( 0 ) ( 0 )
C.Chambers
Atherton ( Pen. )
Dawson ( Pen )

Villa took the league title with a second half display of sustained attacking football, making it ten wins and one draw from their last eleven games. Given they had six points deducted at the start of the season, this makes their achievement even more outstanding.

From the start Euxton took the game to their opponents, looking for the early goal that would settle the team down. To their credit Blackpool came to make a game of it, and the opening period was played at a frantic pace.
It was the home side who created the early chances. On five minutes a long throw from Danny Brown was cleared to Elliot Dunn who forced a corner, three minutes later Sam Shone again forced a corner following good work on the right. From Matt Atherton's kick Ian Kirkpatrick headed against the crossbar before the ball was again scrambled clear for another corner. This time the clearance fell to Matt Conway who tested the keeper with a long range shot.

The Villa defence had to be constantly on their guard as the visitors had some quick forwards always looking to catch the home defence out on the break. As the half progressed the early Villa pressure subsided somewhat as they became frustrated at being unable to make the decisive breakthrough.
They still had the best chances forcing a number of corners. On the half hour Elliot Dunn picked the ball up on the left, cut inside before forcing the keeper into a save. The chances became less frequent as the half-time break approached, due in part to the visitors contesting every ball, making it difficult for Villa to play their normal controlled passing game.

At the half-time break manager Mark McHugh changed a few things around and this had the desired effect as from the restart Villa slowed the play down and started to control the game. They again started forcing corners, then on fifty minutes Elliot Dunn was fouled on the right, Matt Atherton whipped in a fierce free kick forcing the Blackpool keeper to tip a header around the post. A minute later the visitors nearly took the lead as they cut into the Villa box before rattling the Villa crossbar with a rasping shot. This galvanised the home side and from this point on they totally controlled the game.

The pressure on the Blackpool defence intensified as Villa probed for the opening goal. This finally came on sixty five minutes. From yet another Villa corner the ball was cleared only to Craig Chambers just outside the penalty area, his first time shot beat the diving keeper to put his side in front. It was now all one way traffic as Villa continued to press. Five minutes later they were two up, Matt Atherton surged into the box only to be upended, the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Matt Atherton took the kick to put Villa further ahead.

All credit to the home side as they did not sit back on their lead , but instead continued to look for further goals. A great ball from Sam Bolton released Liam Conway on the right who forced the keeper into a fine save, tipping his shot away for a corner. Mick Bradshaw was next to come close as he cut into the box from the right before shooting just past the foot of the far post. Two minutes later Villa did have the ball in the net again as Matt Atherton set up Danny Dawson, but his effort was ruled offside.

The final goal came six minutes from time as Villa's man of the match Elliot Dunn was clearly fouled in the box, again the referee immediate pointed to the spot. This time Danny Dawson took the kick, scoring in the bottom corner. So the title was won after three consecutive season of finishing runners up, it was no more than this outstanding team deserved.

Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, Brown, O'Loughlin, Crombie, L.Conway, ( Bradshaw
) Kirkpatrick, ( Bolton ) M.Conway, Dunn, Atherton, Shone, ( Dawson )