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This was very much a game of contrasting halves as Villa
played some excellent football in the first half on a
borderline playing surface, before being pegged back for
much of the second half, and then finishing the game in
style with two late goals. It is a credit to both sides, the
high level of football played in poor conditions.
Villa started the game at a fast
pace and could have scored four goals in the first five
minutes with efforts from Liam Conway and Matthew Atherton
as the home defence struggled to cope with their pace. On
seven minutes Liam Conway played through Craig Chambers but
his effort was turned away for a corner. At this point it
seemed only a matter of time before Villa scored, and they
duly did on ten minutes when Matthew Atherton attacked down
the left, his cross found Sam Shone breaking into the box to
turn the ball in.
The visitors continued to
dominate, maintaining their pressure on Turton. Matthew
Atherton again came close with a low shot past the foot of
the post.
With eighteen minutes played Sam Shone released Liam Conway,
but his shot was blocked by the keeper. In the 23rd minute
Euxton got the reward that their early dominance warranted.
A free kick was awarded of the edge of the Turton penalty
area, Mark Swift hit a fierce free kick which the defenders
blocked, but the ball fell to Kevin Ormerod who drove the
ball into the bottom corner.
The home side started to rally and a minute after the Villa
goal they were awarded a free kick outside the box, but the
shot was well held by Shaun Gibbs, who also had to be alert
on 37 minutes to keep out another effort from a free kick.
Villa still finished the half the stronger , on forty
minutes Mark Swift had a shot tipped over the bar. A minute
before the break Ross Dickinson had a header tipped over
following a corner.
Turton came out for the second half determined to make a
game of it, and the play was much more even as Villa had to
defend in numbers. The visitors were still able to catch
Turton on the break. On fifty minutes Matthew Atherton broke
down the left before seeing his low shot saved at the foot
of the post. The home side came back strongly and came close
a minute later with a header over the bar.
It looked as if Villa had weathered the storm as the defence
held firm, but on sixty five minutes they failed to clear a
ball into the box and the ball was turned in following a
goalmouth scramble. The home side started to show signs of
tiredness following their second half pressure and Villa
were able to capitalise on this. After seventy minutes Mark
Swift played a short free kick to Matt Conway playing his
first game for eighteen months following a long injury. The
shot that followed swerved and just cleared the bar, a
contender for goal of the season had it gone in.
Villa were now back in the ascendancy, with ten minutes
remaining Liam Conway cut in from the right before hitting
the side netting, five minutes later he set up a chance for
Matthew Atherton who headed over. Two minutes later Matthew
Atherton made the game save, he broke down the left before
shooting inside the post. It was all Villa now and they
scored a fourth in the last minute as Anton Martin broke
down the middle, using his strength to hold off defenders he
rounded the keeper before turning the ball in.
A very good performance as Villa
extend their unbeaten run.
Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, Dickinson, Ormerod, Crombie,
L.Conway,O'Loughlin, (M.Conway ) Swift, Bretherton, ( Walker
) Shone, ( Martin ) Atherton.
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