Southlands welcome the supporters club with a trick, it was dry, sunny and the wind was light. Global warming eh?
The boys lined up looking to consolidate their second place in the league but it was about to be a game played in two halves, not a cliché’, it really was.

1st Half
A good start by Bamber Bridge, they had seen the league table and had come to get a scalp. Villa were poor by comparison and were second to every ball, the ones they challenged for. Villa played deep and brought the Bridge’s midfield onto them and allowed them to run & kick forward under no pressure. the customary hole in midfield from last year reappeared. Tom M & Jamie G under intense pressure and whilst they battled well they were always chasing back. Alex and Tom G were equally under pressure as the Bridge’s attack ran forward. Danny & Jamie A waited to help the clearances but no balls came their way …it was all up & down the middle. Bridge gained the first corner after only 2mins. Then after 14mins Sam passed back to Danny and he launched a brilliant ball into the box for a waiting Smithy to pounce and deliver a goal. 1-0. It was against the play and it was only the second shot that Villa had made. In less than 30secs and in only 4 kicks Bridge equalised with a long shot. 1-1. Poor Ryan M had no chance. 5mins later Alex cleared a certain goal off the line and then bridge scored from the resultant corner. 1-2 on 20mins. Amidst the squabbling the Villa failed to notice that they could have taken the game but instead allowed Bridge to dominate and it was inevitable that on 25mins they scored. 1-3.
And again on 28mins. 1-4.

Half Time 1-4
George & Dave were not happy with the effort, the squabbling, the commitment or the structure. They told the boys to go out and put it right. Smithy was replaced by Kyle at the restart.

2nd Half
The second half was different but it only took 5mins before Bridge scored again. 1-5. Villa battled and a glimmer of hope was shining. Sam was replaced by Will on 13mins.
As the boys pushed forward they now seemed to have Bridge on the back foot and it was delightful to see Greg hit the back of the net on 16mins. 2-5.
Tom G took an injury on 20mins and it was Sam who came back on at left back.
Charlie had chances, Greg had chances, Jamie G & Sam had chances but it was Jamie A who put the 3rd in on 23mins. 3-5.
The Villa now played the game in Bridge’s half, totally, the back four pushing Tom M and Jamie G up and covering for each other as they themselves ran forward, had it not been for tired legs and the rub of some of the many decisions those chances would have hit the net. Will came off after 30mins and Smithy came back on to help this, but despite the best efforts of everyone it wouldn’t go in and the game ran out at 3-5.

Full Time 3-5.
Villa had won the second half, lost the first comprehensively and therefore the game but they should be praised for the second half effort and haunted by the first half “ showing”.
Some time practising set pieces & passing forward would not go amiss on Thursday night. The boys need to learn from that and make sure they take nothing other than that into the next game.
Boys ….We know you can do it.