After last weeks encouraging performance we were looking for something similar today and would hopefully take the points this time. The boys had an extra incentive, as they wanted to get a result for Dylan who, we are all wishing for a speedy recovery.

 The game kicked off with Euxton opening the better. A good run from Jack down the left earned a corner. This was cleared by Gregson Lane who then broke away and we were one down inside three minutes. Villa fought back with Mikey putting Jack through who shot just wide. An Euxton corner was left bouncing around the GL penalty area but no one could get a foot on it. The ball came out to Barney who put it just wide of the post. Jack then burst through the middle but his shot was saved by their keeper. A rare attack from the opposition was well saved by Matthew. It was then Adam’s turn to break forward his blocked shot broke to Mikey who struck it first time and what seemed like a certain equaliser was deflected away from goal by the GL defender. A well worked short corner between Jack and Barney produced another close effort but the ball would just not go in. Half time 0-1.

 Through the wonders of modern technology Dylan was able to give the boys a rousing team talk from his hospital bed. This certainly spurred the boys on and the second half started with Villa going close with a Connor 30 yard thunderbolt straight at the keeper. Adam then went close from a Barney throw. The Euxton pressure finally paid off when a corner was swung in and an attempted GL clearance was sliced high over his own keepers head. 1-1. More Euxton pressure and a quick thinking Mikey throw put Adam in whose shot was well saved by the keeper. A free kick for a handball on the edge of the GL was banged in by Barney and with the faintest of touches Nathan made it 2-1. The lead was short lived when a bouncing bomb cleared our defence and the GL forward was there to knock it in. 2-2. Villa responded immediately with the move of the game. A Connor throw down the right was hit first time by Sammo straight to the corner of the box from where Liam chipped the keeper. 3-2 Villa.  Two minutes later a GL free kick just inside the Villa half was struck so well it left Matthew no chance and it sailed over his head. 3-3. It was still Euxton looking the more likely winner with Barney going close and then Villa having three corners in quick succession. All the Euxton pressure was going unrewarded. It was GL who regained the lead with another long punt down the middle, Matthew came out to clear it unfortunately missing his kick and the GL forward rolled the ball into the empty net. 3-4. With 5 mins to go the boys kept pressing and a great passing move between Barney Liam and Adam resulted in another good save from the keeper that prevented Adam from equalising. In the final minute we were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box and a great chance to draw level but a total botch up enabled GL to take the ball off us and that was it game over.

 Another battling performance but another defeat. Villa were by far the more creative, footballing side and had most of the possession but were effectively undone by four big punts from GL. Something for our master tacticians to work on in training.