Youngsters set sights on final

ATHLETIC'S under-18s face Darlington tomorrow in the northern final of the Football League Youth Alliance Cup (noon kick-off at Chapel Road).

The winners of the tie will go on to face the victors of the southern final, contested between Wycombe and Southend, in a nationwide showpiece that is second only to the FA Youth Cup final.

Tony Philliskirk's charges enter the game on the back of a 3-3 draw at home to Macclesfield in their latest Football League Youth Alliance clash.

It was a tale of two halves for Tony Philliskirk's side: awful in the first, excellent in the second — despite having Andrew Crompton sent off for violent conduct after the break.

Crompton's free-kick and a goal from Danny Bell, the latter arriving after good work from schoolboys Joe Cooper and Chris Sutherland, put Athletic 2-1 up before they conceded a goal from a corner soon after.

Ryan Burns then helped another schoolboy, Carlton McIntosh, to a third goal for the home team — only for an equaliser to arrive around a minute later.

The scoring was complete around the hour mark and the main other talking point was Crompton's red card.

The five schoolboys involved — Cooper, McIntosh, Sutherland, Jack Poxon and goalkeeper Luke Simpson — all did well.

After the Darlington game, Athletic must double-up by playing out a Lancashire Cup semi-final away at Tranmere on Monday.