National League Cup Semi-Final

Altrincham 1 (Amaluzor 66’)

Leeds United U21 2 (Monteiro 38’, McDonald 53’)

Altrincham: Ansen (GK), Banks, Cooper (Baines 56’), Osborne (C), Kosylo (Amaluzor 46’), Griffiths (Crawford 48’), Weaver, Wilson (Thompson 70’), Reddin, Golden, Dolan. Subs not used: Randle (GK), Whittle, Bywater.

Leeds: Mahady (GK), Douglas, Ferguson, Monteiro, Debayo, Moore, Chambers (Nfonkeu 46’), Cresswell (C), Vincent, Chadwick, McDonald (Richards 82’). Subs not used: Grainger (GK), Firth, Pickles.

Venue: The J. Davidson Stadium

Referee: Garreth Rhodes

Booked: Golden, Kosylo (Altrincham) Chadwick, Moore, Chambers, Monteiro (Leeds)

Attendance: 1,025 (227 away)

Leeds United Under-21s booked their spot in the final of the National League Cup with a fantastic 2-1 victory over Altrincham at the J. Davidson Stadium.

Goals either side of the break from Diogo Monteiro and Josh McDonald proved enough for the Whites in Greater Manchester in front of a vocal travelling contingent, meaning they will now face Sutton United away from home with silverware up for grabs!

Scott Gardner’s side started brightly and Caleb Ansen was first called into action as the visitors launched a quick break, with the Robins’ stopper equal to midfielder Rhys Chadwick’s low drive.

The goalkeeper’s next intervention was even more impressive, diving full stretch to his right to parry a rasping Connor Ferguson effort after the full-back had been found in space by skipper Alfie Cresswell.

Both teams were threatening with a place in the final at stake; Altrincham’s Matty Kosylo thundered a powerful attempt which sailed narrowly over the upright before, down the other end, Harvey Vincent was dispossessed inside the area after marauding in-field from the right flank.

The lively attacker, on the evening deployed in a central role, was then involved in an incisive move deep into the hosts’ territory, teeing up Monteiro who drilled narrowly wide from distance.

The Robins would have taken the lead shortly after the hour mark if not for a fine reflex save from Rory Mahady, reacting brilliantly well to tip Lewis Banks’ point-blank-range opportunity onto the post and away from danger.

After a cynical challenge from Tylor Golden awarded the Whites a free kick on the edge of the home side’s area, the foot of the upright was again left shaking, this time by a whipped Rhys Chadwick effort.

Luckily for the Whites, Monteiro was on hand to emphatically smash home the rebound, handing Leeds the advantage before the break.

Altrincham went desperately close to levelling proceedings moments before referee Garreth Rhodes’ half-time whistle sounded, as Regan Griffiths and Kahrel Reddin both had close range attempts charged down superbly by blue shirts.

HALF TIME: Altrincham 0-1 Leeds United U21

The teams emerged for the second 45 minutes with a change apiece, as Brooklyn Nfonkeu replaced Sam Chambers for the Whites whilst Kosylo made way for Justin Amaluzor for the hosts.

Moments after play had resumed, Mahady made another crucial save for Gardner’s side, doing excellently well to parry Callum Dolan’s rifled drive before reacting quickly to clutch the rebound with red and white shirts lurking inside the penalty area.

In typical fashion of the end-to-end encounter, United then launched an incisive break, resulting in Vincent fizzing a well struck shot agonisingly beyond the far post.

Monteiro, stepping out from the back and into the midfield, then threaded an intricate pass in behind the hosts’ backline which McDonald raced onto.

Surging into the Robins’ penalty area, the Scottish winger twisted one way and then another before drilling past Ansen and into the back of the net to double the Whites’ advantage!

Leeds, attacking the end the vocal travelling supporters were housed, were playing some scintillating football and Chadwick crossed dangerously looking for Vincent, though Lewis Baines was well placed for the home side to hack clear.

Phil Parkinson’s team halved the deficit through substitute Justin Amaluzor, who fired low into the bottom corner after being found in space by Dolan with just over 20 minutes of time remaining.

Momentum was beginning to shift and Amaluzor went close to grabbing a quickfire second as he flashed an enticing delivery across the face of goal, before Baines and Banks both saw efforts blocked well by blue shirts, and Elliot Osborne struck the woodwork with an in-swinging corner.

Versatile defender Connor Douglas then prevented a certain leveller, doing brilliantly well to divert Remi Thompson’s close-range chance behind, after the ball had bundled into the midfielder’s path at the back post.

Monteiro and Ferguson were next to preserve United’s lead, with the duo putting their bodies on the line to deny Dolan and the subsequent goalmouth scramble that followed Reddin’s low cross from the left.

Vincent, who had led the line impressively all evening, thought he had sealed the tie as he raced onto Nfonkeu’s through ball and buried a low strike into the bottom corner, only for the assistant’s flag to be raised for an offside against the attacker.

In the dying moments, the hosts threw everything forward looking to take the encounter to penalties, but United defended superbly to ensure they progressed to the final of the competition!

FULL TIME: Altrincham 1-2 Leeds United U21