Match Reports
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (1) 2 MOSSLEY FC YOUTH (1) 3
NWYA Premier Division league match
played on Sunday, 20 November, 2011
at Clay Lane, Timperley
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Adam Reid, 2. Alan Tansinda, 4. Mark Napier-Hemy, 5. Joe Coombs (capt), 3. Sam Grimshaw, 7. Liam Rutledge, 6. Oliver Riley, 8. Ryan Barry, 11. Jack Cottrill, 9. Derryn Ofori, 10. Duncan Watmore. Subs: 12. Jon Makela, 14. Redmond McGuire, 15. Josh Palmer, 16. Declan Barry, 18. Cody Wharton (gk)
MOSSLEY FC YOUTH (Orange shirts, white shorts & socks): 1. Howard, 2. Thomas, 3. McKernon 4. McNee, 5. Chesters, 6. Minnock, 7. Joyce, 8. Totton, 9. Henderson, 10. Bezzina, 11. Schall. Subs: 12. Doyle, 14. Wood.
REPORT
These sides were meeting for the third time this season but, today, Mossley fielded just six of the same players who had won the Open Cup match at Clay Lane earlier this season.
Alty were without the suspended Matt Fearon and regular centre-back Ben Hamilton, who is out with long-term ligament damage. Alty's captain Joe Coombs took an early blow to his nose when a clash of heads left him bloodied and needing treatment from coach/physio Josh Collins, after just two minutes of play.
Mossley started the better, winning three successive corners as the game reached its ten-minute mark. But Alty soon threatened for themselves when Watmore, who had played on Saturday for the County side, had a shot blocked and Riley's follow-up was saved.
Mossley took the lead after a quarter of an hour when Tansinda was dispossessed and the tall Henderson scored. The lead barely lasted a minute before a Grimshaw throw led to Ofori's excellent long-range shot which swerved into the top of the Mossley net to level the scores (16 mins).
The visitors had to use one of their two substitutes in the 21st minute when Joyce suffered a knee injury and Doyle came on. Alty then went close when a fine cross from the left by Cottrill was met by a skilfully directed header at the back post by Rutledge, but the keeper did well to keep it out (23 mins).
Altrincham were now having the better of things but Riley found himself in the referee's book following a trip (25 mins). Five minutes later Napier-Hemy was also cautioned for a challenge on Bezzina which did not seem to warrant a card. The game was now even but it soon took a fine tackle from Coombs to stop the tall Henderson's advance on goal (33 mins).
After Riley had gone close to scoring, Reid had to save at the other end. Then, a fine run from Bezzina ended in a shot which went past the post (41 mins). Alty won a late corner but half time arrived with the scores level at 1-1.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 MOSSLEY FC YOUTH 1 |
After a pep talk from manager George Heslop and coach Josh Collins, Alty started the second half with a good tempo and took the lead just as quickly as Mossley had done at the start of the game. This goal came when Cottrill dispossessed an opponent and fed Ofori who netted his second goal of the match (47 mins).
Watmore was then fed by Grimshaw but his attempt was blocked by Howard, for the first of two successive corners as Alty set the pace. Coombs then saw a header saved from a Barry cross (57 mins). But soon the game became even once again and Mossley levelled the score after 64 minutes. The equaliser came as Cottrill's advance was halted and Mossley counter-attacked, with Henderson scoring with a well-struck low shot from outside the box.
Cottrill was then involved again at the other end when he sliced a shot wide from a Watmore feed after a move instigated by Ofori's good work. An Alty corner came and went before Watmore got to the by-line but Rutledge could not steer the ball onto the target (69 mins).
Barry became the third Altrincham player to be booked for what appeared to be an unsuccessful attempt to obstruct an opponent (74 mins). Mossley's Doyle was then cautioned for a foul on Watmore. After treatment to Ofori, Alty wasted a corner before Mossley's Bezzina became the fifth player to see yellow for a foul on Barry (80 mins).
Next, Alty brought on Makela for Cottrill on the left (81 mins). Another good run by Ofori gave Watmore a chance but his attempted chip was blocked by keeper Howard (82 mins). A minute later the visitors took the lead when McKernon fed Henderson, who completed his hat-trick with another fine shot from a fair distance, the ball hitting the underside of the cross bar before crossing the line (83 mins).
Altrincham pressed for an equalizer but were unable to produce one and so suffered a defeat in a game betwen two well matched sides from which a draw might have been a fairer result.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 2 MOSSLEY FC YOUTH 3 |