( 1 ) ( 3 )
M.Conway
Shone
Dunn
Winstanley


Villa came from a goal behind to run out comfortable winners in a very competitive game and maintain their good run of form.

The game throughout was played at a fast pace, with both sides intent on taking the early initiative. The first chance fell to the visitors as they forced an early corner, which was punched clear by the keeper. Eagley responded with an overhead kick which flew over the Villa bar. The home side took the lead on ten minutes when the Villa defence failed to clear an innocuous ball into the box.

The lead lasted only eight minutes as Villa upped the pressure. A free kick on the right from Matt Atherton was headed powerfully home By Matt Conway.
Euxton were now in the ascendancy, Elliot Dunn on the right set up Mick Bradshaw who saw his effort turned away for a corner. Villa continued to press, on twenty two minutes they took the lead. A long throw into the box was turned on by Matt Atherton allowing Sam Shone to beat the keeper with a low shot into the bottom corner.

For the home side the two goals conceded undermined their confidence and Villa took full advantage as they pressed for a third. The home side did cause some problems after thirty eight minutes when Danny Brown had to react quickly to clear an early ball across the box. Two minutes later Villa scored their third following a corner, the home defence had three attempts to clear before Elliot Dunn drove the ball into the roof of the net. The visitors nearly had a fourth two minutes later when Ian Kirkpatrick broke down the centre , but his low shot was just wide of the post. In the last couple of minutes of the half Shaun Gibbs had to produce a couple of saves, but the halftime score was a fair reflection of the play.

From the restart the visitors expected an onslaught which never really came, mainly due to fullbacks Craig Chambers and Rhys Crombie, and centre backs James O'Loughlin and Danny Brown who as a defensive unit just get better and better. This allowed Villa to continue to press. Elliot Dunn had a header tipped over following a Sam Shone cross. Then Elliot Dunn turned provider, creating a chance for Mick Bradshaw whose low shot was saved. Elliot Dunn was then fouled on the right, Matt Atherton took the kick, curling his effort just over the top corner.

It was now nearly all Villa as they controlled the game, Sam Shone had an effort saved at the foot of the post, then Ian Kirkpatrick drove a ball in from the left which was cleared for a corner. John Winstanley took the kick and his wickedly curling ball could have taken a slight deflection on its way into the net for number four. Euxton maintained their pressure right up to the final whistle, with five minutes remaining Danny Dawson set up Sean Parkin, but the keeper managed to keep his effort out.

Villa can be very satisfied with their afternoons work as this is always a tough ground to come to, and anything you take away you have to earn. Which is exactly what Villa did and fully deserved the three points.

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