Villa's impressive start to the season came to an end in a tight game of few chances, for long periods the two sides cancelled each other out, but Villa did have a couple of good opportunities which on another day they would have put away.

On a very good playing surface both teams endeavoured to play attractive football and the game was end to end. With five minutes played Liam Conway was played in down the left by Chris Semmens, he cut into the box before being closed down by the Charnock defence. Two minutes later the home side forced a corner which keeper Terry Dalloway cleared. Liam Conway was causing problems on the wing and forced a number of corners, from one Adrian Briggs controlled the ball well on the edge of the area before see a well hit shot charged down by a defender, the home side responded and came close with a low shot.

For the next period of play the game was contested mainly in the midfield area. With just over half an hour played both sides had a number of half chances, a ball into the Charnock box from the left just alluded Danny Walker as he raced into the box. The home side then attacked and Craig Chambers had to head clear a dangerous cross from the left, from this the home side forced two corners which the Villa defence dealt with. Euxton then forced a corner as the home defence headed clear a cross from Sam Shone, again the resulting corner was cleared. Villa did have the ball in the net a minute before half time as Adrian Briggs turned in a cross from Liam Conway, but the effort was correctly ruled offside.

Both sides started the second period knowing that one goal could be enough to win the game. With three minutes played Charnock won a corner on the left, the ball in was half cleared , but turned back into the six yard box and scrambled in at the far post. Villa came back with their best spell of the game and on fifty two minutes their best chance as great play by Adrian Briggs on the edge of the area created an opportunity out of nothing. He robbed the centre half, drove into the box, only for the keeper to smother the strike. He came close again a minute later heading wide from a corner.

Euxton were now starting to push back the home side, who in turn were determined to hold onto their slender lead. Both Liam Conway and Craig Chambers had long range efforts on goal which were wide of the mark, as the home side were now content with the odd breakaway. Michael Thompson had good efforts on goal firstly heading over the bar, then shooting over following good work on the right by Sam Shone. Then in injury time another shot just wide of the post. In many ways this summed up the game, both sides had plenty of attempts on goal, but neither keeper was very often forced into a save.

Villa need not be too despondent with this result, as they have got off to a good start , and in this their fourth game they conceded only their first goal of the season. The squad will soon be stronger as a number of players come back from injury.

Team - Dalloway, Wood, O'Loughlin,( Currie ) Crombie, C.Chambers, L.Conway, Southern, Walker, Shone, Semmens,( Clarkson ) Briggs. ( Thompson )