( 2 ) ( 0 )
Parkin
Dawson
Brown

A laboured performance from Villa saw them eventually comfortably home against a visiting side very much in transition.

The game started poorly with neither side able to impose themselves, this resulted in both teams trying to seize the midfield initiative. After fifteen minutes it was Villa who started to take control. The first real chance came when Mick Bradshaw broke from midfield before releasing Pete Ryder whose powerful shot flew just over the bar. A minute later Villa were in front, Sean Parkin picked up the ball at the edge of the area, pushed into the box beating defenders with his close control before placing a left foot shot inside the foot of the post.

Villa gave a first start to Danny Dawson, who for the first twenty minutes found the going hard as he adjusted to the pace of the game. From that point on he started to cause problems for the visiting defence with his pace and movement off the ball. His hard work was rewarded on twenty six minutes when Mick Bradshaw won the ball in midfield and played through a perfect pass allowing Danny Dawson to beat the offside trap before scoring with a low shot.

For the remainder of the half Villa held the advantage as Norcross started to tire, but the home side were unable to turn their superiority into goals and had to settle for two goal lead at the break.

It was much of the same after the interval as Villa looked for the cushion of a third goal. On forty seven minutes a good interchange of passes between Matt Currie and Danny Dawson saw the latter drive a shot across the face of goal. A minute later it was the turn of Matt Currie who saw a shot fly over the angle of post and crossbar.

With fifty five minutes played Danny Dawson was unlucky to see a good effort saved by the keeper. Two minutes later a Rhys Crombie floated free kick just evaded James O'Loughlin as he chased the ball in. The Villa second half pressure was eventually rewarded on seventy minutes. A Sean Parkin cross from the right was firmly headed home by Danny Brown.

Norcross by now were just happy to see out time, they had worked hard all afternoon without ever really threatening the home defence. Villa kept pressing, with fifteen minutes remaining Michael Thompson was unlucky to see the keeper turn away his shot for a corner. From the kick Danny Dawson saw his header fly past the post. Villa came close again when a cross from Michael Thompson was headed over by James O'Loughlin.

The game was effectively over as both side played out the remaining minutes without any serious threat to either goal. A good three points won, which maintains Villa's good start to the season.

Team - Myerscough, Currie,( Jakiemczuk ) O'Loughlin, Brown, Crombie, Southern M.Bradshaw, ( A.Bradshaw ) Parkin, Thompson, Ryder, ( Winstanley ) Dawson.