Kirkham & Wesham 3  Euxton Villa 2

The home side’s early form suggests unsurprisingly that they will once again be the team to beat for anyone with aspirations of wresting the title from their steely grip. However, Villa’s record against them last season saw them head to the new venue at Birley Arms with nothing to fear, nothing to lose and everything, potentially, to gain.

With the weather more reminiscent of February than August, Villa had a stiff breeze in their favour first half, and this helped them create the first real opportunity of the half when David Heald headed over from a long through ball. The optimism thus created was short lived however, as a corner from the left (no further comment), found Dougie Shaw at the head of a queue of blue shirts waiting to pounce.

Undaunted at going behind so early, the visitors settled into their stride, and nearly found success with a viciously whipped free kick from Stuart Bingham which had to be headed clear from under the bar.  Then, just before the half-hour, the busy Alf Gutteridge delivered a telling cross from the corner, which Heald cleverly ducked under, allowing Sam Bolton to head powerfully home on the charge.

Regrettably, the Euxton side were to be on terms only fleetingly, as the Blues went straight down the other end, where Tom Cahill’s strength caused a defensive slip, allowing the ball fired across the six yard box where Mark Wane met it in full stride and slammed his side ahead once more.

With the freshening wind now at their backs, Kirkham dealt a hammer blow to Villa’s hopes soon after the restart, Mick Horsfall finding space from a throw in and giving Shaun Gibbs no chance with a well struck shot.

With an hour gone, Heald was forced to give up trying to run off a knock, and David Mason, who has been quietly waiting his chance since returning, joined the fray. Hardly had he entered the field when Ryan Lilley worked an opening and cut the ball into his path, allowing him to lash home with his first touch.

Suddenly there was a greater sense of urgency from both sides. Gibbs produced a superb save to deny Wane, and less than a minute later the same player found himself clean through, and should probably have done better with the effort. Mark McDonnell introduced Mat Atherton to freshen things up, and immediately Villa looked busier and more effective, but still it was Gibbs who was the busier keeper, pulling off another fine save to keep his side in touch with ten minutes to go.

Villa continued to work to try to get something out of the game, and Mason’s strength was causing problems, and allowing Lilley, who had run his socks off up front all afternoon, to use his pace and skills more effectively.  But although Bingham tested the keeper with a rasping free kick in stoppage time, the home side closed out the match without any further scares.

The narrow scoreline suggests a close game, and indeed it was, though in truth the home side were always in control and Villa were always left to chase. Kirkham do let you play football though, and clashes against them are always good to watch. Their professional approach to sourcing players will no doubt soon be matched by appropriate facilities to match their new pitch, and perhaps a fresh challenge will be needed to match their laudable ambition.

Villa: Gibbs, Marquis, Davies (Briggs  81), L.Chambers, Bolton, Gutteridge, Heald (Mason 59), Loughlin, Bingham, Stewart (Atherton 74) Lilley