What a cracking game of football – all that was lacking from a Villa point of view was the winning goal!  On a perfect night for playing football, both sides tried to do justice to the venue and play a flowing and passing game. Turton hit the ground running and had Villa on the back foot until the visitors got to grips with the unfamiliar lights, but when they settled, the Euxton side came back into it, and in fact it was they who dictated the play during most of the second half.  On chances created it could have finished five three to the visitors, and both sides will feel that with a better rub of the green, they could easily have nicked it.

Although it was Turton who had the advantage for the first twenty minutes or so, in fact it was Villa who came closest to grabbing an early advantage with ten minutes gone.  Sam Bolton, ranging all over the pitch, tried his luck with a stinger from twenty-five yards, which the keeper could only parry. George Craddock latched on to the loose ball, but blasted over from practically under the bar. Less than ten minutes later, Craddock saw a shot fly just the wrong side of the upright after Michael Clitheroe and Elliot Dunn had combined to carve out the opening.

But it was the home side who were to draw first blood just before the half hour, and a fine goal it was too. Good work down the right was rounded off with a square ball across the eighteen yard line, which was met with a first time shot on the turn, and Matt Jackson saw it too late to get down in time.

Euxton began the second half in determined mood, and had the visitors worried early when Matt Atherton weaved his way into the box and drove a low cross cum shot which would have gone in with just the faintest of touches.  Pavel Zverina was next to go close, shooting fractionally over from a pinpoint Clitheroe cross.

Mid way through the half, Craddock and Atherton combined to create yet another golden moment, but the keeper was able to collect. However, less than a minute later, the same pair were the principle protagonists once more, and this time Craddock netted with a stunning half volley from a precision Atherton cross on the end of a determined left-wing run.

Having levelled things up, Villa went on to boss the remainder of the game, and on balance of play will feel hard done by not to come away with all three points.  Craddock latched on to a free ball after the keeper spilled a ground shot, but the angle proved just too tight and the custodian was able to recover to block. Five minutes later, the keeper again came to the rescue, Matt Atherton, having a storming second half, once again the one to make him earn his corn.

 As the match entered the closing stages, Villa won a series of corners. From one of these, Sam Bolton thought he had grabbed the glory when he got on the end of a Ross Dickinson head flick, but his instinctive poke came back off the bar. And there was still time in the dying minutes for Atherton and Craddock to again carve out a meaningful opening, with the latter just failing to convert. 

But the points were destined to be shared, on a night when there was plenty to catch the eye from both sides. Had it been a boxing match, from my somewhat partial viewpoint, one cannot help but think Villa would have been awarded the decision.  Top notch displays all over the park for Villa, and we know that Matt Jackson is a fine keeper, but so well has the defence performed in the two games he has played for us, that we have yet to see him seriously tested. Elliot Dunn suffered a nasty shoilder injury, and he will be a very big miss should a lengthy lay-off ensue.

Villa Line Up:  Matt Jackson, Craig Chambers (John Salisbury 61), Darren Davies, (71), Ross Dickinson, Michael Clitheroe (Lee Chambers 71) Sam Bolton, Gavin Cooper, Elliot Dunn (Stuart Bingham 75), Pavel Zverina, Matt Atherton, George Craddock.