Altrincham FC Match Reports

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (0) 3 NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH (1) 1

NW Youth Alliance Neil Thomason Memorial Cup Final
played on Tuesday, 15 April 2008 at 7.45p.m. at Chorley FC.


Above: The two banks of Alty's 4-4-2 formation are clearly evident.

LINE-UP

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Andrew JONES, 2.Jack KIMBER (capt), 3. Declan WAKEFIELD, 4. Alex MURPHY, 5. Jake LEIGH-WATSON, 6. Dominic LILLIE, 7. Charlie WEIR, 8. Danny BROWNE, 9. Tom BAILEY, 10. Gavin O'CONNOR, 11. Ben OLIVER. Subs: 12. Sam MADELEY, 14. Chris FRANCIS, 15. Daniel KILLILEA,16. Steven CRANE, 18. Lee BERRILL (gk).


MATCH REPORT

This was Altrincham's third successive appearance in the Neil Thomason Memorial Cup final, but they had yet to win the competition, which is named after their former coach who had died in his mid-forties three years previously. Altrincham made two changes from last Sunday's fine league win over Ashton Athletic. Matthew Nee had come off early on in that game with a breathing problem and his substitute, Gavin O'Connor started up front tonight. On the right wing, Daniel Killilea gave way as Ben Oliver, who had scored two late goals on Sunday, retained his place on the left flank with Charlie Weir moving to the right. Chris Francis came back into the squad on the bench.

Altrincham kicked off on a very bobbly pitch at Victory Park, Chorley, and were soon on top. But just like their first-team counterparts last Saturday, Altrincham created numerous chances but could not convert them. In the first minute they had a good opportunity when Weir fed Bailey from the right but the striker's shot from just outside the box rose over the crossbar. As Alty continued to press, the Nantwich keeper was booked and a freekick awarded, presumably for being judged to have gathered the ball outside his area (7 mins). Next, a fine long throw from Oliver was nodded on by Weir but O'Connor's shot from close range was well blocked by the keeper (10 mins). A steady sequence of freekicks punctuated the open stages and from one Altrincham kick, by Bailey, Lillie had a fine shot blocked inside the box. But then Nantwich won the game's first corner in the 14th minute. When Alty won their first corner five minutes later, Lillie's corner came to Wakefield but he shot wide from inside the six-yard box (19 mins). Browne then won the ball well to sustain the Alty pressure but against the run of play, and with virtually their first effort at goal, Nantwich took the lead when their no.18 shot home from 12 yards at the end of well-worked approach play (23 mins).

Altrincham responded as Wakefield fed Oliver for a well-struck shot which again the well-placed Nantwich keeper saved (26 mins). Then a Kimber shot was also held by the goalkeeper who, next, made a superb reaction save from O' Connor's shot which followed Weir's feed (34 mins). After so much pressure without reward Altrincham's passing now began to go astray as play progressed towards half-time. However, they did win a corner (41 mins), followed by two more, as the interval loomed (44 mins). But half-time arrived with Altrincham still trailing.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 0 NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH 1

Nantwich kicked off the second half but Altrincham suffered an early blow when O'Connor went down with a leg injury as he stretched for a ball. He was helped off the pitch and replaced by Sam Madeley (47 mins). Altrincham were again frustrated by the Nantwich keeper when Bailey's shot was saved (53 mins) beforeWeir's cross produced a corner. Madeley was soon making an impression and, after an interchange with Bailey, he burst into the box but the keeper did well to smother the ball at his feet (57 mins). Madeley soon went close again when he fired into the side netting from right of goal following a throw-in which was relayed to him by Bailey (60 mins). Altrincham continued to dominate the game and now got their reward as Wakefield fed Oliver and his cross from the left came to Weir whose left-foot shot from the edge of the box found its way through the crowded goalmouth into the net to make it 1-1 (61 mins). Shortly afterwards, Oliver was substituted by Killilea (64 mins), with Weir switching to the left wing to accommodate Killilea on the right flank (64 mins).

Above: Left- Dominic Lillie tucks his Man of the Match memento under his arm. Right - Charlie Weir and Declan Wakefield receive their medals.

Altrincham retained the upper hand as a Browne shot led to one from Weir which deflected off the keeper for a corner. Following this, Weir was brought down inside the box and a penalty was awarded. Bailey stepped up and drove the spot-kick low and accurately into the bottom corner to put his side 2-1 ahead (67 mins). Nantwich now brought on their no.15 as a replacement for their goalscorer, the no.18, and they soon won a corner (71 mins). Shortly afterwards Kimber was booked for a trip on an opponent as Nantwich attempted to make progress up their left wing. When Weir was fouled in the Nantwich box soon afterwards, the Dabbers were fortunate to escape without another penalty award against them. But then Leigh-Watson had to make a superb covering tackle to stop a Nantwich counter-attack (75 mins). Bailey now won a corner as his shot deflected off the number twelve and, following this, a Madeley shot was deflected over the bar for another corner-kick. Nantwich then made another substitution before Altrincham secured their win with a superb goal from Lillie. The midfielder received the ball in the penalty "D" and fired an unstoppable shot into the keeper's top-left hand corner to make it 3-1 (81 mins). Lillie raced to the Alty bench pursued by team-mates and manager George Heslop was almost smothered by players in the process.

Jones kept out a Nantwich shot soon afterwards before Madeley again caused the Nantwich defence problems before being blocked, inside the box. Two minutes from the end of normal time Steven Crane replaced Charlie Weir and despite nearly three minutes of added time Altrincham comfortably rode out the closing stages to confirm their victory, which was particularly welcome given that the trophy was in honour of their former coach. Before skipper Jack Kimber stepped up to receive the cup, Dominic Lillie was named as a deserved man of the match with the Nantwich keeper also receiving an honourable mention from the adjudicator for his string of saves during the match.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 3 NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH 1