The Silkmen Youth Team finished off their North West Youth Alliance in style at the weekend with a comprehensive 3-0 away to Accrington Stanley. And according to manager John Askey it could have been a lot more had his team made the most of the many chances they created.

"We dominated the first half and were certainly good value for our 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Danny White and Chris Hirst (pictured). We could have had a hatful after the break but in the end had just a solitary strike from Christian Millar for our efforts. But we never looked troubled as I can't recall them having a single shot on target," explained John.

Despite finishing their league programme a week earlier than most sides, the team will remain in training for another week and no doubt the eleven second year scholars will be nervously awaiting news as to whether they will be offered a professional contract for next season.

"I hope to be sitting down with the manager over the course of the next few days to agree a list of those players we want to keep on. It's never an easy task letting anyone know they are to be released, especially when it is someone you have worked closely with over the last two years. But even though the task doesn't get any easier each year, it is something we have to do as much as we would like to keep them all on," confirmed John.

"We do provide them with career advice during their time with us. Some hopefully will have a 'Plan B' but I suspect others won't and the decision will hit them hard. But there are many examples of players who bounce back from a set back at this stage either by playing at semi-pro whilst working, or by finding another club."

Latest Results

Accrington Stanley 1 -1 Preston North End

Wigan Athletic 2 - 2 Rochdale

Carlisle United 1 - 3 Wigan Athletic

Accrington Stanley 0 - 3 Macclesfield Town

Carlisle United 3 - 3 Burnley

Morecambe 0 - 0 Tranmere Rovers

Preston North End 2 - 0 Bury

Wigan Athletic 5 - 0 Rochdale

Remaining Fixtures

Rochdale v Preston North End

Accrington Stanley v Tranmere Rovers

Burnley v Port Vale

Morecambe v Carlisle United

Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

Accrington Stanley v Wigan Athletic

Bury v Burnley

Carlisle United v Preston North End

Oldham Athletic v Walsall

Port Vale v Morecambe

Latest Standings

Puma Youth Alliance Tables (up to & including 20th April 2008)

North West Conference

Pld

W

D

L

For

Agt

GD

Pts

1

Walsall

26

17

5

4

58

34

+24

56

2

Macclesfield Town

27

15

5

7

61

32

+29

50

3

Wigan Athletic

24

15

4

5

52

22

+30

49

4

Blackpool

27

15

4

8

62

52

+10

49

5

Carlisle United

25

15

3

7

54

35

+19

48

6

Chester City

27

12

5

10

36

33

+3

41

7

Burnley

24

12

2

10

53

42

+11

38

8

Wrexham

27

10

7

10

40

35

+5

37

9

Oldham Athletic

26

11

4

11

60

60

0

37

10

Bury

26

11

4

11

46

52

-6

37

11

Preston North End

24

11

3

10

47

39

+8

36

12

Stockport County

27

11

3

13

50

55

-5

36

13

Tranmere Rovers

26

9

8

9

40

38

+2

35

14

Port Vale

25

9

7

9

38

39

-1

34

15

Morecambe

25

5

4

16

39

60

-21

19

16

Accrington Stanley

25

5

4

16

32

74

-42

19

17

Rochdale

26

4

6

16

47

73

-26

18

18

Shrewsbury Town

27

4

4

19

27

67

-40

16