03/03/07   ( 0 ) ( 2 )
L.Conway
Shone
Bradshaw

This was a far more emphatic victory than the score line suggests, against a very strong and determined home side. Villa controlled the game from the kick-off, with James O'loughlin, Mick Bradshaw, and Matt Conway, putting on a class display in centre midfield to put their side on top.

This was a total team display with the back four and new goalkeeper Stewart Yates also in outstanding form, and a man of the match performance from Rhys Crombie, also not forgetting the attack where John Salisbury and Liam Conway worked tirelessly in support of Sam Shone playing on his own up front. Villa attacked from the start quickly controlling the midfield which they held throughout the match. The visitors started to probe the home defence from the early minutes, after eleven Rhys Crombie played through Liam Conway whose lob beat the keeper but floated just wide. Euxton continued to press and on sixteen minutes they won a free kick on the edge of the area when Sam Shone was fouled, the kick was cleared falling to John Winstanley who beat two defenders before releasing Liam Conway who forced the keeper to save his low shot.

The best chances were still falling to the visitors, and they came close on eighteen minutes when a ball in from the left was headed back across the face of goal by John Salisbury, only for the home defence to scramble clear.
Two minutes later Villa had a great chance when a poor goal kick fell to Sam Shone, his attempted lob falling just wide. This pattern of the game continued as on twenty six minutes Mick Bradshaw forced the keeper into a save with a low shot, Sam Shone following up was just unable to apply the finishing touch. The visitors continued to dominate, and in the space of three minutes Sam Shone again came close first with a shot, then with a header which flew just over the bar. At this point in the game Villa looked the most likely to break the deadlock, on thirty five minutes Liam Conway forced the keeper to tip over a shot heading for the top corner, the resulting corner was collected by the keeper, but his clearance fell to Sam Shone who was unlucky not to score. A minute later Villa got the break-through their play had warranted, a clearance from the keeper fell short, the ball was played back to him by a defender, as he tried to control the ball he was dispossessed by Liam Conway who was able to turn the ball into an empty net. The goal clearly unsettled the home side and Villa capitalised on the the stroke of half-time when Liam Conway chased a through ball forcing the keeper into a save, but the ball fell to Sam Shone who skilfully found the net via the inside of the post.

Villa fully expected the home side to throw everything at them from the start of the second half, but they actually continued to dominate the game, Charnock were working extremely hard but were unable to make much impression on a well organised Villa side. On forty eight minutes a delightful ball from Mick Bradshaw released Liam Conway whose low shot flew just past the foot of the post. Two minutes later Matt Conway came close , forcing the keeper into a save. With fifty three minutes played Villa went further ahead, they were awarded a free kick on the left, with everyone expecting a cross Mick Bradshaw found the net inside the far post. Villa continued to control the game, but perhaps with a three goal cushion they became a little complacent, they had a warning on sixty eight minutes when Rhys Crombie had to clear a shot off the line,

On seventy minutes Sam Shone came close again, his lob shot just flying wide, then came Villa's mad two minutes, with fifteen minutes remaining the defence failed to clear a ball into the box and Charnock pulled a goal back.
A minute later they grabbed a second as another cross was headed home by their centre forward. It was at this point the side showed real character as they went back to controlling the game, Charnock were lifted by their two goals but Villa were able to see out the remainder of the game without being unduly troubled. For the second week running an outstanding performance against very strong opposition, showing the strength in depth of the side.

Team - Yates, C.Chambers, Ormerod, Crombie, Winstanley, M.Conway,
O'Loughlin, Bradshaw, Salisbury, ( McGonagle ) L.Conway, Shone, ( McGladrigan ) Not used P.Hutson