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Euxton Villa 5 Daten FC
1
Lancashire Amateur
Shield
Villa faced an unknown quantity in the
shape of Daten FC from Warrington in this Amateur Shield
second round tie, but having despatched Freckleton in the
previous round, manager Mark McDonnell prepared the lads for
a tough encounter. However, although Daten began brightly
and knocked the ball about with purpose, a couple of well
taken first half strikes quelled their enthusiasm and
allowed the home side to progress to the next round with
relative ease.
The returning Stuart Bingham, (yes from
holiday - in the footy season! He’s been told, believe me),
featured prominently throughout, and combined well With Ryan
Lilley to almost carve an opening early doors. And it was
Bingham’s perfectly weighted through ball from a Damioien
Stewart pass that found Alf Gutteridge in acres of space and
with time to look up and execute a perfect lob which gave
the visiting keeper no chance. Very well captured on video
by Secretary Kubric, which can be viewed on
www.youtube.com/villaonfilm , unlike the next stunner
from Bingham!
Though a man of few goals, Bingham (just
call me Xabi) did produce the goal of the season (arguably)
at Fleetwood Hesketh last season, and tried to better that
yesterday with an outstanding strike from inside his own
half, officially measured on the laser at sixty two point
four yards. One to savour, if only the camera operator had
been awake!
This knocked the stuffing out of the
visitors, and allowed Villa to control the second half,
playing some of their best football of the season so far in
the process. In the fifty third minute, Gutteridge sent a
clever ball into the box for Lilley to chase, and his
presence caused confusion between keeper and full back,
allowing the supporting Stewart to stroke home the loose
ball from close range.
Daten were handed a glimmer of hope three
minutes later, in the shape of a soft penalty, and although
Ross Baxter guessed correctly, he was unable to get a hand
on the well placed spot kick. The resurgence was short lived
however. Within a few minutes, a Sam Bolton lob was
misjudged at the back, allowing Stewart to nip in between
defender and keeper to score a rare headed goal for his
second and his side’s fourth. Dave Mason singed the woodwork
with a rasping low drive, before wrapping things up fifteen
minutes from time, beating the keeper with confidence after
Matt Atherton picked him out, though he did look well
off-side when collecting the through ball.
Villa march on then, and hopefully the
excellent all-round performance can be continued next week
when it’s back to league business at home to Burnley.
Villa Line-Up: Baxter,
Pennington, Davies, L’Chambers, Marquis, Gutteridge,
Loughlin (Mason 63), Bolton, Bingham (C.Chambers 74),
Stewart (Atherton 71), Lilley,
Discuss this game in the Villa Room!! |
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