ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (1) 3
STOCKPORT COUNTY FC YOUTH (0) 2
FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round
played on Friday, 9 September 2016, k.o. 7.45pm
at The J. Davidson Stadium, Moss Lane
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1 Cameron TERRY, 2 Tom KELLY, 3 Sam BOWN, 4 Deklan HILL, 5 Joshua GRAHAM, 6 Pete IACOVOU, 7 Darius PALMA, 8 Jordan MILNE, 9. Jordan HENRY, 10. Declan McGLOIN, 11. Thabari JAMBAYA (c). Subs: 12 Aaron CLAYTON, 14. Reiss HUGHES, 15. Ricardo PEMBELE, 16. Harry SHERIDAN, 20. Ryan MILLINGTON (gk).
STOCKPORT COUNTY FC YOUTH (Grey shirts and socks, white shorts) 1. Alex GORST, 2. Josh ROBINSON, 3. Henry GASKILL, 4. Alex JACKSON, 5. Jordan DOWLING, 6. Thomas MILLINGTON, 7. Max BARDSLEY-ROWE, 8. Jordan PEACH (c), 9. Kaithen FARNWORTH, 10. Remeece BROWN, 11. Terry WALLACE. Subs: 12. Zac ROBINSON, 14. Kyle FOLEY, 15. Ben BAGSHAW, 16. Will HOLT, 17. Macauley SOMERVILLE.
Gate: 203
Referee: Mr Patrick Naughton
REPORT
Well inside the first minute Altrincham almost took the lead as a ball up the middle freed Henry, who outpaced a defender before his well-struck shot clipped the top of the crossbar. Altrincham continued their good start, winning three of the game's four corner kicks awarded in the opening ten minutes.
Another Alty corner soon arrived when McGloin’s ball from wide left had to be tipped out of play. Jambaya was causing County problems on the Alty left as The Robins enjoyed the better of the opening stages.
Next, a fine through ball from Milne got Henry running at goal, again, but his shot went narrowly wide; in any case, he was flagged offside (18 mins). At the back, Hill cleared well as Alty continued to set the pace. Another Alty corner then came and went (28 mins).
A clever pass forward from Milne now allowed Palma to nip in and from the outer reaches of the box, right of centre, poke the ball past the advancing keeper to give Altrincham a deserved 29th minute lead.
But County responded as Farnworth forced the previously under-employed Alty keeper, Terry, to make a fine stop with his legs at the cost of a corner (30 mins).
After this, Alty counter-attacked and Henry seemed to be brought down in a sandwich of two opposing defenders but play was waved on. The speedy Palma and Jambaya continued to take the game to the visitors but Hill had to be alert to see off a threat inside the box from County's Wallace.
With play still predominantly being towards the County goal, the visitors made a change. Robinson came on for Farnworth but, at the same time, Brown went off with a hand injury. County played on with ten men as rain now fell on the pitch (38 mins).
Kelly's cross then allowed Palma to shoot narrowly wide before County were restored to eleven men as Foley replaced the injured Brown who was needing lengthy treatment to his hand (43 mins). But County almost equalised on the stroke of half-time, as they advanced up the left, and keeper Terry had to do well to block with his legs as Foley threatened to score (45 mins).
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 STOCKPORT COUNTY FC YOUTH 0 |
First-team Stockport manager Jim Gannon now joined Alan Lord in the County technical area and he was soon giving instructions to the County players, all of whom were seemingly known to him on first-name terms.
As in the first half, Alty were unable to convert an excellent chance in the opening minute. This time it was Palma's chance but his shot hit the side netting (46 mins).
Rain was now falling steadily and Alty threatened again seven minutes into the half. Henry turned impressively to get himself free to advance on goal but his subsequent touch was too heavy and the keeper got to the ball first.
Two minutes later, County levelled the scores as Robinson netted from outside the box (54 mins).
Naturally, the equalizer lifted County and a good run by Millington led to a trip by Graham which got him booked. Millington had to be replaced by Holt whilst Alty introduced Clayton and Sheridan for Kelly and McGloin (58 mins).
Foley was now booked for County for a foul and/or dissent (62 mins). County continued to have the better of things at this stage, winning the game's next two corners.
Between these, Alty's Henry was fouled by Dowling who was very fortunate to escape a booking. Alty now brought on Pembele for Henry who, earlier, had seemed to have cramp (74 mins).
Sheridan then got into the box only for the County keeper, Gorst, to block. County counter-attacked quickly and Robinson got free up the middle to give County a 2-1 lead (77 mins).
However, the lead lasted only three minutes. County goalkeeper Gorst came outside his box, to his left to try and kick clear. But Pembele did well, dispossessing the keeper and firing home a superb shot from a very tight angle on the Alty right. So it was 2-2 and added time beckoned (80 mins). This did not augur well for Alty as they suffered a series of injuries.
First Milne hurt himself in clearing the ball and, after lengthy treatment, had to hobble off. At the same time, Palma needed treatment for cramp and he, too, had to go off to the touchline following treatment, leaving Alty to defend a corner with just nine men (83 mins).
Palma returned but was clearly hampered by his injury and went down again for treatment before resuming once more (85 mins). Then Iacovou also needed attention as Alty's walking wounded looked set to have to play a further thirty minutes of extra time.
In the final minute of the ninety Stockport volleyed a good chance over the bar from six yards out.
With all of the injuries and substitutions there was clearly going to be a lengthy spell of added time. Deep into this period, Clayton won the ball and it was worked forward up the inside left channel to Jambaya. He kept his head and slotted a low shot across the advancing keeper, who got a touch on it, but the ball found the back of the net to give Altrincham a dramatic, late victory (90+5 mins).
There was time for a couple of minutes' more playing time but Alty held out to secure an away tie at Vauxhall Motors in week commencing 19 September.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 3 STOCKPORT COUNTY FC YOUTH 2 |