MATCH REPORT

Above: Alty captain Jack Kimber keeps close to his opponent, whilst centre-backs Alex Murphy and Jake Leigh-Watson await developments behind them.

Altrincham made one change from the side which had won the Cheshire FA District Cup a fortnight earlier. Steven Crane came into midfield to repace Dominic Lillie who was on holiday. Curzon had the first two real efforts on goal, which both went wide of Jones's left post (5 and 8 mins). The visitors then won the game's first corner as Alty laboured to find their rhythm in blustery conditions on a bobbly pitch. Then, from a freekick near half way, Jones had to make a smart save, tipping the ball over the bar for a second Curzon corner from which a Curzon header kissed the top of the bar (15 mins). But despite these incidents Altrincham had made a decent start to the game without seriously threatening the opposition goal. But when O'Connor robbed Williamson to the right of the Ashton goal his cross found Bailey. Bailey's shot into the ground bounced off the inside of the post but came out without crossing the line (21 mins).

Immediately after this close shave, Curzon played a long ball up the middle and, with the Alty defence hesitating, an Ashton player got in between the defence and the keeper to poke the ball very narrowly over the bar (22 mins). Ashton went close again moments later when an unnecessary freekick was conceded 25 yards out and Byrne's finely struck effort prompted a superb tip over the bar by Jones for another Ashton corner (23 mins). But the Alty keeper had a lucky escape soon afterwards when he missed another freekick in the air, but his defence cleared the danger. Curzon won two more cormers in the next ten minutes or so (35 mins) before Alty pressed with Kimber starting a move with a fine tackle which led to an Alty corner on their right. Weir got his head on Killilea's corner but his effort went wide (44 mins).

As Curzon kicked off the second half, sleet was falling, followed shortly by hail. Soon Weir threatened with a left-foot shot which the keeper beat out. But it took only a minute longer for the home side to go ahead. Browne played a fine ball forward and Bailey kept his head to place a low shot to the keeper's right and just inside the post (48 mins). Curzon replied by winning a corner and soon after they brought on Toft for the injured defender, Hardicre (54 mins). Altrincham then enjoyed some pressure with Weir firing over from Killilea's and Bailey's build-up play (59 mins). Another corner soon followed for Alty before Bailey's pass gave Crane a shot which he sliced wide (62 mins).

Another Curzon corner came and went as the Alty bench tried to gee up their side who were now looking second best. After 70 minutes Madeley replaced O'Connor up front for the home side. Two minutes later Curzon's pressure paid off when Neild played a ball into the box which Gardner, unmarked at the back post, slotted past Jones to make it 1-1 (72 mins). "You've been asking for that for the last quarter of an hour" Alty boss George Heslop shouted to his team with some justification. Curzon continued to press but Gardner got booked for a bad challenge in the back on Kimber (75 mins).

Curzon looked the more likely to score as the game progressed and, indeed, Finnigan fired narrowly over the bar (83 mins). Two Curzon corners came in the closing stages but Alty had a great chance to win the game in the 89th minute. Browne put Bailey in on goal but he was unable to poke the ball past the advancing keeper. Alty's late pressure then saw Crane nod a cross wide from Weir on the left (90+1 mins) but extra time would now be needed to settle the tie.

Soon Garlick replaced Finnigan for the visitors (106 mins) before Weir had a double blast at goal to win Alty a corner. A Curzon corner soon followed before Jones had a scare as he air-kicked the ball. Sleet was falling again as Alty put together a decent move but Madeley fired over the bar at the end of it (111 mins). Bowskill then replaced Buller for the visitors (116 mins). After Jones had saved well from Williamson, the end of extra time arrived and the penalty shoot loomed.

Penalty Shoot-Out

Above: Sam Madeley converts his spot-kick.