ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (1) 1
NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH(1) 2
NW Youth Alliance Open Cup Round 2 match
played on Sunday, 21 November, 2010 at 1.30pm, at Wythenshawe Town FC
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Adam REID, 2. Harry McAUGHTRIE, 4. Jake BARNABAS, 5. James SMART (capt), 3. Sam GRIMSHAW, 7. Reece BAILEY, 8. Stewart WALLACE, 11. Sam LANGFORD, 9. Ashley WOODS, 10. Kieran MADDEN. Subs: 12. Danny COLLINS, 14. Liam NOON, 15. Konstantinos NEOS, 17. Theo KIDD.
REPORT
Altrincham were without midfielder Matthew Fearon, who was unwell, for this Open Cup match, so Reece Bailey came into the side which had triumphed 8-1 in the previous round against Aspull Juniors a fortnight ago.
Altrincham started well with Grimshaw making an early advance to the left by-line from where he found Woods, but he was unable to convert the half chance. Next Madden fired wide at the end of a neat Altrincham move. Then, after Nantwich had blocked a couple of Alty shots, Woods fed Bailey who was upended as he was about to shoot and an indisputable penalty was awarded. Woods, who had successfully converted several penalties this season, was thwarted this time by a good save but he reacted quickly to put the loose ball into the net to give Altrincham the lead (8 mins).
Altrincham continued to have the better of the game but a long ball over the top, up the middle of the field, had them at a disadvantage and when the visitors' no.16 struck the ball at goal it hit an Alty player and from 20 yards looped high over keeper Reid and into the net for an equalizer (18 mins).
Soon afterwards, a similar long ball up the middle also caused Alty some problems but this time the final shot, from the visitors' no.11, ran to Adam Reid. Just after this, Theo Kidd came on to replace Sam Langford on the Alty left; the winger had passed a fitness test before kick off but succumbed now to a thigh injury (22 mins).
Alty pressed again and an effort from Matabaro went narrowly wide before Nantwich's no.3 volleyed over the bar at the other end, but he was ruled offside anyway (29 mins). A fine shot, from the right by Madden, was then beaten out by the visitors' keeper. His Alty counterpart, Adam Reid, then dealt very well with a misplaced back header from a defender, rising well to head clear himself for fear of catching what might have been ruled a back pass (39 mins).
Matabaro was now hobbling after a stiff challenge, which was not ruled a foul by the referee, but he eventually ran the injury off. Nantwich then threatened again after an Alty error but, eventually, the ball ran to Reid. With the game in added time, Theo Kidd was booked for a trip and in the fourth added minute, Reid made a fine save from a freekick by the visitors' no.3.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH 1 |
Nantwich started the second half strongly and won two early corners, between which they gained a freekick which was driven into the well-placed Alty wall. The Dabbers next made a substitution as no.15 replaced the goal scorer (no.16) who seemed to have been troubled by his back for much of the game (55 mins).
Though Alty won two corners in succession it was Nantwich who now scored. Their strong no.15 held off a challenge on the edge of the box before driving a low shot into the net (63 mins). Five minutes later Alty brought on Collins in midfield, replacing Matabaro (68 mins).
Despite plenty of forward movement, Altrincham were not creating any clear chances before the visitors made another change, with no. 12 replacing no.2 (74 mins). Four minutes later, Liam Noon came on up front as Bailey was withdrawn. Altrincham enjpoyed more possession but Nantwich were a threat on the break with Barnabas having to make a fine tackle to stop the dangerous no.15 (87 mins). Each side won a late corner but Altrincham were unable to get the equalizer they needed so bowed out of a competition in which, last season, they had reached the Final.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 NANTWICH TOWN YOUTH 2 |