ALTRINCHAM FC MATCH REPORTS

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ALTRINCHAM YOUTH (1) 1
PETERBOROUGH UNITED YOUTH (1) 2

FA Youth Cup Second Round match
played on Friday, 20 November 2020, at 7.45pm
behind closed doors.

SUMMARY:

A very creditable performance from Altrincham Youth was not quite enough to see them through to the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup at the J. Davidson Stadium. Instead it will be The Posh who themselves will make an inaugural appearance in Round Three, at home to Doncaster Rovers.

The Posh dominated possession throughout but lacked much incision. The visitors took a 28th minute lead from the penalty spot after a trip by Donachie. But four minutes later Billingsley scored a fine goal from left of the target to make it one apiece.

The Posh again controlled possession in the second half but it took them till the 78th minute to get a second goal. O'Connell lost his marker and nodded in from very close range at the back post from a corner.

In the fifth added minute Alty substitute Morrison volleyed home only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

SCORERS:

REFEREE: Mr Jones
ATTENDANCE: Behind Closed Doors.
TEAM NEWS:

Altrincham named a young squad with the youngest being Grave, on the bench, who was still in the under-16 bracket.

Peterborough were a full-time Academy side with several players having been in the first-team squad and two, Edwards and Mensah, having actually made first-team appearances for The Posh.

LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Ryan Forde (gk), 2. Joshua Finlay, 3. Joshua Jordan, 4. Theodore Donachie, 5. Alfie Johnston (c), 6. Lewis Waller, 7. Luigi Mongan, 8. Oran McGowan, 9. Alex Goulden, 10. Matthew Sumner, 11. Lewis Billingsley. Subs: 12. Luke McMurray, 14. Frazer Graham, 15. Rayan Radi, 16. Angus Bailey, 17. Louis Morrison, 18. Ted Graves, 19. Archie Benton.

PETERBROOUGH UNITED (Blue shirts with white sleeves, white shorts, blue socks): 1. Ellis Pickard, 2. Benjamin Mensah, 3. Aaron Powell, 4. Charlie O'Connell (c), 5. Ronnie Edwards, 6. Dave Bodie, 7. Roddy McGlinchey, 8. Shaun Keane, 9. Adler Nascimento, 10. Luke Harris, 11. Nicky Gymah. Subs: 12. Harris Thomas, 13. Ben Hoy, 14. Hisham Chiha, 16. Theo Lukyamuzi, 17. Oscar Tonge, 18. Will van Ller, 19. Kellan Hickinson.

BACKGROUND:

Neither side had previously got beyond this Round of the FA Youth Cup. The visitors had almost been eliminated in the First Round, neeeding a very late penalty to force Newmarket Town to extra time but then running rampant in extra time to win 7-2.

REPORT:

Altrincham kicked off but the visitors soon took control of possession and had Altrincham very largely confined to their own half at the newly rebranded Catax Golf Road end.

But for all their possession the Posh were not creating any chances and the first effort from them was in the eighth minute and was just a weak long shot, which ran gently to Alty keeper Forde. Mensah, on the right was looking impressive before Alty got a toehold in the game when they won a freekick just outside their opponents' box (15 mins). Unfortunately, Billingsley, who otherwise had an impressive game, overhit the dead ball.

But as the game passed the 25-minute mark, for all the Peterborough dominance in possession, neither goalkeeper had been tested.

Indeed, just as Alty seemed to have settled they conceded a disappointing penalty when Donachie tripped Brazilian striker Adler Nascimento as he collected the ball in the outer reaches of the penalty area. Visiting captain, O'Connell, sent Forde the wrong way from the spot to give Peterborough the lead (28 mins).

Altrincham responded excellently as Mongan advanced on the right and his deep cross found Billingsley, who had been working hard as defensive cover for much of the game thus far. Billingsley met the cross at the back post and forced a fine reaction save from keeper Pickard (30 mins).

And within two more minutes Altrincham were level in not dissimilar fashion to the earlier chance. After Finlay had gained possession, Luigi Mongan on the right fed Waller and his ball, further left, was met by a sweeping left-foot shot from Billingsley across the keeper and into the net off the base of the far upright to make it 1-1 (32 mins).

After Harris had missed a presentable chance, Peterborough won two corners both of which ended with a team-mate putting the taker's kick over the Golf Road terrace's roof.

Peterborough's wastefulness was manifest again in the 44th minute as Harris now headed a good chance over the bar.

Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM YOUTH 1
PETERBOROUGH UNITED YOUTH 1

After an uneventful few minutes, Billingsley became the first Alty man to be booked for a trip on Mensah (54 mins).

On the hour mark Nascimento cut in impressively but only managed a weak effort which ran easily to Forde. Immediately Hickinson replaced Keane for The Posh (61 mins) before Gymah was judged to be the perpetrator of a dive in the Alty box.

Almost straightaway after coming on Hickinson wasted a decent chance as he put the ball comfortably wide after a good build-up. Next a trip by Waller gave the visitors a freekick which led to a fine save by Forde at the cost of a corner.

Alty's hardworking holding midfielder, McGowan, joined Billingsley in the notebook for holding an opponent (71 mins). And as The Posh continued to enjoy most of the possession, a Forde save led to another corner for Peterborough.

From this, Nascimento missed a good chance from six yards (73 mins). With Altrincham on the backfoot, Alty conceded a 78th minute corner on the visitors' right. O'Connell's run to the back post was not picked up and he was able to head the deep corner downwards and into the net at the back post from point-blank range. It was a disappointing goal to concede (78 mins).

Alty made a double change with Finlay and Goulden withdrawn as Graham and Morrison were brought on (79 mins).

As when they had fallen behind in the first half, the hosts now raised their attacking intent and won two corners, the former having to be hacked clear after ricocheting around the goalmouth (81 mins). From the second corner Pickard made a complete hash of collecting the ball, seeming to drop it onto the post before it was cleared (83 mins).

Altrincham continued to seek a second equalizer and Radi came on, only to be hacked down by a dreadful challemhge from Powell which might have earned a red card from another referee but only was deemed worthy of yellow by Mr Jones (90+1 mins).

With the game into a fifth added minute a ball from the right was volleyed home by Morrison only for the linesman's offside flag to deny Alty a late equalizer.

Whilst Peterborough deserved their win Altrincham had given a great account of themselves.

Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM YOUTH 1
PETERBOROUGH UNITED YOUTH 2