Top-flight target for young talent

HEADING FOR A FALL: Athletic’s Alex Parkes goes to ground under a challenge from Accrington's Marcus Carver.

MACCLESFIELD Town stand between Athletic’s under-18s and a taste of Premier League quality.

Tomorrow’s second-round FA Youth Cup tie at Boundary Park pits the npower League Two club’s youngsters against Tony Philliskirk’s charges (7pm kick-off).

The coveted prize for the victors is a visit to Norwich City in round three. Athletic have experience in recent times of taking on top-flight talent and Philliskirk believes the chance to do so again at Carrow Road will spur on his young side.

“Our aim is to reach the third round of the competition and draw a Premier League side,” said Athletic's head of youth. Over the last few years we have managed it, with Manchester City coming here and travelling to play Newcastle at St James’s Park. It would be good to go to play at another top-class ground in Carrow Road.”

Macclesfield, like Athletic mid-table dwellers in the Football League Youth Alliance’s North-West Conference, won’t be pushovers. The home team at least go into the tie on the back of a positive result.

Resting second-year scholars Kyle Riley, Jack Laird, Glenn Belezika and Luke Simpson with tomorrow in mind, Philliskirk’s side did well against a physical Accrington outfit to win 2-0 at Chapel Road.

After a goalless first half, Athletic started moving the ball more quickly as the match progressed.

Five minutes after emerging as a substitute on the hour mark, Chris Sutherland produced an interception and took the ball around the visiting goalkeeper to register the first goal of the game.

With Joel Coleman excelling in goal, Athletic wrapped up the victory when Ryan Burns’ free-kick careered on to the underside of the crossbar, with the referee ruling it had bounced over the line.

“We could have got another goal and I was pleased with the way we defended against a big, strong side,” Philliskirk added. If Athletic progress, the tie at Norwich will be on December 13.