District FA Youth Cup semi –final
At Congleton Town FC
Macc Youth 4 Stockport Youth 3 a.e.t.
A jubilant Macc Youth team eventually overcame a gritty Stockport side in extra time at Congleton Town to secure a birth in the final of the District Youth Cup against either Wirral or Crewe and Nantwich.
The Stockport lads made up almost entirely of members of Unibond First Division North side Woodley Sports FC ‘s youth team simply ran out of steam having gone a man down following the dismissal of Jack Wilson for a needless second yellow with barely two minutes remaining of normal time.
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| Chris Wilson heads clear |
The match itself wasn’t a classic with play consistently broken up by a series of free kicks but that aside , six of the seven goals scored came as a direct result of either free kicks or corners- defensive coaches take note!!. Stockport took the lead on thirty two minutes , Gaby Oyediwura bundling the ball home from five yards after the Macc defense failed to clear a corner but barely six minutes later Macc were level this time from a free kick . With apparently no danger Josh Sneddon stepped up to curl the ball into Stockport’s penalty area from way out on the left hand touchline. Whether it was sunshine in his eyes or the melee of players infront of him , goalkeeper Joe Mallalieu simply lost the flight of the ball as it crept into the corner of the net.
Six minutes into the second half Macc took the lead, again Josh Sneddon provided the perfect delivery as centre half Tom Dean looped a header over the keeper and into the net. Pacy front man Julian Weatherall had a great chance to make it 3-1 and kill the tie barely five minutes later racing clear of a square Stockport defence but he pulled his shot agonisingly wide of the goal.
Far from being demoralised Stockport came storming back with midfielder Ant Sarcavic at the heart of everything. It was he who came closest to scoring as he saw his free kick brilliantly turned over the bar by Tom Horsfield. Minutes later they did score, Kris Dickinson calmly lopping the ball over the onrushing keeper and into the net off the crossbar from twenty yards to claim the equaliser.
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| Josh Sneddon's free kick creeps in at the far post |
The turning point came with the dismissal of Wilson who brought down substitute Chris Patterson as he charged forward.
Macc really made the man advantage pay in extra time as first Matt Nee then Julian Weatherall went close. Five minutes into the first period Macc took the lead , Chris Holland heading powerfully home from a corner. His celebrations shows how much a place in the final meant to him and the rest of the team but his over exuberance earned him a caution for removing his shirt. As Macc continued to dominate , Stockport’s players began to visibly wilt. In the second period Julian Weatherall headed home unchallenged a deserved fourth from yet another free kick this time deliverered on a plate by Chris Patterson to secure the tie, but there was still time for Josh Granite to grab a third for Stockport just before the final whistle. On the whole a battling performance by Macc Youth epitomised by the work rate of captain Max Williamson who really must be a prized asset to his club side Congleton Town Youth team.
