Alty 4 Vauxhall Motors 2 (after extra time)

4:34pm Thursday 18th September 2008

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ALTY’S goal drought came to an end after 513 minutes but their 4-2 win over Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday night did little to inspire confidence.

The Robins needed extra time to defeat their Blue Square North opponents - a team that had been thumped 4-0 at home the previous Saturday.

They even went in at the break 1-0 down in the Cheshire Senior Cup First Round clash, trailing Karl Noon’s 30th minute strike.

Matters improved after the break and two second half goals from substitute Joe O’Neill looked to have sealed victory - but only until Chris Noone equalised five minutes from time.

After suffering a couple of early extra time scares, the nervy Robins finally took control of the game, Greg Young and Chris Senior securing their passage into the next round.

This game was meant to be a chance for Alty to start rebuilding their shattered confidence.

Prior to Vauxhall’s visit, they had not scored in any of their previous four outings - their last goal coming against Wrexham more than three weeks before.

It showed, badly.

A strong Alty side could barely string three passes together, let alone muster a decent effort on goal, and Vauxhall took full advantage.

Former Robins striker Pat McFadden twice went close in the early stages before his match was cruelly curtailed by injury after just 26 minutes.

But his replacement was more than adequate.

Within four minutes of coming on Noon pounced to lash the ball home from close range after Andy Ralph had made a superb double-save from Mattie Burke and Noone.

Even that failed to spark Alty into life, although Colin Little did come close six minutes before the break.

Impressive debutant Shaun Densmore curled a decent cross into the box and Little got in front of his man, only for former Alty trialist James Coates to make a good save.

With the introduction of Senior and O’Neill for Little and Warren Peyton at the break, the hosts finally upped their performance levels.

The chances began to stack up and O’Neill even had the ball in the net on 57 minutes but he was adjudged to be offside as he put away Chris Lane’s looping header from an Anthony Danylyk free kick.

Pressure began to take its toll on Vauxhall and a frantic spell saw them enjoy three lucky escapes in the space of 30 seconds.

First, O’Neill’s 20-yard blast was parried by Coates, then Senior’s follow-up was blocked by a defender before O’Neill responded again, only to see his low shot tipped brilliantly round the post by Coates.

But they couldn’t hold out long.

Just a minute later, O’Neill reacted quickest to smash the ball home after Senior’s cut-back had been deflected through a crowd of players.

Chris Denham, Senior and Young all came close to a second goal as the red and white tide battered against the visitors’ defences.

And Vauxhall finally succumbed when O’Neill found space on the edge of the area and drilled a low shot into the corner of the net, just evading the fingertips of Coates.

Seemingly home and dry, Alty self-destructed.

Diabolical defending allowed Lee Owens a clear run down the right and when Ralph spilled his cross, Noone bundled home.

It was a similar story in extra time, as Alty laid siege to the visitors’ defence, while still showing signs of serious weakness in their own backline.

Danylyk came to his side’s rescue, doing his best Superman impression to head Burke’s stinging effort offf the line, while at the opposite end Young headed Denham’s precise delivery over the bar from point blank range.

Alty heads were in hands when Thomas Rooney, cousin of Manchester United’s Wayne, rammed home from close range but luckily, the striker had crept offside as Ralph saved Alan Griffiths powerful free kick.

But as Vauxhall ran out of fuel, the hosts finally pulled away in the last six minutes.

Coates recovered after flapping at a Lawton corner to save from Mark McGregor but the ball fell for Young to score from six yards.

And the victory was completed in the final minute of extra time when Lane cleared off the line and Alty countered, Senior linking up well with O’Neill before rounding the keeper to score.

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Alty man of the match: Shaun Densmore. Simply outstanding on his Alty debut.

Densmore was solid in defence and got up and down the right flank well, showing crispness in his passing and accuracy in his crossing.

Still only 19, he may prove to be a real find.

Alty (4-4-2): Ralph 7; Densmore 8, McGregor 7, Lane 6, Tierney 5; Lawton 6, Street 7 (Young 67, 7), Danylyk 7, Peyton 5 (O'Neill 46, 8); Little 5(Senior 46, 7); Denham 6.
Subs not used: Doughty, Meechan.
Goals: O'Neill 69, 82; Young 114; Senior 120.
Bookings: Densmore 109 (unsporting behaviour), Young 112 (unsporting behaviour).

Vauxhall (4-4-2): Coates 8; Owens 6, Brannan 6, Griffiths 7, Egerton 6 (Holmes 80); Holden 6, Hannigan 7, Burke 7, Noone 7 (Wright 114); McFadden 6 (Noon 26, 8), Rooney.
Sub not used: Nelson.
Goals: Noon 30; Noone 85

Attendance: 128