Altrincham F.C. Youth Team: Match Report.

The lads seemed a little overawed in the opening minutes as Wrexham attacked from the start with pace and coordination. But the Alty defence stood firm and the team gradually found its feet as the half progressed. Owen shot wide for Wrexham in the opening minute and then Mark Jones, (one of three Joneses in the Wrexham side) headed over the bar following a second minute corner to the "Young Dragons" as the Wrexham team is labelled. The short but very quick Mark Redshaw was particularly impressive, leading the Welsh attack.

However, after 8 minutes, Lee McDonald gave the Alty fans something to cheer when he progressed up the left and looked to have won a corner, but a goal-kick was given. Wrexham won a number of early free-kicks and corners as their attacking movements kept the Alty defence busy and manager George Heslop encouraged his midfield to close down their opposite numbers. P.D. Jones then fed Owen,whose 25 yard shot produced a magnificent diving save from Jordan Broxson, diving to his right to tip the ball out (17 mins).

From the ensuing corner, Hughes hammered in a shot which cannoned off an Alty defender. A miskick by Broxson gave P.D. Jones a chance but he shot the ball over the bar (20 mins). As George Heslop asked his players to slow their game down a Robinson freekick found Drew's head but he could not direct it goalward (22 mins).

Osian Jones wasted another chance for the Welsh side when he tried to pass the ball into the net rather than hit it and he missed the target when clean through. Two consecutive corners maintained the Wrexham pressure but an athletic header by McGrath cleared the danger. Then, a good header from Drew set McDonald running forward but he was tripped by Hughes from behind and the offender was rightly booked (31 mins). Alty's first real shot of the game arrived from full-back Paul Glynn when his 25 yarder finished off a move started by Tilley. The captain won the ball and fed McDonald, who played the ball via Robinson and Tilley to the Alty right back (33 mins).

The keeper stopped Glynn's effort but Alty soon won a corner through Shillito. Following this, McDonald put in a long range shot which was not far wide (35 mins). Wrexham picked up another booking when Shillito was chopped down by Spender. Alty were now on top and Clitheroe had to rush smartly out to stop Shillito getting on the end of a pass. Alty then produced a fine move when Robinson fed Daniel and his pass to Drew produced a shot from the number six which went very close to opening the scoring but was just wide (39 mins).

The pressure continued with McDonald firing a 30 yard free-kick just over the bar (40 mins). Wrexham's response by Hughes was stopped by McGrath and Alty were soon up the other end but Shillito had to concede a goal-kick. So, it was against the immediate run of play when Wrexham took the lead just as Alty looked to have achieved a commendable goalless first half. A neat passing move saw Dylan Owen feed the ball through the centre where the nippy Redshaw got behind the Alty defence to slot the ball past the advancing Broxson (43 mins).

At half time Alty brought on Lee Thompson to replace Mark Drew in wide midfield. As in the first half, Wrexham came out of the starting blocks quickly and it took Alty a few minutes to settle. Soon, however, Thompson made an impression, controlling the ball well on the right wing before cutting in and firing just over the bar (52 mins).

A minute later, from a feed by Glynn and Shillito, Thompson beat three defenders but his shot was beaten out (53 mins). Paul Tilley was also impressing in midfield, alongside Richard Smith, as Alty became a good match for their opponents. At the back, Vernum Rowland and Steve McGrath were also playing well, whilst Glynn and Robinson were now getting forward from time to time. McDonald was stopped by a fine tackle but won a corner (57 mins) and another corner followed after 59 minuutes, from which Tilley headed wide.

But Wrexham almost scored a second when the impressive Redshaw got round Broxson, only for Glynn to make an excellent last ditch tackle and coolly clear the danger

Lee Shillito was replaced by Wes Wilkinson (63 mins) just before Morgan headed over from a free-kick. Wrexham now stepped up their game and Broxson had to catch a high ball to break up an attack. Thompson was, however, still causing Wrexham problems on the left of their defence and the Alty man won another corner.

After a stoppage for Redshaw's cramp, Altrincham equalised. The move was well constructed with Smith starting things off with a good interception in midfield. The ball passed through Thompson, McDonald and Glynn, back to McDonald and Smith before reaching Tilley (pictured, right) more than 25 yards out in a central position. The Alty captain smashed the ball into the keeper's top right hand corner, and though Clitheroe did get a hand to it, he could not stop a superbly struck shot (75 mins).

Sadly, parity lasted only two minutes for P. D. Jones seized on a defensive header to strike the ball from outside the box. Broxson may have seen it late but the ball entered the net off the Alty keeper's left-hand post (77 mins). Immediately Redshaw gave way to Legrand for the hosts. The goal lifted Wrexham and first Osian Jones and then P. D. Jones had shots at goal (81 mins). Broxson then made a fine save from Legrand's 25 yarder before Steve Lunt came on for Lee McDonald (87 mins). Alty's last chance came after a foul on Wilkinson by Dabbs.

From the free-kick from the right by Thompson, the ball came out to Smith but he could not direct his shot under pressure (89 mins). Just before the whistle went Vernum Rowland was penalised for a tackle and then booked, presumably for dissent.

As well as the good performance by the players, the management duo of George Heslop and Neil Thomason, with their assistants, had done a marvellous job to put together a side which gave such a difficult match to a Second Division club's youth team. Many of today's Alty team had not even met each other only two months ago.

Wrexham go on to meet Farsley Celtic and we wish them well. Meanwhile Alty return to the NW Alliance league on Sunday as they seek to match last season's title-winning season. On this showing, they will be serious contenders for the championship as they will rarely meet such solid defenders and speedy attackers in the league as they encountered tonight in the national Youth Cup competition.

ALTRINCHAM TEAM: 1. Jordan Broxson, 2. Paul Glynn, 3. Paul Robinson, 4. Vernum Rowland, 5. Steven McGrath, 6. Mark Drew, 7. Richard Smith, 8. Paul Tilley (capt.), 9. Mario Daniel, 10. Lee Shillito, 11. Lee McDonald, 12. Wes Wilkinson, 14. Paul Coverley, 15. Lee Thompson, 16. Ian Horton, 17. Stephen Lunt.

WREXHAM TEAM: 1. Peter Clitheroe, 2. Alec Stacey (capt.), 3. Matthew Dabbs, 4. Simon Spender, 5. Craig Morgan, 6. Mark Jones, 7. Osian Jones, 8. Dylan Owen, 9. Mark Redshaw, 10. Paul Douglas Jones, 11. Andrew Hughes, 12. Chris Hamill, 13. Jimmy McNulty, 14. David Legrand, 15. Keiran Quinn, 16. Lee Blythin.