Altrincham F.C. Youth Team: Match Report.

Bolton & District N.W. Youth Alliance Premier Cup Match
played at Wythenshawe Town FC
on Sunday, 13th January, 2002. Kick-off 1.30pm

Alty were without their regular centre-back pairing of Steve McGrath and the suspended Vernum Rowland, so Ian Horton and Michael Bailey occupied these positions today. Mark Drew played in an unaccustomed striking position, alongside David Walsh. After appearing for the Reserves on Wednesday and the First Team yesterday, Lee Thompson made it three appearances for different levels of the Club inside five days by appearing on the left flank.

Lee Shillito played in midfield, a position in which he has had some success at Cheshire County level, after starting the season as the Alty Youth team's main striker. Paul Glynn and Paul Robinson continued as the side's full-backs, whilst Paul Tilley and Richard Smith were in central midfield. Jordan Broxson was between the sticks.

Conditions were difficult, with steady rain falling and a muddy pitch. After a Marine free-kick from 35 yards had come to nothing, Lee Thompson set off on a mazy run which produced the first home corner (4 mins). This was cleared before a 35 yard free-kick from Mark Drew was held well by the Marine keeper (9 mins). The game was being well contested but Altrincham were enjoying more of the possession. They won another corner when a low Thompson shot was not held by the keeper and this started a sequence of four successive flag-kicks (13 mins) as Alty built up the pressure.

However, Marine did threaten when their no.11 fed the no.9 and it took a timely tackle by Horton, who had a fine game, to get the ball back to Broxson (21 mins). The Marine no.3 was then booked for a verbal offence (22 mins) before Walsh just got his head to a long ball but it ran to the Marine keeper. Soon after this, another Walsh shot was blocked and Tilley got in a snap-shot which the keeper stopped well (28 mins). Marine's best effort at this stage was a low shot by the no.11, which Broxson fielded comfortably (29 mins).

Then Shillito made a fine run on the right before getting the ball to Walsh, whose effort was fielded by the keeper (31 mins). Next, a Thompson cross from the left found Drew and the Marine keeper did well to save Mark's effort. Alty's failure to convert their pressure nearly rebounded on them when the Marine no.11 fed the no.10 and Broxson had to advance to make a fine block from the attacker (33 mins). Altrincham responded with Walsh heading Thompson's cross just wide at the other end. Tilley then fed Walsh, who advanced to the right of goal but shot over the bar (36 mins).

As half time approached Shillito again made good progress and cut inside from the right, his fine shot being beaten out by the keeper (41 mins). At last the breakthorugh came when Lee Thompson got clear inside the left side of the box and strode on to shoot the ball home (43 mins). The Marine no.11 then got booked for ignoring the ref's clear instruction to bring back the ball after a free-kick whistle and the half ended with a brief break from the steady rain.

Altrincham doubled their lead soon after the break. Paul Robinson won the ball well on the left and he fed Thompson, whose intended cross from the left touchline looped over the keeper into the far corner of the net (47 mins). Then Walsh fed Drew, who pulled his shot just wide (49 mins) as Altrincham now dominated the game. Marine changed their keeper after 51 minutes just before Thompson shot narrowly wide. Alty's Glynn and the Marine 8 were then booked for a centre-field incident. Drew's feed to Thompson soon set him off past three defenders but he scuffed his final shot wide (60 mins). But then Marine's no.9 got in on goal and Broxson did very well to parry the ball away. Tilley and Robinson then fed Thompson but his shot went wide (63 mins).

Marine now began to get back in the game and won a corner off Horton, followed by a second. Then the nos. 8 and 9 combined and Broxson did well to beat the ball out, with the no 6 following up to prompt a magnificent reaction save from the Alty keepr which took the goalbound shot over the bar (65 mins). Soon, Broxson had to save again from the lively no.9 before a 30 yard rocket from the no.11 left him helpless as it flew into his net (66 mins).

Marine started to press for the equaliser and Tilley and Smith had to work hard in midfield whilst Horton marshalled the defence. Altrincham brought on Mario Daniel for Walsh up front, after 77 minutes, as the rain continued to fall.

The pressure was partly relieved when Drew was fouled 25 yards from goal but the keeper saved the victim's freekick well (83 mins). Lee McDonald now came on for Lee Thompson (84 mins) before Marine's last chance came when the no.9 raced into the box, only to be foiled once more by the advancing Broxson.

After seeming to be well in control up to the hour mark, Altrincham had allowed Marine to make a fight of it. However, they dug in well, with the new centre-back pairing of Bailey and Horton doing well, assisted by the very reliable pairing of Robinson and Glynn. Broxson made a number of fine saves and also dealt well with several breakaways. In midfield, Smith and Tilley did well on a glue-pot of a pitch whilst Shillito and Thompson caused problems on the flanks. Up-front Drew and Walsh battled hard for openings. Altrincham are now in the semi-finals of a competition which they won last season.