Preston North End 0-1 Shrewsbury Town
: Shrewsbury Town v Morecambe (Saturday 20 February, Football League Youth Alliance - North West league, 11am kick-off). NEXT FIXTURE
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ASSISTANTS: Sam McKelvie & Mike Thompson.
: Liam Marshall REFEREE
BOOKED: Tracey (67), Boyd (70).
UNUSED SUBS: Callum Lenton, Callum Tait.
: Callum Roberts (GK); Clive Smith, Sean Whelan (C), Lamin Jagne, Jack Burgoyne (James Boyd, 55), Adam Robinson, Dylan Davidson (Oliver Crankshaw, 45+4), Melle Meulensteen, Freddie Tracey (Tom Barry, 77), Jonathon Lunney, Josh Earl. PRESTON NORTH END LINE-UP
BOOKED: Roberts (45+3).
GOALS: Ethan Jones (47).
UNUSED SUBS: Joel Bonner, Joe Kenton.
: Charlie Bannister (GK); Ryan Sears, Callum Roberts, George Hughes, Callum Grogan (C), Chris Gallagher (Mathew Jones, 88), Jack Butts, John McAtee (Joel Carta, 83), Jordan Wilson (George Hassall, 14), Ethan Jones, Nathan Millis. SHREWSBURY TOWN LINE-UP
FULL-TIME: Preston North End 0-1 Shrewsbury Town
A date, time and venue for the final will be confirmed in due course.
But Town held on to book their place in the Youth Alliance Cup Final.
North End captain Whelan also headed over from a corner at the far post with two minutes to go.
Preston piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser and Bannister was required to make several good catches and punches in his area.
The on-loan Aston Villa ‘keeper was then required to parry away Melle Meulensteen’s long range strike for the hosts two minutes later.
At the other end, Town goalkeeper Charlie Bannister was forced into a superb stop with his legs to deny North End substitute Oliver Crankshaw.
The striker then turned and thumped the ball in at the top right corner to put his side in front.
Jack Butts sent in a low cross from the right towards Ethan Jones on the edge of the box.
Preston got the second period underway but it was the Shrews who took the lead inside just two minutes of the restart.
HALF-TIME: Preston North End 0-0 Shrewsbury Town
And neither side could break the deadlock before the interval.
At the other end, Preston’s best chance of the half fell for Jonathon Lunney as he was picked out by Freddie Tracey, but his shot in front of goal was well blocked by Callum Roberts.
John McAtee then saw low shot from the right tipped around the post well by Preston goalkeeper Callum Roberts a minute later.
Ethan Jones went close again to breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute as his shot from the edge of the box deflected over.
However, Dawes was forced into an early change as Wilson came off injured with Hassall his replacement in attack.
Town got the game underway at Springfields and Ethan Jones saw a low effort from long range well held by the North End goalkeeper in the first minute.
FIRST HALF
Callum Roberts, George Hughes, Chris Gallagher, Jack Butts, Jordan Wilson and Ethan Jones all came back into the side in place of Joel Carta, Jacob Rammell, Joe Kenton, Tom King, George Hassall and Mathew Jones.
Head of Academy coaching Ian Dawes made six changes to the side which beat Port Vale 1-0 in their last outing.
TEAM NEWS
Shrewsbury will face either Luton Town or Swindon Town in the final, with the two clashing in the Southern Area Final.
A stunning strike from Ethan Jones within two minutes of the second half was enough to fire Town to the win in the clash at Springfields Training Ground.
Shrewsbury Town reached the Football League Youth Alliance Cup Final with victory at Preston North End on Saturday.