Skool super-subs shine bright

SO CLOSE: Callum Barrow, of Alt Athletic, can't believe it a goal goes begging against Old Skool

Old Skool 4, Alt Athletic 3 (after extra-time, 3-3 after 90 minutes)

ABBAS Mahmood played a major role for Old Skool as an early substitute as his side progressed to the second round of the Oldham Sunday League Division One Shield at the Chapel Road 3G.

Normally a first-team regular, an issue with the clocks being put forward meant that Mahmood turned up late for the tie against Alt Athletic.

Twenty minutes late to be exact, but Old Skool manager Amjad Ali, using the roll-on, roll-off substitute system, had no hesitation in introducing Mahmood to the action immediately - to good effect.

TRAILED

By that time, Old Skool trailed to two well-struck Carl Norris goals for Athletic.

Mahmood pulled a goal back for Old Skool just before the hour mark, only for a Trent Johns strike to seemingly set Athletic on course for Shield success.

The player that Mahmood replaced in that early period was Sakib Shafiq, who later re-entered the fray to score the goal that gave Old Skool hope.

Hope turned to joy as Mahmood bagged a late leveller to send the tie into a period of extra-time.

And it was another substitute - Murtaza Neveed - who slotted home from 14 yards after Mahmood's precise pass into his path in the first period of extra-time.

Despite the promptings of another substitute - Darren Diveney - Alt just didn't have the legs to take the tie to a penalty shoot-out.

'STRUGGLING

Ali said: "We were poor for 60 or 70 minutes and we were struggling at 2-0 down at half-time.

"It was a great comeback and a real team effort. We are a young team and with each game we are learning and getting better."

Athletic secretary Lee Bromley said: "We should win it at 3-1 up, but there were some tired legs out there with us not having played for four or five weeks because of the weather.

"Our fitness levels definitely played a part in us losing."

OLD SKOOL: Ishque, Javid, K Ali, Alam, Iylas, Butt, Hussain, Sabani, Paul, H Ali, Shafiq. Subs: Neveed, Sajjad, Mahmood, Khaliq.

ALT ATHLETIC: S Barrow, C Barrow, T Johns, C Diveney, D Johns, Tupman, D Diveney, Hawes, Brooks, Norris, Cooper. Subs: Igo, Flint, R Diveney.

STAR MAN: Darren Diveney - (Alt Athletic) Substitute gave a Gascoigne-esque performance.

REFEREE: D Szuminski.