This was easily Villa's worst performance of the season with at least half the team playing below their potential. They only had to match the effort of the visitors to win the game.

In the early part of the match there was little to choose between the teams as both sides strived for supremacy, on ten minutes Villa had a let off, as a great tackle by Mick Bradshaw saved a dangerous goalmouth threat. The match effective turned in a two minute spell. With fifteen minutes played hesitation in the Villa defence allow a Barnoldswick forward to chip the ball in an empty net. Worse was to follow two minutes later as the Villa defence failed to clear a corner kick, Goalkeeper Dave Bibby saved the first attempt on goal, but was unable to prevent the follow up effort being turned in.

Villa now had a mountain to climb, their first serious attempt on goal came after twenty five minutes, Sean Parkin played through a great ball to release Craig O'Neil, but the keeper managed to save at his feet. The visitors were now playing a containing game, happy to take their two goal advantage to the break. Euxton were starting to build a momentum, with thirty five minutes gone Rick Wood set up a chance for Liam Conway, but his low shot was saved.

For the remainder of the half Villa were in total charge as their controlled football had the visitors on the back foot. On forty three minutes Villa's man of the match Sean Parkin drove into the Barnoldswick box evading at least three tackles before finding Craig O'Neil, who made no mistake. In many ways the half time break suited the visitors more than the Villa as they were now looking very dangerous.

The second period saw Villa continuing to press for an equaliser, within a minute of the restart Sean Parkin saw his goal bound effort tipped around the post, then Liam Conway crossed for Dave Mason, but his header was saved.
Barnoldswick were now relying on breakaways, trying to catch Villa out with long balls over the top. Dave Bibby needed to be alert to keep out a couple of efforts resulting from this.

Euxton continued to press, Sean Parkin saw another shot saved , this was followed by an effort from Sam Shone, which was saved for a corner, from the kick, Craig O'Neil hit the post with a first time effort. On seventy minutes a great interchange of passes between Dave Mason and Craig O'Neil saw Dave Mason shoot just wide.

With Villa committed to taking something from the game they risked being caught out by the visitors breakaway tactics, this happened with fifteen minutes remaining, a ball into the box resulted in a collision, which the referee felt justified a penalty. Keeper Dave Bibby saved the effort with his foot. Villa were not so lucky eight minutes from time when a ball in from the right was bundled into the net.

The game was now effectively over, and the visitors saw out time without too much trouble, all credit to them as they worked hard for their victory, which is a lesson Villa need to learn.

Team - Bibby, Wood, ( Currie ) O'Loughlin, Crombie, Winstanley, Bradshaw, ( Southern ) Shone, ( Thompson ) Parkin, Mason, L.Conway, O'Neil