HT ( 1 ) ( 0 )
                                                 Atherton
                                                 Whittaker

Once again Villa produced a stirring second half performance to take the three points, in a game were the very hard ground made controlled football difficult.

The first attack was from Villa , Danny Nolan broke down the left before putting a dangerous ball across the box. The home side were adapting to the conditions better than the Villa, hitting long balls over the Villa defence and getting eight or nine men back whenever Villa attacked. Blackpool had the ball in the net after five minutes, but the effort was correctly ruled offside. On ten minutes they did take the lead, Villa lost possession in their own half, and a quick through ball allowed an easy goal.

With sixteen minutes gone a long ball in was cleared by the Blackpool keeper out to Danny Nolan, his first time shot seemed to be handled by the keeper outside his box, but to everyone's surprise the referee waved play on. For the remainder of the half the game was stagnant with Blackpool happy to get everyone behind the ball and rely on breakaway's, while Villa struggled to break them down. Towards half time the visitors started to increase the pressure, forcing a number of corners, but without success.

The second half was a total contrast to the first, with Villa starting to look lively and Blackpool showing signs of tiring, the home side had the first chance of the half, heading over from a corner. Euxton were now starting to look dangerous, with the forwards interchanging positions and using the width of the pitch to get behind the home defence. They came close on 47 minutes when Tom Whittaker turned in the box, his shot forcing a corner which Blackpool managed to clear.

It was all Villa now as they pushed for an equaliser, good work by Tom Whittaker on the right set up Mick Bradshaw, who shot wide. Two minutes later good work down the right by Danny Walker put through Liam Conway whose shot flashed over the angle of post and crossbar. The Villa pressure mounted, and in the next minute they were awarded a penalty when Tom Whittaker was tripped in the box by the keeper. Mick Bradshaw took the kick, but the keeper guessed correctly and saved the kick.

Villa were not to be denied and three minutes later they were level when Matt Atherton cut in from the left before beating the keeper with a shot into the top corner. The pressure continued, on the hour John Winstanley broke into the box before shooting just wide. It was now all one way traffic as Villa pushed for a second goal, Elliot Dunn saw his shot blocked, then a Matt Atherton free kick was scrambled away for a corner. From the kick Matt Atherton again came close heading over the bar.

In the space of two minutes Liam Conway twice came close, first shooting wide, then seeing his shot blocked after being set up by Danny Nolan. On 78 minutes Villa got the goal their pressure deserved, Tom Whittaker cut in from the left before beating the keeper with a fierce shot. It was now Villa's turn to contain, but they had a scare on eighty minutes when John Winstanley had to head a lob shot over his own bar. With five minutes remaining Villa looked to have the points wrapped up when Liam Conway intercepted a poor pass, allowing him a one on one with the keeper, who managed to save the effort. Villa saw out the remaining minutes without too much trouble to take the three points.

Team - Gibbs, Walker, O'Loughlin, Crombie, Winstanley, L.Conway, Bradshaw, Dunn, Atherton, Whittaker, Nolan, ( Martin ) Not used - Smith
 

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