( 1 ) ( 1 )
Bradshaw
C.Chambers
Shone

Report - Villa finished their season in style coming back from two goals down to level the game, and by the end they could have won it.

The game was very tight in the early stages as both teams were enjoying long unbeaten runs. With twelve minutes played Villa seized the early initiative following good work on the right from Rick Wood and Ian Kirkpatrick, a low ball was fed into the box allowing Mick Bradshaw to nonchalantly turn the ball in.

Euxton came close again after twenty five minutes when Matt Atherton played in Danny Dawson who was pulled down in the box, but the referee awarded a corner.

A minute later John Winstanley tested the keeper with a long range shot. This was followed by a similar effort from Mick Bradshaw. On the half hour Tempest drew level when from a clearance their right back drove a shot into the top corner. This lifted the home side and they pressed for a second,
coming close two minutes before the break with a lob shot which was just wide.

Within a minute of the restart Villa were behind, a long throw into the box was not cleared and following a goalmouth scramble the ball was turned into the net. Euxton responded and ten minutes later nearly drew level when from the right edge of the box Mick Bradshaw saw his shot hit the far post. Five minutes later Villa fell further behind when a ball into the box was not cleared and a low shot found the bottom corner.

At this point Tempest must have thought it was game over, but Villa are nothing if not resilient and five minutes later they pulled a goal back when Craig Chambers shot home following good work by Sam Shone. Villa were now in the ascendancy. Two minutes later the Tempest keeper was forced to tip over a Matt Atherton corner. The visitors continued to press, Sam Shone created an opening for Matt Conway, but his shot was just wide.

It looked now only a matter of time before Villa scored again, and they eventually did with twelve minutes remaining. John Winstanley started the move on the left, his cross found Sam Shone just inside the box, his shot looped over the keeper to level the scores.

The remaining minutes saw Villa force a number of corners as they pressed for the winner, but the scores remained level until the end. So a remarkable season came to an end with Villa deservedly taking the league title.

Team - Gibbs, Wood, O'Loughlin, ( Salisbury ) Crombie, Winstanley, Thompson, Bradshaw, Atherton, Kirkpatrick, ( M.Conway ) Shone, Dawson, (C.Chambers )