With thanks to Dana Laidlar for the information on which this report is based.
BURSCOUGH: 1. Peter COLLINGE, 2. Michael ELEFTHERIOU, 3. Lee DAMES, 4. Paddy O'DRISCOLL, 5. Dave GRINDLE (capt.), 6. Liam BYRNE, 7. Sam SIDDALL, 8. Simon PENDLEBURY, 9. Stephen BROWN, 10. Dave RUDGE, 11. Gary EDWARDS. Subs: 12. Andy McKINNON, 14. Karl GORNELL, 15. Paul GIBLIN, 16. Tommy HUGHES, gk. Barry HIGSON.
ALTRINCHAM: 1. Richard HARRISON, 2. Paul GLYNN(capt.), 3. Mark GRIFFITHS, 4. Michael BAILEY, 5. Greg BYRNE, 6. Alex FROST, 7. Francis EVANS, 8. John McEVOY, 9. Steve LUNT, 10. Luke KILLEEN, 11. Ian TAYLOR. Subs: 12. Adam DOUTHWAITE, 14. Mark POVER, 15. David BERRY, 16. Anthony POTTS, 18. Barry GEORGE (gk).
Referee: Mr A. Scregg (Halewood)
Altrincham brought back their captain Paul Glynn and their England squad full-back Mark Griffiths, for this tie following their recent absences through injury. Indeed Griffiths still had his left knee strapped up. Steve McGrath and Adam Douthwaite were the players to make way for them. The game was watched by a respectable crowd which included Burscough first-team manager Shaun Teale.
Burscough won a couple of early free-kicks but the first real shot of the game came from Brown and this was deflected for a corner, which Pendlebury hit straight out of play (8 mins). At the other end Lunt's effort resulted in a Burscough goal-kick. A Burscough free-kick and then a corner followed but these were cleared. From a second corner, taken by Edwards, Grindle headed home although Harrison in the Altrincham goal appeared to get his hands to the ball (16 mins).
For Altrincham, first Evans and then Frost had attempts at goal but both were saved by Collinge in the home goal. Following a Frost free-kick, Collinge's attempt to dribble clear gave Altrincham a corner. From McEvoy's flag-kick, Evans knocked the ball over the bar (28 mins). After Lunt's advance had been halted, Burscough's Siddall broke away but he was stopped by Griffiths' good tackle (32 mins). After two successive Alty throws, Bailey needed some brief treatment off the pitch. Burscough then won another corner, which Harrison punched out. A return shot was cleared off the line by Glynn (39 mins). Following a free-kick award for a foul on Evans, Glynn's shot was beaten out by the keeper. Then a run by Glynn ended with a cross which ricocheted off an Alty head as it crossed the goalmouth (43 mins). Overall, Burscough had had the better of the first half, with Altrincham slowly improving in the latter stages.
| Half-Time: BURSCOUGH YOUTH 1 ALTRINCHAM YOUTH 0 |
After an early Burscough corner had been cleared, Alty enjoyed some good possession with Lunt getting in on goal but his shot was saved (50 mins). Bailey was then booked for a trip 25 yards from his own goal. The resulting free-kick was cleared but a corner soon followed for the Linnets (52 mins). Following an Alty free-kick for a trip, Glynn drove a shot just over the bar from 20 yards out (54 mins), but the Alty captain soon scored a fine equaliser for his side when he advanced up the right and cut inside past several defenders before shooting into the left side of the net (58 mins). The goal was a deserved reward for the Altrincham captain who had an outstanding game. At the other end Griffiths soon had to be alert to force Rudge to shoot wide. A good run by Lunt ended when his cross from the left was headed at goal by McEvoy but the keeper saved it (68 mins). Eleftheriou was then booked for kicking the ball away after being penalised and soon afterwards Evans's fine run ended with ball running to Collinge (70 mins). The game was on even terms when the most controversial moment of the evening occurred. After Ian Taylor and a defender had gone down in a tussle for the ball, the Alty man got up but was then knocked over by an another opponent inside the box; however, the referee did not award a penalty much to the annoyance of the Altrincham bench and supporters (75 mins). The referee did give a free-kick when Evans was fouled just outside the box a minute later but Evans's kick was deflected. A Burscough corner and free-kick were then both seen off. Lunt induced the Burscough keeper to carry the ball out of play for a corner to Altrincham, which Evans headed wide from Glynn's kick. Two minutes later the whistle went and extra time beckoned. Altrincham had put in a much better performance in the second half and had put Burscough under pressure with the pace of the match being fast and flowing from end to end to the end of the ninety minutes.
| 90 Mins: BURSCOUGH YOUTH 1 ALTRINCHAM YOUTH 1 |
After Rudge deflected Brown's shot wide, Alty won a corner which was cleared after crossing the goalmouth. The sides then had a corner apiece as they tried to break the deadlock. Just before the half-time whistle in extra time, Glynn hit the side netting from another corner. The sides were still equally matched at this point and there were all the hallmarks of a penalty shoot-out being needed to clinch the match.
For the final 15 minutes Burscough brought on McKinnon, Gornell and Giblin in place of Eleftheriou, Edwards and Rudge. Then, just after a home corner had been cleared, the injured Griffiths was replaced by Douthwaite for Altrincham (109 mins). Almost immediately the home side went ahead when McKinnon's shot was fumbled by Harrison in the Altrincham goal (who was possibly unsighted by one of his colleagues) and trickled into the goal (112 mins). Burscough then finished strongly, their three substitutes having given them the late push which won the game.
After a below par first-half performance, Altrincham were much improved from the second half onwards and can count themselves unfortunate to have lost, especially given the refusal of their seemingly justified penalty claims in normal time. Burscough, as ever, have a strong youth side and Altrincham wish them every success in further rounds of the Youth Cup.
| Full-Time (after extra time): BURSCOUGH YOUTH 2 ALTRINCHAM YOUTH 1 |
