ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (0) 1
TRANMERE ROVERS FC YOUTH (2) 7
FA Youth Cup First Round Proper match
played on Sunday, 23 October 2016, k.o. 7pm
at The J Davidson Stadium
LINE-UPS
ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH (Red and white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 1. Cameron TERRY, 2. Tom KELLY, 3. Sam BOWN, 4. Deklan HILL, 5. Harry SHERIDAN (capt), 6. Peter IACOVOU, 7. Jordan MILNE, 8. Dylan SCANLON, 9. Ricardo PEMBELE, 10. Enis HOTI, 11, Darius PALMA. Subs: 12. Reiss HUGHES, 14. Jordan HENRY, 15. Andy MATISHI, 16. Aaron CLAYTON, 20. Matthew LOIZOU (gk).
TRANMERE ROVERS (All green): 1. Parick WHARTON, 2. James GALLOWAY, 3. Eddie CLARKE, 4. Callum LACY, 5. James DEVINE, 6. Declan DRYSDALE, 7. Jamie HERON, 8. Ethan DEVINE, 9. Udoyen AKPAN, 10. Tom CROUGHAN (capt), 11. Scott MEDLAN. Subs: 12. Kevin CRINGLE, 14. Jack FLEMING, 15. Joe BRETT, 16. Ben KERR, 17. Nick LONG.
Attendance: 148
SUMMARY
Altrincham FC Youth went out of the FA Youth Cup on Sunday evening when they lost 1-7 at the J. Davidson Stadium to a very impressive Tranmere Rovers team.
Alty only trailed 0-2 at the interval but with Rovers' striker Tom Croughan finishing the game with five goals Altrincham had no answer to the visitors' pace, strength and movement off the ball.
However, Darius Palma did score a fine consolation goal for The Robins and the team had done well to get through three previous rounds of the competition with some accomplished football.
REPORT
Tranmere were soon on the front foot and they took a fifth-minute lead. Alty lost possession in midfield and the ball was threaded forward by Rovers to Akpan who slotted the ball past the advancing Terry in the Altrincham goal.
It was apparent that Tranmere were a skilful side with plenty of pace and that they were adept at finding team-mates with their passing. They almost doubled their lead in the seventh minute when Akpan got past Hill but Croughan's shot was mishit and Terry saved it comfortably.
Tranmere did double their lead in the 18th minute when Croughan lobbed Terry with a skilful shot made with the outside of his foot. Alty suffered a further blow as Milne needed treatment and he was replaced by Clayton (19 mins).
A couple of minutes later Alty put together a good movement at the end of which Pembele headed over the bar but he was flagged offside in any case. And just after the half hour Mark Wharton was forced to make a decent save from Iacovou's shot. Moments later Hoti volleyed narrowly over the bar from long range.
As Alty enjoyed their best spell of the game so far, Hill shot narrowly wide.
But, soon, Tranmere threatened again as they won two corners and, not long afterwards, Hill was booked for shirt-pulling as he retreated towards his own penalty area (42 mins). A similar offence by Heron on an Alty man likewise earned him a caution (45 mins).
Three minutes into added time, Croughan fed Akpan but he dragged his shot narrowly wide.
| Half-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 0 TRANMERE ROVERS FC YOUTH 2 |
Scanlon gave way to Henry at the interval but Tranmere were soon setting the pace.
Half-time had arrived with Altrincham having weathered a rocky start and having done well to prevent any further scoring by the impressive visitors. But Rovers took advantage of slack marking from the hosts to make it 3-0 after 53 minutes. Keeper Wharton's kick found a team-mate unmarked and he fed Heron who netted the chance.
In the 57th minute Iacovou. who had earlier needed treatment from physio Alan Ainsley, was replaced by Andy Matishi. But the sub had barely taken to the pitch when Tranmere made it 4-0 as Levy, Medlan and Heron combined in a neat move which was finished off by Croughan.
Akpan fired over the bar before he laid on a goal for team-mate Croughan who put a fine shot into the top corner to make it 5-0 (62 mins). The visitors now made a double change as Cringle and Brett replaced Heron and Akpan (63 mins).
Tranmere continued to impress with their pacy movement of the ball and after two corners had come and gone for them, they made it 6-0 when Croughan netted his fourth goal, despite Terry getting a hand to his shot (73 mins).
There was some cheer for Altrincham two minutes later when Palma advanced from half way and hit an excellent shot over the keeper and into the net to make it 1-6 (75 mins).
Tranmere made it 7-1, five minutes from time when Galloway evaded several challenges to get into the box and lay the ball off for Croughan to net his fifth goal of the night.
Rovers had been impressive throughout the game and look set to go further still in this competition.
| Full-Time: ALTRINCHAM FC YOUTH 1 TRANMERE ROVERS FC YOUTH 7 |