FA Inter-League Cup Report

FA Inter League Cup First Round

Northern Alliance 1 Yorkshire Amateur 2 (after extra time)

The Angel was looking the other way when the Northern Alliance needed her most at the Dunston UTS Stadium.

Luck certainly wasn’t on the League’s side as substitute Barry Frankland came off the bench to grab a late double that sent the Alliance crashing out of the FA Inter League Cup.

Frankland, who plays for Stanningley, ensured that the White Rose representative outfit were celebrating as he headed in a late equaliser then snapped up the winner in the first period of extra time.

The Alliance, who were represented by players from Harraby CC and Carlisle City, certainly didn’t disgrace themselves in the prestigious competition as they bossed the first half.

With the Yorkshire defence looking hesitant in the opening minutes, Darren Addison shot just wide and Chris Ferrie warmed the visiting keeper’s gloves with a 20-yarder soon after.

And when Dan Balmer sent over a high, looping cross that saw the keeper and a defender clatter into each other, Giuseppe Amato reacted quickest and smashed the loose ball into the net from close range for the opener in the 14^th minute.

Within minutes Amato almost added a second when his back post half-volley from 12 yards shaved the bar and flew over.

Yorkshire nearly got back into the game in the 34^th minute as Alliance keeper Adam Bradley was at full stretch to keep out a 20 yard free kick and he then reacted smartly to dive and turn away a shot from the rebound.

Ferrie then had the Yorkshire keeper scrambling to turn his 25-yard free kick around the post as the Alliance finished the first half brightly.

Midfields were very much on top in the second period but as they game went into its final twenty minutes, it began to open up.

Frankland fired over the angle of bar and post and at the other end Rob Bainbridge fired straight at the keeper when he had other options.

Carl Murphy beat the visitor’s keeper with a measured chip but had his head in his hands as it agonisingly bounced back into the grateful stoppers arms.

Yorkshire turned up the pressure in the last ten minutes and were rewarded when they were wrongly awarded a corner that saw Frankland rise highest at the far post to head home. So much for the protective qualities of the Angel, then.

And although Andy Rogerson went close with a header and a volley, the Alliance were dealt a cruel blow in stoppage time when Matthew Bell dipped his head towards the keeper as he climbed over him to catch the ball from a corner and was shown a straight red card.

Yorkshire made the extra man count and in the 12^th minute of the first period of extra time Frankland went clear and slipped the ball past the advancing Bradley for the winner.

So it is Yorkshire Amateur who will now visit the Isle of Man League in the second round of the competition, the winners of which go on to represent England in the Uefa Regions Cup.