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Burnley United 1 Euxton Villa 4
( 0 )
( 2 )
Atherton 3
Dickinson
Report - This was one of Villa's best displays of
the season against very determined opposition who are very
difficult to beat at home, the Villa display was capped by an
outstanding individual performance by Matthew Atherton.
The matches between these two sides are always well contested
and played in a good spirit, both sides started at a high tempo
but it was villa who were creating the better chances with
Matthew Atherton a handful right from the start. With five
minutes played Sam Shone played a ball in from the right finding
Matthew Atherton whose first time shot was blocked. Three
minutes later Villa forced a corner, the ball in fell to Matthew
Atherton, his shot was saved at the foot of the post by the
Burnley keeper. Villa were putting together a very solid display
with the whole team on top of their game. The Villa pressure
continued, on twenty minutes a ball in from the left found Neil
Bretherton but again the keeper was on hand to save. The
visitors were using the wings well and on twenty five minutes
Liam Conway broke down the right, his cross was headed back
across goal by Matthew Atherton but again the Burnley defence
cleared the danger.
Villa eventually got their reward on the half hour when Sam
Shone broke from midfield before releasing Matthew Atherton who
cut inside beating the keeper with a low shot to deservedly put
the visitors ahead. Euxton continued to press the home side
back, coming close again on thirty eight minutes when a free
kick in from the right forced the keeper into another save. Two
minutes later Burnley had their best effort of the half with a
free kick from the edge of the box, but Shaun Gibbs saved well.
With a couple of minutes of the half remaining Villa scored a
second, good work in centre midfield by Mick Bradshaw allowed
him to chip a ball in for Matthew Atherton to run onto, before
finishing in style with a right foot shot. The home side tried
to pull a goal back before the break but Shaun Gibbs again did
well keeping out a low shot.
Burnley came out for the second half determined to make a game
of it, and within a minute they had pulled a goal back, the
first effort was blocked by Shaun Gibbs but Burnley scored from
the rebound. For a period the match was more even with the next
goal looking decisive. Good work down the right by John
Salisbury set up James O'Loughlin, his shot flew over the bar,
Villa were pressing well down the right, with John Salisbury
overlapping well down the wing, Sam Shone came close with a shot
following good work on the right.
Burnley also came close with a header which Shaun Gibbs again
saved. On sixty eight minutes Villa got the all important next
goal, a ball in from the right caused a scramble in the Burnley
box before Ross Dickinson was able to turn the ball into the
net.
This goal was vital as it settled the visitors and deflated the
home side who had put a lot of early second half effort into
trying to draw level.
Villa were now able to again control the game as Burnley pushed
men forward without giving the Villa defence to much trouble.
The home side were now risking being caught on the break as they
threw caution to the wind trying to pull back the goals. This
eventually happened after eighty six minutes when a ball out
from midfield allowed Matthew Atherton to time his run perfectly
to beat the offside trap and complete his hat-trick. By the end
the result was correct, Villa put in a fine performance as they
climb up the league table and extend their unbeaten run.
Team - Gibbs, Salisbury, Dickinson, Ormrod, Crombie, L.Conway (
C.Chambers ) Bradshaw, O'Loughlin, ( Winstanley ) Atherton,
Shone, ( McGladrigan ) Bretherton.
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