A typical week in the Alliance
There was nothing new in the Youth Alliance League last weekend. The top three all won, Burnley lost and the only difference was Morecambe, who are bottom of the league, avoided defeat due to two postponements.
It’s still all to play for at the top but with games running out it is making it more and more difficult for Walsall to challenge the top two. They remain three points behind but have played two games more. They can only reach 56 points now so that would mean one of Bury or Wigan getting no more than seven points from five to games to end their hopes.
It really is between the top two now, just as it ended a year ago. Both won again, Bury beating Port Vale and Wigan winning against Carlisle. They are separated only by goal difference with Wigan’s currently plus 31 and Bury’s plus 27.
Both have five games to play, and still have to play each other. Bury, on paper, have the easier of the two fixtures this weekend. They face 12th place Rochdale away while Wigan, also away, play Tranmere who are currently in 5th place.
Two postponements in two days for Morecambe leaves them mathematically still able to get above us, but it is not going to happen and they will again finish bottom this season.
Tristan Jumeau was our goalscorer in the 3-1 defeat at Walsall, a fourth goal of the season for the under-16 player who last Friday was confirmed as one of the ten new scholars for next season.
Unless there is a sudden upturn in results, we’ll be one place above them. We are currently five points behind Carlisle who have only one game to play. Assuming they win that game, and it is against bottom club Morecambe a week on Saturday, we would be looking at having to win all three to finish above them. Even if we do that, it will be our worst ever season in the Youth Alliance League.
We are at home against Preston this Saturday with kick off currently scheduled for 10:30 a.m., half an hour earlier than usual.
All the recent results are below with this week’s fixtures, our goalscorers and the current league table.
RECENT RESULTS
Thursday 7th April
Morecambe v Port Vale – postponed
Saturday 9th April
Accrington v Morecambe – postponed
Blackpool 1 Rochdale 1
Bury 2 Port Vale 0
Carlisle 2 Wigan 4
Walsall 3 Burnley 1
Wrexham 3 Shrewsbury 2
Monday 11th April
Preston 2 Tranmere 3
Tuesday 12th April
Accrington 2 Blackpool 2
THIS WEEK’S FIXTURES
Saturday 16th April
Burnley v Preston (10:30 a.m. kick off)
Fleetwood v Blackpool
Morecambe v Wrexham
Port Vale v Walsall
Rochdale v Bury
Shrewsbury v Accrington
Tranmere v Wigan
BURNLEY’S GOALSCORERS (League & Cup)
8: Josh Dolling
6: Khius Metz. Tommy Wood
5: Nashé Chakwana
4: Tristan Jumeau
2: Tyler Shrimpton, own goals
1: Olatunde Bayode, Miles Fenton, Dwight McNeil, Andy Nugent
CURRENT TABLE
| Team | pld | w | d | l | f | a | pts |
| Wigan Athletic | 23 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 48 | 17 | 50 |
| Bury | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 52 | 25 | 50 |
| Walsall | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 50 | 26 | 47 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 25 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 39 | 26 | 43 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 24 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 40 | 28 | 43 |
| Preston North End | 26 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 39 | 41 | 39 |
| Blackpool | 24 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 41 | 29 | 37 |
| Fleetwood Town | 24 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 32 | 35 | 33 |
| Accrington Stanley | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 32 | 42 | 32 |
| Port Vale | 23 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 28 | 31 |
| Wrexham | 25 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 38 | 48 | 29 |
| Rochdale | 23 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 34 | 40 | 26 |
| Carlisle United | 27 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 35 | 48 | 25 |
| Burnley | 25 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 32 | 59 | 20 |
| Morecambe | 23 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 22 | 70 | 8 |
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