( 3 ) ( 1 )
Thompson 2
Stewart 2( Pens )
Bradshaw
 

A hard fought game with Villa twice being pegged back before finally finishing comfortable winners.

The home side pressed from the start against a team determined to make a game of it. Early chances fell to the Villa. Following a free kick the ball came to Ian Kirkpatrick on the right, his shot was just over the bar, minutes later he came close again with a back header following a long throw from Danny Brown. For the first half hour they were few chances for either side. Mick Bradshaw had a low shot saved, then Ian Kirkpatrick saw his downward header saved following a cross from the left.

On the half-hour Villa eventually broke the deadlock, Matt Conway chased a through ball into the box, he rounded the keeper only to be tripped, the Referee correctly awarded a penalty. Damian Stewart made no mistake from the kick, beating the keeper to his left. Villa could have increased their lead five minutes later when Liam Conway was set free down the right, only for his low shot to fly inches wide. Two minutes later and Euxton were two up, a low ball into the box was not cleared and Michael Thompson's low shot found the net at the foot of the post.

Just as Villa started to relax BAC pulled a goal back. A free kick from the right was headed into the Villa net. The home side responded well and regained their two goal advantage two minutes later. A Villa corner on the right was not cleared by the BAC defence and the ball came to Michael Thompson on the edge of the area, from where he drove a low shot into the bottom corner. On the stroke of half time Damien Stewart set up a chance for Matt Conway, but his shot was just wide.

The early part of the second half was very close as BAC worked hard to get back into the match, both sides had chances, Damien Stewart had a shot blocked, then BAC came close with a low shot. Liam Conway did have the ball in the net after fifty three minutes , turning in a Damien Stewart cross, only for the effort to be ruled offside. The visitors felt they were still in the game and came close again on the hour with a shot across the face of goal. Three minutes later they did pull a goal back when a low cross from the right was unfortunately turned into his own net by Ian Kirkpatrick.

It was now very tense for the home side, but with six minutes remaining Villa were awarded a second penalty when Mark Swift was clearly upended in the box. Once again Damien Stewart was on target from the spot, this time beating the keeper to his right. This totally deflated the visitors and they conceded again a minute later. Their defence failed to clear a corner and from the edge of the area Mick Bradshaw sent a perfectly placed shot into the top corner.

For the remaining minutes it was all Villa as they finished strongly, they could have increased their lead further with a minute to go, Mark Swift saw his goal bound effort tipped over the bar. Not a vintage performance from Villa, but still a deserved win in the end.

Team - Gibbs, McAlister, ( Winstanley ) Brown, ( Swift ) O'Loughlin, Crombie, L.Conway, Bradshaw, M.Conway, Stewart, Kirkpatrick, Thompson, ( Zverina ) Not used - Bland