LINE-UP
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Adam REID, 2. Josh MASON, 4. Mark NAPIER-HEMY, 5. Alex WEATHERBY, 3. Sam GRIMSHAW (capt); 7. Jonathan MAKELA, 6. Alan TANSINDA, 8. Oliver RILEY, 11. Josh PALMER; 9. Denico WALTERS, 10. Thomas DAVIDSON. Subs. 12. Shakeel DEPEIAZA, 14. Jordan MAINOO-HAMES, 15. Derryn OFORI, GK. Ross BOOTH.
REPORT
Altrincham were again without several regulars, through injury and through a number of players' promotion to the first-team squad which had led to their loan to other clubs for first-team experience. So again there were enforced changes to the starting line-up.
Prescot kicked off on a soft pitch, whose surface was bobbly after the bad weather in recent weeks. However, Altrincham took an early lead when a good move involving Tansinda, Walters and Makela ended with Walters's ball across the face of goal which the incoming Sam Grimshaw finished off with a firm, low shot (5 mins).
Prescot then spooned a chance over the bar after a slip-up in the home defence where Mason was impressing at right-back, Napier-Hemy and Weatherby were solid in the centre, and Grimshaw was his customary efficient self on the left. And, on the left of midfield the pace of Palmer was causing problems to the visitors. A second goal arrived for Altrincham after 21 minutes when Palmer advanced and found Walters in the box. He laid the ball off or the incoming Tansinda, playing today in central midfield; he kept calm and finished efficiently to make it 2-0 in the 21st minute. His celebratory dance was later likened by coach Josh Collins to "someone swimming but without the water"!
Prescot suffered a number of injuries during the first half, which did not help their cause but, nevertheless, they now won two corners in succession - just before the half-hour mark. Next, a long ball set Walters in on goal but his well-struck shot was well parried by the keeper, who got the ball over the bar for an Alty corner, The home side were now in control and a good run and cross from Makela almost let in Palmer for a shot (36 mins). After this, a good Alty move ended with Walters feeding Makela for a shot, which was saved. Makela was also tracking back assiduously as the whole team worked hard.
Just before the end of the first half, a Makela cross gave Davidson a shot but he lifted the ball over the bar (44 mins). Prescot rallied with two corners as the game went into added time at the end of the first half. The second of these came when Reid had to be alert to tip a 30 yard freekick over the bar. But Alty retained their two goal lead at the break.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 2 PRESCOT CABLES YOUTH 0 |
Alty got off to what manager George Heslop told his players was "a poor start" to the second half. But, led by captain Sam Grimshaw they soon settled. Another Prescot injury left their number three limping but they seemed to have no substitutes available. Alty then suffered an injury of their own when Mark Napier-Hemy was caught accidentally by an elbow and suffered a nasal injury.
However, he played on manfully after treatment (58 mins). Around the hour mark, Alty won two corners but at the other end Reid also had to make a decent save at the near post, after 66 minutes. Moments later, Prescot got a goal which their efforts deserved, scored by their number five (66 mins). Prescot now enjoyed a good spell before Alty made a change with Davidson giving way up front to Ofori (73 mins).
Each side then won a corner and from Alty's flag-kick the match was settled by a third goal. Riley's well-taken corner kick came out to Tansinda, who rattled home his second goal of the game to prompt another celebratory shimmy.
But the Cables kept going and, after winning a corner, it needed a good block from Reid to keep them out (79 mins). A fine shot from Ofori was then saved (82 mins) before Mainoo-Hames replaced Makela for Altrincham (82 mins). A good Alty move was then ended with an offside flag before another substituion saw Depeiaza replace Tansinda, who was congratulated by his manager as he left the pitch (87 mins).
Just after this a good move, involving Palmer and Grimshaw, ended with a cross from Ofori which Walters headed firmly against the crossbar (88 mins). After a corner in added time, Alty again hit the bar, when Riley's curling corner struck it from the right of goal (90+2 mins).
After a spell when Prescot had got back into the game at 2-1, Alty had reacted well to score their third and record a deserved win against a spirited Cables team.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 3 PRESCOT CABLES YOUTH 1 |