Altrincham through after penalty shoot-out drama.
Altrincham 2-2 Lancaster City (Altrincham win 4-3 on pens)
The FA Youth Cup
Second Round Qualifying
7.45pm, Thursday 6 October
Moss Lane, Altrincham FC
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Altrincham progressed into the Third Round Qualifying of The FA Youth Cup after emerging victorious from a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Lancaster City.
With the two sides locked at 2-2 after extra-time, it was left to Altrincham midfielder Oliver Riley to keep his cool to slot in the decisive spot kick.
It was Riley who had opened the scoring but Lancaster drew level moments before half-time through the impressive Joe Bunney. Duncan Watmore restored Altrincham’s lead from the penalty spot midway through the second half only for the visitor’s Sam Hibbert to head a last gasp equaliser to set up the shootout.
In the pouring rain at Moss Lane, it was Lancaster who had most of the early possession, with striker Bunney, who featured for the first team in The FA Cup last weekend, forcing Altrincham goalkeeper Adam Reid into an early save. It looked as though the early pressure had paid dividends when Bunney headed home from Kiefer Cunningham’s free-kick but Lancaster’s joy was cut short by the sight of the linesman’s fluttering offside flag.
This provoked a reaction from the home side, with Matt Fearon and Liam Rutledge bringing the best out of Jarek Bitner in the Lancaster goal. The breakthrough came on the half hour mark with Riley arriving on cue to convert Watmore’s cross.
Lancaster reacted in kind, playing at an increased tempo and with a greater urgency to their attacking play. The visitors created a number of chances in quick succession, with Cunningham denied only by the smart reflexes of Reid. The richly deserved equaliser arrived in the 42nd minute with Bunney capitalising on Altrincham’s failure to deal with a Cunningham corner.
Altrincham regained control of the game around the hour mark, with Sam Grimshaw’s 40-yard howitzer forcing Bitner into another outstanding save. Left-back Grimshaw was growing in influence with several rampaging runs forward and it was one of these ventures into the Lancaster penalty area that drew Jack Hindle into a mistimed challenge and referee Taylor had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. Watmore duly converted and Altrincham seemed set for victory.
As Lancaster poured forward in search of an equaliser, gaps inevitably began to appear at the back with Altrincham squandering a series of opportunities to make the game safe on the counter attack. In the 89th minute, Redmond McGuire skewed an effort wide when one on one with Bitner and there was a sense around the stadium that it was a miss which may just come back to haunt the hosts. And it did. In the third minute of injury time, Bunney’s cross was headed in by centre back Sam Hibbert to take the game into extra time.
Lancaster manager Phil Brown took heart from the character that his players showed in coming from behind, claiming that his side were very unfortunate to be on the losing side.
"If I’m being truly honest, I believe that we shaded the game and I think that if we would have found the equaliser a little earlier, we would have gone on to win that game. We are very proud of the lads, to go away from home and come back like they did is fantastic."
Both sides toiled hard in extra time but with conditions worsening and tiredness becoming a factor, the match was played at a much slower pace with clear cut chances few and far between. And then came the penalties.
Altrincham boss George Heslop was understandably delighted with the victory and he must now prepare his team for the visit of Darlington in the next round.
Altrincham: Reid; Tansina, Coombs, Hamilton, Grimshaw; Rutledge, Fearon, Riley, Barry; Ofori, Watmore
Lancaster Ciy: Bitner; Hindle, Melville, Hibbert, Lofthouse; Cunningham, Fitzgerald, Lawson,Wadsworth; Bunny, McLoughlin
Referee: Mr L. Taylor (Cheshire)
Assistant Referees: Mr J. Pond (Cheshire) Mr R. Floyd (Cheshire)
