The computer has handed Villa a plethora, a veritable rash of home fixtures which should have allowed the Euxton side the chance to consolidate a healthy league position as we go into the winter period. Instead, a series of missed opportunities have seen points melt away from what should have been winning positions, with a consequent slide towards the wrong end of the table, and arguably this was the worst result, though not display, yet.  Finger pointing is not the normal stance of this column, but loyal fans couldn’t help but debate post match where most of the blame lay. With the attack for failing to take advantage of some very fine build-up play when clearly on top? With the defence for allowing two soft goals in the last fifteen minutes when shutting up shop would have seen all three points secured? With the coaching staff for taking off two defenders when holding a slender, nay precarious lead entering the closing stages, or indeed for not having any defenders amongst the five subs in the first place? In truth, a combination of all of the above was to cost Villa dear in a match which in fact ironically saw them play some of their best football of the season so far.

Indeed, one must concede that for the neutral this was a cracking match, with two teams determined to get the ball on the deck and use pace and passing to full effect, though actual chances were few, particularly in the first half, with both sides tending if anything to want that one touch too many or lacking that final killer pass that would lead to a clear cut opening.

For the first half hour then, Villa were in the driving seat, but as suggested meaningful chances were few, with a couple of long range free kicks from Matt Atherton being the only attempts at goal, but neither troubled the visiting keeper. The closest effort came from the boot of Ryan Lilley on the half hour, but his well struck low drive just shaved the wrong side of the upright.

So the first half came and went without the home side being able to capitalise on their early superiority, and inevitably the visitors gained confidence from this and the second half was a much more even affair. Even so, it was the Euxton side who still looked the more likely. Atherton powered into the box and had a fine drive well saved inside five minutes. Seconds later, Phil Woodman latched on to a loose ball from a corner and fired narrowly over. Vickerston, on the other hand had their first shot of the match in the fifty second minute, and that a speculative volley from forty yards.

Five minutes later Villa were on the offensive again, with a sweeping move again involving Lilley and Woodman, culminating in a goal bound header by Atherton, which a defender got a flailing leg to, to hook off the goal-line with the keeper beaten. A couple of minutes later, it was Lilley’s turn to go close with a diving header from another corner.

The breakthrough came exactly mid way through the half. Another Atherton free kick found the head of David Heald, who sent a looping header over the advancing keeper Pritchard and in off the far post.

The home side were good value for their lead, but even with less than fifteen minutes remaining, no-one was taking anything for granted. Nevertheless, failure to effect a routine clearance with no real danger apparent allowed Pattinson a soft equaliser, and with both full backs replaced, the defence went from looking relatively solid to being all at sea, and out of nothing, Jackson was able to run half the length of the pitch with the ball before firing a fierce drive which beat Shaun Gibbs at his near post.

In the few minutes that remained villa threw everything they had at the opposition, and it really looked even at this stage that they could pull it out of the fire. A series of corners brought chance after chance, with Atherton and Heald in particular going very close. But a display of desperate last ditch defending and heroics from Prichard in goal kept the tide at bay, enabling Vickerstown  to complete a welcome smash and grab and  making it another buoyant long journey home for the second week in succession.

Villa Line-up; Shaun Gibbs, Craig Chambers (Paul Kirkby 85), Darren Davies, Ross Dickinson, Sam Bolton (Gavin Cooper 73), matt Conway, Matt Atherton, david Heald, Phil Wodman, Ryan Lilley, Danial Hogg (Chris Farrer 61)