Altrincham F.C. Youth Team: Match Report.

Bolton & District N.W. Youth Alliance Premier Cup Final played on Sunday, 21 April, 2002, at Bamber Bridge F.C..

After Morecambe's 3-1 win in the League match at home to Alty last week, the Lancashire side went into this game with a psychological advantage. Moreover, Altrincham's Youth side had been a victim of its own success for three of their regular players (Vernum Rowland, Lee Thompson and Mario Daniel) had played in yesterday's first team match in the UniBond Premier League at Gainsborough Trinty and were also required for tomorrow's home match against Emley.

As a consequence, Lee was the only one allowed to play today since he had only been involved as a late substitute yesterday. Alty were well supported and their fans included Chairman Mark Harris, Director Dave Tracey and a number of other Club officials and ground staff. From the playing side of the Club, coach Graham Heathcote was in attendance, whilst Morecambe's contingent included First Team boss and Northern Ireland Assistant Manager, Jim Harvey. The game coincided with the Bamber Bridge FC Beer Festival, enabling spectators to enjoy some unusual brews as well as the football on a bright sunny afternoon.

Alty played their usual 4-4-2 with Lee Thompson and Lee Shillito up front. They got off to a good start and Lee McDonald's shot, just over the bar, from Mark Drew's feed was the first serious goal attempt of the game (2 mins). The lively Shillito, playing despite sixteen stitches in a recent arm injury sustained at work, won Alty an early corner after chasing down a defender (3 mins). Thompson's corner led to the ball being cleared off the line by a Morecambe defender at the near post, with the keeper beaten.

Altrincham came close again after 14 minutes when a Mark Drew free-kick from 25 yards came back to him off the wall and his second shot was a fine left-foot effort which the keeper only held at the second attempt. Unfortunately, Morecambe then went straight up the other end and scored a well-worked goal, slotted home by Hunter from the left, inside the box, from a pass by Steel (15 mins).

Although Alty conceded a number of midfield free-kicks in the opening stages, Morecambe had bizarrely conceded four free-kicks for handball by as early as the twenty-minute mark, though none of the offences earned a booking. After their goal, however, Morecambe began to assert themselves on the game. They were a physically strong side and Altrincham's uphill task was made even more difficult when Morecambe started to put together a neat passing game. Nevertheless the Alty defence stuck to their job with Bailey and McGrath in the centre, well supported by Robinson and Drew on the flanks.

The midfield too was working hard and, soon, captain Paul Tilley fed Lee Thompson, who went past his man, and played a pass for Lee Shillito only for keeper Gregiore to smother the ball at his feet. Morecambe then won two corners in succession and from the second, the ball was played short and crossed from the left into the Alty box where Steel headed firmly home to double Morecambe's lead (26 mins). The Shrimps dominated the next few minutes but Altrincham got back into the game before the interval. Firstly, right-back Mark Drew found Shillito, who kept possession well and fed Lee Thompson for a shot which he just poked over the bar (39 mins).

Steel then had a "goal" wiped out for offside at the other end before yet another Morecambe handball offence occurred! Then, as half-time approached, Drew found Horton in the centre of the box and he played it to the right to Lee Thompson. Lee's low shot across goal appeared to be helped over the line by Horton, from close range, to bring Altrincham back into the game at 2-1 (44 mins). The match guests then retired to enjoy the excellent hospitality of the North West Youth Alliance.

An early Shillito shot was held at the second attempt by the Morecambe keeper before Morecambe shot narrowly wide at the other end (46 mins). Morecambe then carved open the Alty midfield with an impressive passing movement to take a 3-1 lead through Carlton (49 mins). Once again keeper Broxson could not be faulted and, ironically, he had a relatively quiet afternoon apart from the goals. Alty responded with a corner before Paul Tilley fed Horton for a shot which he unfortunately ballooned over the top (52 mins).

Next, Shillito did put the ball in the net with a neat lob but he was offside (57 mins). However, it was Morecambe who looked the stronger side, despite Tilley, Smith and McDonald's hard work in midfield. First, Paul Tilley's good cross from the left was only caught by the keeper at the second attempt (63 mins) and then McDonald won the ball well and fed Shillito but the striker's shot was well stopped by the keeper (64 mins). Alty then replaced Lee Thompson up front with David Walsh (65 mins) but soon afterwards Carlton made it 4-1 when he poked the ball home after Broxson had made an initial save from a loose ball in the goalmouth (67 mins).

Morecambe now took off Hunter and brought on their number fifteen and then, shortly after Shillito had lifted his shot over the bar from a Tilley feed (75 mins), Morecambe made another switch, with Nixon replacing the dangerous Carlton. At the same time, Alty brought on right-back Paul Glynn for centre-back Michael Bailey, with Mark Drew moving to centre-back to accommodate the change (76 mins). Glynn soon made some promising runs up the right flank but the strong Morecambe defence kept Alty at bay. Alty's final throw was to replace left-back Paul Robinson by striker Steve Lunt (80 mins), with Lee Shillito moving to a deeper role on the right. Tilley and Walsh then combined well to win a corner as Alty enjoyed a good spell.

As the game continued, the tannoy announced Morecambe's Garry Hunter as Man of the Match, even though he had been taken off some twenty minutes from the end. Morecambe then brought on their number fourteen instead of Simpson (84 mins). Steve McGrath continued to clear the Alty lines to the very end with a good tackle on Nixon but Alty were unable to get another goal and the game ended with Morecambe worthy winners of the trophy, which was presented by Caroline Winstanley in a ceremony presided over by League President, Fred Morris.

The Morecambe side are managed by Dick Danson, who set up the Morecambe Youth Academy which has produced seven members of the current Morecambe first-team squad in the Conference. Whilst Alty do not have the same financial resources as Morecambe these days, our Club has its own fine crop of youngsters and hopefully can make equal use of its own home-grown talent to build a successful first team.

Altrincham will have been disappointed at not performing as well as they have previously played this season but they still have the chance of a league and cup double- their second cup final being on 11 May at Moss Lane in the Open Cup, against Prestwich Heys.

MORECAMBE TEAM: 1. Matthew Gregiore, 2. Keiron Walmsley, 2. Tony Uberschar, 4. James Galley, 5. George Melling (capt.), 6. Gareth Simpson, 7. Michael Rushton, 8. Darren West, 9. Liam Steel, 10. D. Carlton, 11. Garry Hunter, 12. Bryon Nixon, 14. Carl Pickles, 15. to 17. ?