YOUTH REPORT

Alty were unchanged from last week's starting line-up, but Tom Bailey was fit enough today to be named on the bench. The hosts soon began to press forward and in the opening minutes the FCUM keeper had to smother the ball smartly as Lillie got into the box and then the same Altrincham player put the ball in the net from O'Connor's feed but the whistle had already gone for offside (5 mins). After an Alty corner had been cleared, FCUM posed their first threat at the other end but Jones was alert and got to the ball just ahead of Mills (10 mins).

A fine ball forward from Browne set Weir free on the Altrincham left but he screwed his shot well wide (14 mins). Alty continued to have the upper hand but on the bobbly surface and in a stiff wind, flowing play was not very evident from either side. Alty won two more corners before the half-hour mark but it was not until the 34th minute that they took the lead. The goal came along Route One. A punt upfield from Jones came to Madeley who forced a good block from the visitors' keeper but the ball came out to O'Connor who knocked it into the unguarded goal.

Above: Gavin O'Connor salutes his goal, as Sam Madeley (10) makes sure the ball has crossed the line.

After treatment to Weir for a back injury, play continued fairly uneventfully upto half-time.

It took Altrincham just five minutes of the second half to double their lead. The second goal came when O'Connor did well to advance into the box, left of goal. As the ball came out from the penalty area, it came to Browne, whose low, well placed shot found the bottom corner of the net to the keeper's left (50 mins). Alty sealed the game with a third goal five minutes later. This came when Kimber's fine diagonal ball found Weir on the left. From his cross O'Connor knocked the ball home from close range (55 mins)

Above: Gavin O'Connor scores his second goal.

The next twelve minutes were interrupted by a series of substitutions. Firstly,FC's Halfpenny replaced Rothwell and Francis came on for Alty's Killilea (57 mins). With Alty still on top, Ben Oliver came in for Weir on the Alty left (64 mins). Two minutes later, FC United's Harrison and Marshall replaced Hulme and Johnson (66 mins). Finally Madeley gave way to Bailey up front for Altrincham (67 mins).

When Williams's shot hit a defender, the visitors earned a corner (69 mins) but Alty were soon down at the other end. In the 75th minute Alty gained a freekick, wide on the left about 20 yards out. Bailey's low freekick went through the box and into the far corner of the net to make it 4-0.

Above: The fourth goal came from Tom Bailey (who is off picture, to left)

Altrincham almost got a fifth five minutes from the end when O'Connor came close to securing his hat trick. Put through by Oliver, the striker's shot was fumbled by the keeper but he just gathered the ball on the line. Soon afterwards, the final whistle signalled a comfortable win on a difficult pitch and took Alty into the semi-finals.