Words Kian Leckey Picture Jonathan Moore

Steven Gerrard Academy 4 Altrincham 1

The Young Robins started the game brightly, creating several good goal-scoring opportunities in the opening stages.

However, it was Steven Gerrard who took the lead when their winger beat Alty’s right-back down the line before drilling a low cross into the box, where an attacker tapped in from six yards out.

Alty responded well and continued to apply pressure to the SG Academy back line in search of an equaliser.

Their persistence paid off late in the first half with a well-worked team goal. Leckey played a goal kick in to Bunting, who then delivered a long pass to Sneyd.

Sneyd (pictured) controlled the ball, turned and played it wide to winger Denise, who beat his man one-on-one down the line before delivering a perfectly weighted cross into the box for Sneyd to finish at the front post.

Alty continued to push forward until the half-time whistle, looking to build on their momentum.

The second half began with SG Academy applying immediate pressure on the young Robins’ defence.

Their pressure soon paid off when a cross into the box found an attacker unmarked, allowing him to head home and restore his side's lead.

Despite Alty’s efforts to push forward again, with substitutes Molloy, Tattersall, Summerfield and Moses bringing fresh legs and energy, SG Academy continued to apply pressure.

Defensive gaps allowed an SG Academy attacker to run on to a ball in behind and calmly slot his finish into the far corner to make it 3–1.

The home side added a fourth in the closing moments when a long ball from their goalkeeper was misjudged by the Alty defence, allowing the attacker to break through and round the Robins keeper before tapping into an empty net.

Matchday squad:

Christopher Antoniades
Theo Bunting
Afernee Denise
Raffi Ferreday
John Gbolagun
Joshua Herreaman
Kian Leckey
Callum McCormack
Benjamin Mensah
William Molloy
Nathaniel Moses
William Sneyd
Connor Summerfield
Jimmy Taafe
Thomas Tattersall