FA Youth Cup First Round
at Sandy Lane
Handsworth Parramore (0) 0
Crewe Alexandra (0) 2
Luke Walsh 55
Malaki Linton 57
Admission £3. Programme 50p inc. free teamsheet
Handsworth have a similar reputation at a more regionalised level, and having already seen off two very good sides in Ossett Albion and AFC Telford United, they were fired up for the first round proper game in front of a decent sized crowd, under the lights at Sandy Lane.
But Lee Bell's youngsters were a cut above anything that the Ambers have faced in the FA Youth Cup so far this season and they had that bit more in their tank, to see them past their very spirited hosts, who put a hell of a lot of effort in but were edged out of the competition by a very strong and superbly organised team on the the night.
While the Parras really are, as it says on the tin 'Real football made in Sheffield', a local club for local people in the truest sense, the Football League academy sides have designated recruitment officers and a nationwide scouting network, to entice youngsters in from far and wide.
Which obviously gives the teams from further up the food chain a massive advantage on nights such as this, but all FA knockout competitions are great levellers and the Railwaymen game needed to keep up the tempo and stay on top of their game as the Handsworth youngsters gave it a proper go.
I wouldn't suggest for one moment that any of these full time academy set ups, put aside one day a month, or whatever, to train players to 'master in the dark arts', but if, hypothetically of course,they did have, then Crewe's number two, Travis Johnson, would have passed that part of his syllabus with flying colours.
That isn't a criticism of the Alex right back, far from it, he's the first person I'd want on my team sheet if I was he visitors manager, because as well as the above average amount of skill he obviously possesses, he also gets in among the opposition, like a ferret down a rabbit hole, unsettling them and knocking them out of their stride and putting them off their game. Johnson's approach, was a great example of sports psychology at it's evil best He got away with murder, but I was very impressed that somebody so young was already clued up enough to destabilise the host teams shape in such a thorough and effective manner, but with subtlety to hoodwink the match officials.
Should I be enthusing about the blatant implementation of gamesmanship in youth football?
Of course I should! Youth football is not kids football, it's the last tier of development before the ultimate step up to adult football and once players get there, they're going to need a whole load of the sort of attributes and bad habits Johnson displayed to survive, regardless of how good their technique and ball skills are. Travis Johnson really impressed me no end, he is the sort of player who'll get inside your head and worry the life out of you... and though they won't thank me for saying it right now, the experience and steep learning curve of having to deal with a nightmare like the Crewe right back, will stand lads like Tyler Brradley in good stead for the future, far more than if he'd been given free reign to run amok on the flank tonight by a less sussed marker.
Luke Walsh, who netted the visitors first goal was a class act too, which is why Crewe were using him as their pivotal creative player every-time they looked to set up any kind of attacking move and Joe Thompson's close control, saw him making run after mazy run across the Ambers half of the pitch, while exactly knowing when to put a few twists, turns, flicks and tricks into his game and precisely when to release the ball for the good of his team.
That Handsworth put up such a spirited and resilient display against this very talented and organised team, speaks volumes for where they are in the grand scheme of things and must serve as notice of just how high the bar could be set, if they can put into place a few of the things they will no doubt have picked up from coming up against such a high calibre side tonight. Not that they need to make any really drastic improvements and amendments to squeeze that extra few percent out of this homegrown team. Sometimes, a winning habit, against a whole host of inferior teams breeds complacency and doesn't necessarily help youngsters develop as players... they stop learning and improving when that sort of scenario sets in.
But, ironic as it might seem, these Handsworth lads will have learned more about themselves and the game of football itself, from their ninety minute slog tonight, than they ever would from a row of back to back wins. And odd as it might seem, but that is meant by way as a massive compliment. The Ambers youngsters have the nous to pick the positives out of this defeat and they certainly have the right coaches in situ to instill the self belief in these lads that if they are good enough to run a team like Crewe Alexandra close, then there is no reason why they can't aspire to reach similar heights themselves.
It was difficult not to feel sorry for Callum Turner when he conceded the first goal after fifty five minutes, because right from the outset when the Ambers keeper had denied Joe Lynch, he'd had a really good game.
One or two of his saves were a little unorthodox, but effective and he'd rode his luck a couple of times, but Turner was a solid contender for man of the match, along with Connor Cutts who'd tracked the visitors centre forward Alex Hurst like a shadow all night.
But having just reshuffled their team line and shape, moments before Walsh struck the thirty yard shot that opened the scoring, Crewe visibly grew in confidence and when one the the substitutes who had just entered the fray, Malaki Linton, stabbed the ball past Turner from five yards out at the back stick after Hurst had done well to make room to cross the ball from out on the left flank, The Ambers had to close ranks and indulge in a damage limitation exercise for a while.
But having found their second wind, after surviving a few scares and near misses, including a double miss by Linton who hit the left hand upright from close range and scuffed the ball wide when it rebounded straight back to him, Handsworth picked up the ante and finished the game well.
Alfie Dodsworth's none stop running deserved a goal, but it wasn't to be as he tussled gamely with his marker Luke Barlow, who must've been at least two feet taller than the Handsworth number ten and Aaaron Mushet went close from just to the right hand side of the Crewe goal inside the closing minutes. That would have set up a grandstand finish to the game as half the population of Handsworth who had travelled in along the A57 tonight kept encouraging their young side.
In stoppage time Dodsworth forced Will Appleyard, the visitors keeper to palm the all away at full stretch, but Crewe held on for the win and given the balance of play after half time, you'd have to say it was a fair result.
FT: Handsworth Parramore U18 0 v Crewe Alexandra U18 2
Good luck to 'Alex' who now face Shrewsbury Town in the second round of the FA Youth Cup after the Shrews beat Evesham United 3-0 in their game tonight.
Handsworth Parramore U18's can be more than proud of their efforts both tonight and in this season's FA Youth Cup as a whole. Keep on keeping on!
