Match Reports
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (0) 1 MOSSLEY YOUTH (1) 2 after extra time
NWYA Open Cup match
played on Sunday, 18 September, 2011
at Clay Lane, Timperley, 2.00pm
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM (red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1 Adam Reid, 2. Liam Rutledge, 3. Sam Grimshaw (capt), 4. Ben Hamilton, 5. Nathan Gray, 6. Ryan Barry, 7. Redmond McGuire, 8. Oliver Riley, 9. Jack Martiny-Schofield, 10. Derryn Ofori, 11. Declan Barry. Subs: 12 Shackeel Depeiza, 14 Jordan Mainoo-Hames, 15. Mark Napier-Hemy, 16 Josh Palmer, 17 Cody Wharton
MOSSLEY (White) 1. Nick Howard, 2. Jordan Rutter, 3. Andy McKernon, 4. Mitch Wood, 5. Tom Doyle (capt), 6. Jacob Malachi-Brown withdrawn (112), 7. Kane Joyce, 8. Jake Hibbs, 9. Adam Bezzina, 10. Omar McKenzie, 11. Gabriel Hasford-Sharp withdrawn (60). Subs: 12. Justin Schall for Hasford-Sharp (60), 14. Prince Amadin for Bezzina (65), 15. Matthew Singleton for Malachi-Brown (112), 16. Anthony Knowles.
REPORT
Altrincham were without several of their regulars for this match, including Matt Fearon, Joe Coombs and Duncan Watmore and, as has become the custom this season, their opponents scored the game's opening goal. This came after a strong, early appeal for a penalty when Mossley's striker, Adam Bezzina, seemed to be held in the Alty box. But the visitors scored soon afterwards, following a corner, when the ball was fed up the middle and Mossley's no.7 kept his head well to evade a challenge before slotting the ball into the net (4 mins).
As a heavy shower started to fall, Altrincham won two corners on the right, but these came to nothing (13 mins). Mossley were proving to be quick on the counter attack and they soon won themselves a corner in what was now proving to be a fairly even game. For Alty, Ofori now turned well and got in a shot (19 mins) before a Riley cross was almost headed into his own net by the visitors' centre-back, Doyle (23 mins).
Two more Alty corners followed before Martiny Schofield talked himself into being booked. Having clearly committed a foul, the referee was seemingly content to deliver him a lecture but the Alty striker continued to protest till the man in black lost patience (27 mins). Mossley should have doubled their lead in the 32nd minute when their goalscorer dribbled through into the box but dragged his shot wide of the goal.
Mossley's five-man midfield was proving difficult for Altrincham to deal with but Martiny-Schofield now did well to gain a corner with a strong run towards goal (37 mins). At the other end Mossley's McKenzie made a dangerous break after an Alty corner routine had broken down.
As half-time approached, Rutledge, playing in an unaccustomed role at right-back, made a good overlap for Altrincham. But Mossley ended the half with two corners, before Martiny-Schofield fired over the bar at the other end.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 0 MOSSLEY YOUTH 1 |
Altrincham started the second half on the front foot and, after good work from Martiny Schofield and Ofori on the front edge of the box, Alty forced a fine save from the visitors' keeper at the cost of a corner (51 mins). However, Martiny-Schofield injured himself in this move and had to be replaced by Jordan Mainoo-Hames (52 mins).
Next, a good run up the wing from Declan Barry gave Riley a chance but his shot went narrowly wide. The hosts continued to have the better of the game but, as the hour mark approached, a rare Mossley attack produced a corner for them (58 mins). Justin Schall now came on for Hasford-Sharp (60 mins), following which Bezzina turned well and advanced on goal but was closed down by Reid with the Mossley striker coming off worse and having to be substituted with a foot injury. Prince Amadin replaced him (65 mins).
Play was now end to end and, next, a good Altrincham move ended in an Ofori effort which yielded a corner, followed by a strong advance by Mossley's Amadin, which ended in a save by Reid (67 mins). The sides soon traded a corner apiece but plenty of effort from both sides failed to break down either of the defences. The Visitors conceded several freekicks but Altrincham were unable to capitalise on these opportunities.
With five minutes to go, Napier-Hemy replaced Ryan Barry after which Riley forced a good save from a freekick. But with the game deep into added time Altrincham gained another freekick, on the left. Riley's kick found Grimshaw arriving at the back post to head an excellent equaliser (90+4 mins).
So, extra time was needed...
Alty had the first chance in added time, as Riley's freekick was cleared to McGuire, but his effort went wide from 20 yards (93 mins). Each side won a corner as play continued to be well balanced and half-time of extra-time arrived with the score still 1-1.
In the second period of added time, after an early Alty corner, Depeiaza came on for McGuire (110 mins). For the second time in the game, Mossley now made a strong appeal for a penalty as Hibbs went down under a challenge in the Alty box. After this no. 16, Matthew Singleton, came on for Malachi-Brown (111 mins).
Afdter this, Declan Barry's snap-shot cleared the bar, following a poor clearance from the Mossley keeper who, otherwise, had an assured game. But, just as everyone's thoughts were turning to a penalty shoot-out, Mossley broke the deadlock. Singleton, who had only been on the pitch for six minutes, was allowed space and time in the left of the Altrincham box. He took advantage of Alty's lapse to drive a well placed shot into the far corner of the net to give his side a 2-1 lead (117 mins).
After this, Reid had to make a smart double save from Amadin but, despite pressing forward for an equalizer, Altrincham could not find one and so their participation in the NWYA Open Cup ended. At the end, Alty boss George Heslop made a point of walking across to the Mossley bench to wish them good luck in the competition and to shake their players by the hand after an entertaining match between two well-matched sides.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 MOSSLEY YOUTH 2 a.e.t. |