Tempest United     2       Euxton Villa     3

                            ( 0 )                             ( 1 )

                                       Briggs ( Pen )

                                       L.Conway

                                       Broadbent

This was an important game for the Villa, and while it was not a classic performance, it was a deserved win as they got back to winning ways, and ground out a much needed victory.

The game started slowly as both teams tried to assert themselves, but before long it was Villa who started to create the better openings. With eight minutes played they had their first chance as Adrian Briggs was put through, only for the keeper to save his effort. Villa kept probing and got their reward after fifteen minutes when good work down the left by Brad Dowling saw him break into the box, only to be upended. From the resultant penalty Adrian Briggs made no mistake shooting low into the bottom corner.

This lifted the visitors and they continued to control the game. On eighteen minutes a knock down from Adrian Briggs set up Liam Conway, who shot over the bar. With 30 minutes played a good interchange of passes between John Winstanley and Liam Conway set up a chance for John Winstanley, but once again the keeper saved. At this point in the game it was one way traffic, over the next five minutes both Liam Conway and Sam Shone came close with good efforts as Villa looked for that all important second goal. The Villa pressure continued for the remainder of the half as the home side struggled to get into the game.

From the start of the second half Tempest were much improved due to a change in formation and a substitution. The warning signs came early as on 47 minutes a Tempest effort flew just wide, and a minute later they were level as a mistake in the Villa defence saw them concede possession allowing the home side to curl in a shot. The game now was a much more even affair, on 49 minutes Justin Johnson had to be alert to tip over a dangerous lob. Villa still had chances, forcing a number of corner’s. The turning point came on 58 minutes when Justin Johnson pulled off a spectacular save to tip over a goal bound effort. He followed this up by setting up Villa’s second goal on 65 minutes when his long clearance set free Liam Conway, who beat his fullback before driving the ball home.

With Villa having survived the home side’s early second half onslaught they now settled down and again began to look comfortable and nearly added a third on 68 minutes, when Sam Carpenter beat the keeper with a lob shot which fell just wide. As the visitors looked to wrap up the three points they again got caught out at the back , and Tempest again drew level. Villa again raised their game and on 73 minutes Anton Martin saw a header cleared off the line.

The match was finally settled with ten minutes remaining as a ball into the Tempest box was met by Heath Broadbent to put Villa in front for the third time in the game. This time the visitors were not going to be denied, and they allowed the home side no more opportunities to come back at them. Villa could have added to their lead. On 86 minutes Liam Conway had a shot tipped around the post following an interchange of passes with Sam Carpenter. In the last minute they came even closer as Rhys Crombie hit the Tempest crossbar with a free kick from inside his own half.

Team    Johnson, Winstanley, Crombie, O’Loughlin, Dowling, L.Conway, Broadbent, McGladrigan, ( Carpenter ) Bradshaw, Shone, ( Martin ) Briggs, ( Wood )

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