Thornton Cleveleys 1   Euxton Villa 3
                        ( 0 )                  ( 3 )
                                 Martin 3

Anton Martin won this game for Villa with the perfect first half hat-trick, a header, a right foot shot, a left foot shot, but in fairness his effort was matched by Goalkeeper Karl Sutton whose bravery and ability kept Villa in the game.

Villa started the game in a very positive manner, attacking the home side from the start. On two minutes Liam Conway broke down the right before hitting a dangerous cross across the face of goal. A minute later the visitors were ahead, an attack down the left resulted in a Villa free kick , Rob Marquis floated in a perfect cross which was met by Anton Martin whose
glancing header gave the keeper no chance. The home side responded and on seven minutes a great blocking tackle by John Winstanley kept the visitors ahead. Villa were still very much on the offensive, and on twelve minutes Mick Bradshaw was unlucky to see his right foot shot saved at the foot of the post, following a Villa attack down the left. Euxton were still having the better of the play and were unlucky not to increase their lead after twenty minutes when a Mark Swift corner was met by Ross Dickinson, his flicked header flashed just wide of the post.

At this point in the game Villa were well in control, Thornton were working hard, but not causing the Villa defence too many problems. Villa pulled further ahead on thirty two minutes. A ball down the right found Anton Martin who cut inside his marker before unleashing a powerful right foot shot which found the net via the inside of the far post, giving the Thornton
keeper no chance. The Villa centre forward was on fire. Three minutes later he completed his hat-trick when he picked up the ball on the edge of the area, this time a well struck left foot shot flew over the keeper and into the back of the net. Villa had a lucky escape after thirty seven minutes. Thornton were awarded a free kick on the six yard line for a back pass,
which was picked up. The kick was blasted at goal, but was brilliantly turned away by keeper Karl Sutton. The visitors continued to press, and on forty one minutes Mark Swift was close with a shot that flew just wide, then just before half-time Ian Curwen ran onto a pass from Mick Bradshaw, only to see his shot hit the side netting.

The first half had been played under very calm weather conditions, but by the start of the second half the wind had got up and Villa had to contend with both the conditions and a resurgent home side. The game became very scrappy as Villa battled to hold onto their first half advantage. The pressure increased on sixty four minutes when the home side were awarded a penalty for a push, which they duly put away. All credit to the visitors, because from this point on there was very little good football played by either by either side, as the teams cancelled each other out, but resilient Villa defending inspired by goalkeeper Karl Sutton prevented any clear cut chances for the home side. Villa were still dangerous on the break and Liam Conway was always a threat down the right wing.

For Villa it was now a case of what we have we hold, but they had a chance to ease the pressure on eighty five minutes when they were awarded a penalty again for a push, Anton Martin took the kick, but the effort was too near the keeper, and he managed to keep the shot out. Thornton had produced a very determined second half display, but the Villa first half lead proved to be too much, although they nearly scored a second on eighty nine minutes when James O'Loughlin cleared a shot off the line. In the end Villa deserved to progress to the next round of the cup following an attacking first half and a backs to the wall second half defensive display.

Team - Sutton, Winstanley, Dickinson, O'Loughlin, Marquis, L.Conway, (McGladrigan) Bradshaw, Curwen, Swift, ( Crombie ) Briggs, ( Shone ) Martin.
 

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