Daten Sports 1 Altrincham Youth 4
Match Report by Danny Claffey, to whom I am very grateful.
Another fine display saw the Alty lads consolidate their place at the top of the league. After a brisk start on a tight, compact pitch it was Daten Sports that had the first chance to score but goalkeeper Dale Newbrook made a great save, diverting the ball onto the post after a point blank header from one of the Daten forwards.
Everything changed in the 28th minute when a through ball from Paul Crowther to Wesley Wilkinson resulted in the young striker cracking a superb ball past the Daten keeper. Altrincham were well into the game now and beginning to take charge. In the 40th minute Mark Drew took a long throw in on the left which went straight into the crowded Daten goalmouth. First to react was Wilkinson who, with his back to goal, scored with an acrobatic overhead kick past the hapless Daten keeper.
At the start of the second half Paul Monaghan replaced Danny Leahey. The Altrincham lads were soon on the attack again. Rico Richards won a corner on the right and from the resulting kick Pat Claffey skimmed the crossbar with a bullet header, much to his consternation. In the 65th minute Daten were down to ten men when their number 4 was sent off after Wilkinson was blatantly kicked in the area. Richards duly tucked away the resulting penalty to make it 0-3.
Three minutes later a foul on Richards resulted in a free-kick just outside the Daten area. In a neat move, Vernum Rowland stepped over the ball leaving Drew to blast a screaming free kick through a crowded area into the net for number four. Things had begun to get a bit heated by this time, with some of the Daten and Altrincham players niggling at each other, but the strong referee kept the game very well under control. Lee Shillito replaced goal hero Wilkinson with 18 minutes to go.
Daten came back into the game when Drew gave away a penalty on 73 minutes which was duly scored. Paul Tilley replaced Domain Esdale, who had a fine game. With nine minutes left Paul Crowther drew a fine save from the Daten keeper, then Shillito went close with a great header. In the 90th minute Newbrook in the Alty goal made a magnificent point blank save to deny Daten once again.
Altrincham Team: 1. Dale Newbrook, 2. Vernum Rowland, 3. Mark Drew, 4. Steve Howe (capt'n), 5. Patrick Claffey, 6. Danny Leahey, 7. Domain Esdale, 8. Levi Kennedy, 9. Wesley Wilkinson, 10. Rico Richards, 11. Paul Crowther. Subs: 12. Paul Tilley, 14. Lee Shillito, 15. Paul Monaghan, 16. Paul Ross.