Where is everybody? That was the first question that occurred to those of us who hadn’t seen the Firsts in action for a couple of weeks. Mark McDonnell, resources severely depleted by injury and ‘other’ absentees, sent out an unfamiliar looking line-up, but nevertheless, one with enough quality and experience to more than give a good account of themselves.

 And indeed it was Villa who took the game to their hosts, dominating the first quarter, scoring a stunning goal and creating a string of other chances, with only a combination of wayward finishing and excellent goalkeeping keeping the home side in touch. However, two incidences of self destruct allowed Barnoldswick to take an unlikely lead into the dressing room at half time, and when they struck again with the second half less than three minutes old, one could visibly see the belief drain from the Euxton side, and Town were able to coast to what was in the end an easy and comprehensive victory.

Vila hit the ground running, caught their opponents somewhat on the back foot, and were able to control the early flow of the game. Ten minutes in, Aidie Briggs picked up the ball with his back to goal, fed it wide to Damien Stewart, who took it to the corner before delivering a low, hard drive into the box. The defence managed to hack it away, but the clearance fell to Michael Bromham thirty five yards out, who met it on the full volley and delivered a thunderbolt which hit the back of the net before the rooted keeper could even blink.

That, unfortunately, was as good as it got for Villa. Ten minutes later, an unnecessarily hastily taken free kick saw possession conceded sloppily, and the resultant drive into the box ended with the attacker being brought down in the box, and from nowhere, suddenly Town were back on terms.

Nevertheless, the visitors dug in again, and Tom Whittaker produced a super save from the keeper on the end of a fine solo effort. From the corner, the ball found it’s way to Stuart Bingham clear in front of goal, but somehow he managed to screw it over from two feet out! In a carbon copy minutes later, Bingham this time connected well, but again the keeper pulled off a miraculous save to push it up and over.

Then, just short of the half time whistle, an unhampered run from  the Barnoldswick  right-winger ended with a powerful low drive which Baxter did well to parry, but the loose ball found only those in yellow and blue alert to the possibilities, and the home side gained themselves a massive psychological boost going in at the interval.

Almost immediately after the restart, Barnoldswick were allowed to stroll through and increase their advantage. From there, some heads went down and it became a matter of ‘how many’. Losing the services of Whittaker to injury short way into the half didn’t help, and in the end the travelling faithful were only too glad to hear the final whistle when it came.

Bit of a disaster all round then. Ironically, both the centrebacks, although playing together for the first time, had good games. And it mist be said that though some heads went down it certainly wasn’t all, though one or two must ask themselves if they are giving enough for their colleagues when the going gets tough.

Some of us were able to take comfort later from the success of the national team in the big game of the week-end. (Oh and I believe England won at something as well!)

Villa line-up: Baxter, Loughlin, Kirkpatrick, Bolton, Bromham, Whittaker (Walker 59), Bingham, Bradshaw, Stewart, Briggs, Craddock.