SUMMARY

LINE-UP

ALTRINCHAM YOUTH (Aquamarine shirts and socks and grey shorts) 1. Josh SAMBERG, 2. David BROWN, 3. Matt GRAETZER, 4. Tom CLARKE, 5. Derek UBAH, 6. Pat CRILLY, 7. Spencer CUNLIFFE (capt), 8. Matt TODD, 9. Max POUNCEY, 10. Louis POTTS, 11. Rob GILROY. Subs: 14. Kane HUGHES, 15. Joe COFFEY, 16. Louis BROWN, 17. Tom WESTALL, 18. Steve BULLEN.

REPORT

After Walsall had kicked off, a dipping cross was tipped over for an early Walsall corner. And then disaster struck as Walsall went ahead through an own goal. David Brown had done well to see off Bakayoko up the middle of the pitch but, as keeper Samberg came out, the ball ran off the defender into the vacant net (2 mins).

Soon Samberg had to dive at the feet of a Walsall player as Alty found themselves under the cosh in the opening stages (5 mins). In front of 175 paying customers Ubah halted the Saddlers' leading scorer, Bakayoko, at the cost of another corner before Samberg had to save a mis-header from a Walsall player from a left-wing cross. Samberg was busy again as he produced a fine save from the dangerous left-winger, Reid, who was clean through on goal (10 mins).

Right: Spencer Cunliffe receives close attention from Walsall as Rob Gilroy (11) and Max Pouncey await the outcome.

Alty's best play so far saw Gilroy advance into the opposition's final third before being halted, after which Bakayoko fired well over from left of goal when a pass was the better option. The Walsall pressure continued as Reid won a corner off Brown (14 mins). The Saddlers were playing impressive one touch football at an impressive tempo, whilst Alty were needing too much time on the ball and were forced into hurried passes which soon surrendered possession.

Next, Rush forced a good save, high up, from Samberg (18 mins). Finally, the pressure told when Walsall doubled their lead in the 20th minute. The impressive Rush finished off a fine passing move with a low shot from the edge of the box from McKenzie's feed.

After this McKenzie himself had a shot beaten out by Samberg, before Ashmore fired just over the bar when an Alty clearing header ran to him. Gilroy and Cunliffe now switched wings but Alty were yet to threaten Walsall, who now won another corner, which Clarke cleared (23 mins).

Walsall remained well in control but Crilly did now get forward promisingly, only to be halted 30 yards out from goal. After this, a fine cross from Walsall's right was almost turned in by Bakayoko (29 mins). For Altrincham, Gilroy was looking the most promising outlet but the home keeper remained untroubled.

Next, Delaney side-footed over from 30 yards at the end of another flowing move from the hosts. After Gilroy had won a freekick, the Saddlers threatened again when, for the second time, Bakayoko fired over the bar when he could have passed more profitably (36 mins). Altrincham's best moment arrived when Gilroy made an impressive run from half-way on the right into the centre, holding off challenges, but his shot just cleared the bar (40 mins).

Now Walsall's Delaney won a corner. After Todd had been dispossessed, Reid went down after contact with Brown but no penalty was given. As half-time approached, a long ball cleared Brown but Reid shot wide from a wide angle on the left. Next, Bakayoko headed badly wide from 6 yards (45 mins).

Altrincham had done well to stay in the game and keep it to 2-0 at the interval against a very skilful, quick side.

Early in the second half Bakayoko was given offside but he caught Samberg in his follow-through. The Altrincham keeper required lengthy treatment for a leg injury. During this, the referee sent Bakayoko over to the Alty keeper to express his concern as two Walsall medics came to offer help to Altrincham physio, Alan Ainsley.

Alan's treatment worked, as Samberg was able to resume after a long stoppage, but he did not take goalkicks afterwards. Indeed, from the Clarke goalkick which re-started play, the ball went via Pouncey to Gilroy, who won Altrincham's first corner. From this, the ball fell to Potts, who shot high and wide from 25 yards (52 mins).

A good Ashmore cross kept the pressure on the visitors and, then, a fine 25-yarder from McKenzie forced a Samberg save (57 mins). Next, an impressive long ball allowed Ashmore to win a corner as Altrincham remained on the back foot (58 mins).

Soon, David Brown started a promising Alty move in which Gilroy's good pass just evaded Potts but at the other end another excellent Ashmore run up the right got the Walsall defender into the box and his cross yielded another corner.

But, after this, just as Altrincham were promising to get forward a bit more, McKenzie's low cross from the right evaded Ubah and Bakayoko side-footed a goal from a central position to make it 3-0 (67 mins).

Now striker Kane Hughes came on for midfielder Pat Crilly (68 mins) as Ubah's good cover conceded a corner. Walsall now brought on Levi Rowley for McKenzie before the game went through a fairly quiet spell. After 76 minutes, Alty made another swap as Louis Brown came on for Potts, followed by Walsall's Shakespeare replacing Bakayoko.

A penetrating Christopherou run led to a Rush shot, which Samberg saved, before Ubah blocked another Rush effort as Walsall re-exerted some pressure on the Altrincham defence where Graetzer was having a steady game at left-back (80 mins).

Kyle Rowley now came on as a final substitute, for Delaney, (83 mins) before Shakespeare was fouled on the front edge of the box. Hughes needed treatment before the freekick could be taken. However, when it was taken, Rush scored with a firm, low shot (85 mins).

It was now one-way traffic towards Alty's goal, a trend interrupted when, after 88 minutes, Coffey replaced Cunliffe. But Walsall soon were back threatening the Alty goal as a Rush screamer struck the bar from 25 yards. Nevertheless, some three or more added minutes did not alter the 4-0 scoreline. This result was certainly no disgrace for Altrincham who were up against an extremely impressive Walsall team who will certainly test Premiership West Bromwich Albion's team in the next round. All at Altrincham wish them good luck.