Euxton Villa 3 Burnley United 0
                ( 2 )                     ( 0 )
Bradshaw
Whittaker
Guttridge
 

The two sides produced a well contested game of football with Villa gradually asserting themselves to take the points.

The early minutes of the game produced little in the way of goalmouth action as both sides adopted a cautious approach. On six minutes Villa had an early opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a free kick just outside the area. Phil Woodman took the kick, the ball fell to Mick Bradshaw who was unlucky to see his effort blocked. With ten minutes played Burnley also had a chance, but the shot on goal was wide. Villa continued to probe and on twelve minutes Alf Guttridge won a corner, from the kick Neil Bretherton headed the ball wide of the post.

Euxton increased the pressure forcing a number of corners which the visitors managed to defend. Villa did have the ball in the net after 18 minutes when Alf Guttridge lobbed the keeper, but the referee had already blown for offside.The home side were now on top, a minute later Phil Woodman saw his shot blocked, then on 25 minutes he played through Alf Guttridge, but again the effort was saved. At this point in the game it was one way traffic,after 27 minutes Rick Wood met a cross only to see his header saved. Villa took a deserved lead on the half hour when Mick Bradshaw met a cross into the box,his shot took a slight deflection before beating the Burnley keeper. Thevisitors tried to respond and forced a corner which Villa defended well, the home side came back and on 35 minutes Neil Bretherton played through Alf
Guttridge on the left, his low shot flashed across the face of goal. With two minutes of the half remaining Villa scored their second when a free kick was cleared to John Winstanley, whose cross was met by Tom Whittaker, who made no mistake from close range.

The second half started with the visitors putting Villa under pressure as they tried to get back into the game, with 54 minutes played Justin Johnson produced the save of the game, diving to his left to tip over a goal bound effort in the top corner of his goal. Villa saw out the early Burnley pressure and started to again create chances. On 61 minutes Villa won a corner, the ball was cleared to Neil Bretherton, his cross back in was headed wide by Tom Whittaker. With 65 minutes played Villa nearly got a third goal when Danny Walker broke down the left, his pinpoint cross was met by Alf Guttridge, but the Burnley keeper pulled off a fine save to keep out his header.

Villa still had the upper hand, always looking dangerous in attack. After 74 minutes John Winstanley came close when his low shot from the right forced the keeper into a save. Burnley still had chances and Ross Dickinson had to be alert to head clear a dangerous ball into the Villa box. Euxton wrapped up the game after 76 minutes when a ball was hit out onto the left wing, Tom Whittaker won the race for the ball, before a defender and the Burnley Keeper, with the keeper stranded he cut into the box before setting up Alf Guttridge who drilled the ball home. From this point the game was safe and Villa saw out the remaining minutes without too much trouble. The whole team played well, with Rick Wood starting his first game, and Phil Woodman back in midfield, Justin Johnson also offered great encouragement to the team throughout the game.

Team - Johnson, Wood, Dickinson, Crombie, Walker, Winstanley, ( Broadbent )
Woodman, Bradshaw, Bretherton, (Carpenter ) Whittaker, Guttridge, ( Swift )
 

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