Poulton Victoria 0 Euxton Villa 0 AET          Poulton Vics won 4-2 on penalties

Association of Northern Counties Cup Final

23 April 09 (at Vauxhall Motors  Elsemere Port)

With recent form disappointing and an ever growing injury list, Mark McDonnell had a few surprises for the travelling faithful, sending out a line up that included re-calls for Damian Stewart and Chris Farrer, but still shorn of the unavailable Elliot Dunn, Gavin Cooper, Micheal Clitheroe and longer term absentees Tom Whittaker and Paul Loughlin.  On the more positive side, skipper Darren Davies and the influential Matt Atherton and Stuart Bingham scraped through, some only just, their late fitness tests and David Heald was able to juggle work commitments to make himself available, and indeed what a difference his presence makes. But surely the best bit of business the manager conjured up all week was persuading Ross Baxter to return to the fold and play through the pain, a move that was to prove crucial on a night when even the most partial Villa supporter would have to concede that territorial advantage was clearly with the home side.

A hard and bobbly pitch made it difficult for either side to get the ball down and pass it around, but it was Vics who were first to come to terms with conditions and take early control. A big, strong side with pace and power to match, Vics were quick to close down in all departments, but ironically it was their smaller men who were doing the most damage, with Burrows in particular looking menacing down the left..

Eventually however, Villa were also able to adjust their game to suit the surface and the opposition, and although the Cheshire side continued to press for an opening, it was the visitors who had the first meaningful shot on goal with a Damian Stewart shot from twenty five yards, but a deceptively agile Dave Jones in nets got down well to snuff out the danger.

The first half followed this consistent pattern, Vics having the lions share of possession with Villa’s forays into the opposition penalty area relatively infrequent. Darren Davies, Lee Chambers and Sam Bolton were in outstanding and resolute form however, and with Stuart Bingham offering his usual iron man protection in front, restricted their opponents to few meaningful chances. And Adam McAllister soon got the measure of Burrows and went on to have an outstanding game at right-back.

The second half if anything saw the home side increase their dominance, but, as in the first, when Villa did attack it was with pace and purpose and Stewart’s ability with the dead ball always poses a threat, and although Baxter was much the busier of the custodians on the night, the result was far from a foregone conclusion.

McDonnell played tunes with his available personnel, and Farrer came much more into the game when moved more centrally. David Heald started up front, moved to mid-field and finished the game as a makeshift centre back when Davies finally had to give way to his injury, and of course he was outstanding wherever he found himself.  Villa‘s stalwart defensive play saw the game enter extra time with the sheet still blank, and as the additional period unfolded the match became more evenly contested as both sides visibly tired. Villa almost nicked it near the end when Chris Farrer sprinted half the length of the pitch and fired a low drive, but once again Jones was equal to it. Perhaps the unmarked Stewart was better placed if he had squared instead, but we’ll never know and under such circumstances any striker will nearly always take the shot on.

And so to the lottery of the penalty shootout. Jones pulled off one outstanding save, Vics despatched four textbook penalties before a final wayward effort from Villa saw the trophy go to the Cheshire side.  Not an outcome anyone could argue with, Poulton were the better side, but every man in a Villa shirt stepped up to the plate and did us all proud, and of the five major finals in recent years, this is the first time the lads have had to go up first to collect the runners-up medal.