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REPORT

Report courtesy of Phil Taylor.

The Ladies, welcomed a Liverpool Feds Reserves side trailing the Lady Robins by only two points to Mersey Valley.

Altrincham lined up in a 4-5-1 formation: Lucy S, Kye, Bliss and Louise made up the back four. Jess, Anna, Kate, Laura Dodds and Georgia were the midfield four. Jade was the lone striker. Substitutes were Elina, Heather, Laura Kelly and Megan.

Feds Kicked off and were quickly into their stride. On two minutes, good build-up down the Altrincham left resulted in a cross which just cleared the box. On four minutes Lucy stopped a promising Liverpool attack with a firm challenge. The first ten minutes, on balance, were fairly even with Liverpool perhaps exerting more pressure without really threatening Lizzie’s goal.

On twelve minutes, Georgia, not for the first time, took on and comprehensively bamboozled her full-back but sadly this promising attack came to nothing.

Eight minutes later, following a throw in, a Liverpool Feds player turned adroitly before firing a first time left-footed shot just wide. On twenty-three minutes Altrincham were awarded a free kick in midfield. Laura Dodds took the kick, looking to pressure the visitors defence. Unfortunately for Alty, though, the ball went harmlessly through to the keeper.

A minute later disaster struck. Lizzie’s goal-kick was headed back toward the Alty goal. Lizzie began to come out for the ball, converging with Bliss and a visiting striker. Somehow, potentially as a result of Bliss being held back, the ball evaded both Alty players leaving the striker with an open goal, into which she gleefully placed the ball.

It took Alty only four minutes to equalise. Jade came deep to pick up the ball before running purposefully toward goal. Picking her moment expertly she laid the ball into Jess, who took a touch to steady herself before driving the ball across the keeper into the far corner.

There then followed a period of the game where both sides tried to establish control without actually managing to do so.

Four minutes from time a ball through the middle was poked past the rapidly approaching Lizzie by the Liverpool No 8 to restore the visitors' lead.

This seemed to unsettle Alty and it took a magnificent diving save by Lizzie to keep the deficit down to one. A ball crossed in from the right was met with a firm header which Lizzie athletically clawed away diving to her right

Half-time was reached with the visitors holding a 2-1 lead.

Keith and the Management Team highlighted that the passing in the first half had been less crisp and accurate than normal. In fact, it had been a rare sub-optimal performance in the first half. However, all was not lost and with reminders of this fresh in their ears the players went out for the second half.

Alty began the second half on the front foot, almost immediately forcing a corner, which was impressively cleared by the Feds' keeper.

Parity was again restored on fifty minutes. Aan excellent ball in to Kate’s feet by Georgia allowed her to turn her defender and finish clinically into the bottom corner.

Sadly, this state of affairs lasted a mere six minutes. As Alty failed to deal with a corner, the ball landing in the six-yard box at the feet of an attacker who fired home. Megan, who had replaced Jade soon after the second Alty equaliser worked diligently to force a corner just short of the hour but this was cleared.

At this point, looking to push for at least a point, Lucy was withdrawn, being replaced by Laura Kelly. The change nearly bore fruit within five minutes, an excellent cross from the left by Megan being met by Jess’s head. Somehow, though, a Feds defender managed to clear the ball off the line.

The change in system seemed to be allowing Altrincham to apply concerted pressure with every player giving their all. An example being a strong tackle by Georgia. Megan again used her pace to run in behind the visitors' defence, face up her marker and get off a shot which went past the far post.

Megan again impressed soon after, reaching the by-line before delivering an excellent cross, which was well turned away by the increasingly busy Liverpool custodian. From the resulting corner, well delivered by Georgia, Laura Kelly got across the front post to touch the ball toward goal, bringing yet another good save from the keeper.

On eighty-three minutes the Ladies forced another free kick about thirty yards out. This one was taken by Kate but, unfortunately, evaded a number of Alty attackers on its way through to the keeper. The Feds' keeper produced arguably her best save of the day on eighty-nine minutes. Megan effected a great turn before releasing an excellent shot toward the top left hand corner. The keeper back-pedalled and pawed the ball away for a corner.

This had the look of not being Alty’s day,; half an hour of almost incessant pressure had, as yet, failed to deliver a deserved equaliser.

Megan had different ideas though. Georgia’s cross was initially cleared out to Megan herself, whose initial shot was half blocked. Laura Kelly picked up possession and squared it to Megan who drove it first time, from twenty-five yards beyond the despairing keeper and into the top corner of the net.

Referee Coyne played an additional six minutes before drawing proceedings to a close with the final score 3-3.

Although, at times, not our usual free flowing selves, the Ladies had again demonstrated their never-say-die attitude, the final equaliser going in with twenty-three seconds of the ninety minutes remaining to be played.

In the past this game would have been lost but, today, the team spirit was evident for all to see.

A very impressive Liverpool Feds team had contributed to an entertaining game and they chose Kate as our PoM. Both the Management and Players' awards went to Georgia after an excellent performance.

Next Week Alty have a break from League action, welcoming Premier Division side Manchester Stingers in the League Cup. Kick Off is at 2.00pm