot. Weir tackled him and won possession, setting himself free, just inside the Woodley half. As he dribbled the ball well on the difficult surface, pursued by the defender, the Woodley keeper came out but Weir calmly slotted the ball past him to give Alty the lead (90 mins). As the game went into the first added minute Alty went close again when Weir's cross from the right just evaded the diving Lillie in the goalmouth. Soon afterwards, the whistle sounded and Altrincham had secured a very late, but deserved win in their pursuit of the league title.