ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (1) 4 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC YOUTH (1) 2

NW Youth Alliance Football League Premier Division
played on Sunday, 14 February 2010


LINE-UPS

ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. James FOSSDYKE, 2. Ben SHAWCROSS, 4. Rory BRADBURY, 5. Dominic BATES, 3. James SMART; 7. Joel BROWNHILL, 8. Andy GAMBLE, 6. John BENNETT, 11. Niall SHERIDAN; 9. Glodi KUBA-KUBA, 10. Michael LINNEY. Subs: 12. Kieran MADDEN 14. Liam BROMLEY-BLACKBURN, 15. Ryan MARSDEN, 16. Hugh McAUGHTRIE, GK. James THORN.

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC YOUTH (All blue with white trim): 1. Spencer, 2. Lewis, 3. Liddle, 4. Hampson, 5. Jones (capt), 6. Ginson, 7. McDonagh, 8. Byrne, 9. Joel Bembo-Leta, 10. Chadwick, 11. Heap. Subs: 12. Mangan, 14. Lee, 15. F. Bembo-Leta, 16. Dours, 17. McCann.


REPORT James Fossdyke returned in goal for Altrincham, but Dan Shaw and Jamie Brown were missing from today's line-up.

Your correspondent was unable to attend the first half, during which Ben Shawcross put Alty ahead from the penalty spot before Stalybridge levelled the scores.


Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC YOUTH 1

Right: Rory Bradbury (foreground) and Andy Gamble appeal to the referee as Glodi Kuba-Kuba and Joel Brownhill look on.

Stalybridge started the second half well, winning two early corners, whilst Alty had a scare when Joel Brownhill needed treatment before being able to continue. In the 53rd minute, Bennett's tackle on Liddle, near half way on the Alty right, earned him a booking and left Liddle injured. The Stalybridge left-back was helped off the pitch where he continued to receive attention. Mangan came on as his replacement.

Altrincham now pressed forward and came close to scoring when Sheridan was twice denied by the keeper before the ball was cleared, leaving both the Stalybridge keeper and captain injured. Spencer, the keeper, needed treatment to his arm but centre-back Jones was more seriously injured and had to stay off for a while for treatment (65 mins).

Soon after this, Jones went down again as an ambulance arrived at the ground and play had to be suspended while the injured Ryan Liddle was treated by the paramedic crew near the touchline. Celtic's players withdrew to the changing rooms whilst Alty's stayed on the pitch, before the injured player was stretchered off to the ambulance with his left leg in a brace (72 mins). It was later confirmed that he had broken his leg in three places and fractured his ankle; it was the defender's first game back after broken ribs. Everyone at Altrincham FC extends their best wishes to Ryan, who undergoes an operation tomorrow (Monday) at Wythenshawe Hospital.

After a ten-minute stoppage, play resumed with Madden coming on for Sheridan for Alty and Lee coming on for Celtic in place of Liddle. Brownhill now switched to the Alty left as Madden operated on the right. After 75 minutes Chadwick 's well executed lob just cleared Fossdyke's bar but a minute later, Alty took the lead. The goal was made by good skill from Madden on the right. He dug out an excellent cross, which the keeper could not gather, and the ball went free for Kuba-Kuba, who headed home from close range (76 mins).

Alty were now on top but Stalybridge came back to win two successive corners before Alty resumed their pressure on the Celtic goal. With six minutes of normal time left, Smart did well to get possession about thirty yards out and he fed Brownhill whose excellent finish from left of goal found the bottom corner of the net to the keeper's left (84 mins). But any thoughts that the 3-1 lead would secure the points were immediately undone as Celtic pulled back a goal.

This came straight from the re-start after Alty's goal, as Bembo-Leta powered through the centre of the Alty defence. Though Fossdyke saved his first attempt well, the big Stalybridge striker netted at the second attempt from an acute angle, to the left of goal (84 mins). A superb 30-yard shot by Byrne then whistled past Fossdyke's right upright (86 mins).

Dours now came to replace Celtic's Heap (88 mins). But Alty did seal the game in the 89th minute as Shawcross's freekick from the right was met by a well executed volley from Kuba-Kuba, which found the bottom corner to the keeper's left. Marsden now replaced Bates at centre-back before a fine shot from Linney, who had won possession well, forced an excellent tip over the bar by Spencer, for an Alty corner (90 mins) which was followed by a second flag kick, both of which were taken by the feisty Gamble.

Bembo-Leta poked a shot wide in the third added minute before Gamble went even closer for Alty. After some eight added minutes the final whistle went to preserve Alty's unbeaten league record this season, with six wins and two draws. But the afternoon was marred by the injury to Liddle and everyone at the match will hope that the young defendermakes a full recovery.


Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 4 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC YOUTH 2