( 0 ) ( 2 )
Shone
Dunn

If ever there was a game of two halves this was it. Against a very strong Fulwood side Villa produced in the first half their best football of the season. They went in at half time 2-0 up, this could easily have been four such was their dominance.

From the start the visitors produced the better football combining incisive passing with a determination to close down their opponents at every opportunity. In the first minute Mick Bradshaw found space in the box, only for his effort to fly past the post. Fulwood responded forcing three consecutive corners which the Villa defence dealt with comfortably. With ten minutes played Villa edged ahead, Liam Conway was fouled on the right, he played a short ball to Craig Chambers who hit a low ball into the box. Sam Shone was first to react putting a low shot into the bottom corner.

Villa continued to press, two minutes later Craig Chambers caused more problems on the right with a long ball into the box, only for the keeper to save. On the quarter hour a long throw from Danny Brown gave Sam Shone another chance, this time the keeper managed to save. In the next minute a villa free kick had to be scrambled clear by the Fulwood defence. The home side were being limited to breakaways and did shoot just wide after twenty one minutes. A few minutes later a John Winstanley corner was headed on by Liam Conway creating an opening for Elliot Dunn who was disappointed not to find the net.

Three minutes later Elliot Dunn did get his reward for some outstanding play as he cut in from the left before beating the keeper with a low shot. This lifted Villa to even greater efforts and three minutes later a period of sustained pressure saw five attempts on the Fulwood goal blocked. The Villa pressure was clearly unsettling the home side and on thirty five minutes a poor goal kick fell to Elliot Dunn who saw his shot hit the inside of the post before rebounding into the keepers hands. Then in the last minute of the half John Winstanley was put through by Elliot Dunn only to see his effort saved.

At half time Fulwood changed things around as Villa expected an early onslaught, however it was the visitors who came close when Elliot Dunn set up Liam Conway only for the keeper to save at his near post, with the home defence clearing the resulting corner. The game then changed during a ten minute spell, Villa were expecting to be awarded a free kick for a foul on the left, but the referee allowed play on and Fulwood pulled a goal back.

Three minutes later they were level when again a decision seemed to go against the visitors and Fulwood were level. The recent refereeing decisions clearly unsettled the visitors and Fulwood took advantage scoring a third with a header from a corner.

Villa tried to respond but were effected by injuries, for the last half hour they again pressed as the home side now sat back on their lead. The visitors did have chances. From a free kick on the edge of the area Sam Shone put a shot over the bar. While Villa again had the bulk of the procession they were unable to trouble the home defence, and as often happens when a side is chasing the game Villa were caught on the break right on full time. Which gave the final score an unrealistic look. In fairness Fulwood were better in the second half, but Villa could feel unlucky not to have taken something from the game.

Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, Davies, Brown, Crombie, L.Conway, O'Loughlin, Bradshaw

             ( Kirkpatrick ) Winstanley, Dunn, ( Wood ) Shone, ( Thompson )