Friendly 25 July 09

Unibond side Chorley paid their near neighbours the compliment of sending their strongest side for this fiercely contested but sporting friendly, and the very healthy crowd were treated to something of a goal-fest, as both sets of coaching staff used the opportunity to look at as many permutations as possible in advance of the coming season. Box to box, Villa gave as good as they got, playing a brand of eye-catching, flowing football, but some leaden-footed defending allowed the visitor’s to run up a goal tally that suggested an easier afternoon than it actually was.

Opening exchanges were even, but just eleven minutes in, ex Villa man Danny Nolan turned experimental left back Noel Clarkson and fired a low drive which beat Shaun Gibbs far too easily at his near post. The early set-back did little to dampen the home side’s enthusiasm, and for the next half hour or so it was they who looked the more threatening. Rhenden Pillay’s strength was proving a handful, and he nearly set up Phil Woodman for a quick equaliser, but the latter couldn’t get power on his shot. Clarkson, when advancing down the left wing, was sending in some testing balls, and Elliot Dunn, with an exquisite first touch almost capitalised, but his shot just beat the post. Villa’s confidence grew as the half progressed, and more chances came and went. Matt Atherton, who was at the heart of most of his side’s best moves, combined well with Tom Whittaker to set Woodman up, this time with the head, but his effort was just over. Another fine Clarkson pass allowed Pillay this time to put Atherton through, but again the shot was wide of the mark. Then, just five minutes from the interval, Chorley showed how it should be done. Madden was allowed an easy delivery from the left wing, where Ryan Kenyon, hardly the biggest, out jumped defenders and keeper to head tamely home.

Unfortunately for the Euxton side, the second half got off to the worst possible start when Smalley found himself in acres and tapped in a third before the half was two minutes old. Two minutes later. However, Villa’s efforts bore fruit. Pillay was felled breaking into the box, and Sam Bolton despatched the resultant pen with his usual efficiency. However, big money signing Terry Fearns whetted the visiting fans appetite with his first for his new club to restore the gap.

The home side refused to lie down though, and just two minutes later, grabbed another back. Gavin Cooped fired a swerving free kick from twenty five yards which deceived Hibbert, and although the ball crossed the line, the assistant was in the wrong place and it required a tap in from Liam Conway to make sure.  Less than two minutes later, Dunn got on the end of a brilliant move down the right by Whittaker, but once again just missed the target.

Then, without warning, Villa went through a five minute spell, precipitated by a rash penalty, during which their heads just seemed to go, and Chorley knocked in three more goals in the simplest of fashion, through a Kenworthy pen, Fearns again and Spearitt.

The Euxton lads rallied to finish well though, and had the last word with the best goal of the day, Atherton seeming to hang in the air for seconds to powerfully head home a Whittaker corner.

A better run out for Villa than the score suggests. Ok, so a lot of chopping and changing affects the confidence, but necessary to give everyone a run with the season looming large. The large crowd (217) couldn’t complain about value for money, and hopefully some might find their way back during the coming season when their favourites are far from home. 

Euxton Players Used – Shaun Gibbs, John Salisbury, Lee Chambers, Darren Davies, Noel Clarkson, Phil Woodman, Gavin Cooper, Elliot Dunn, Matt Atherton, Tom Whittaker, Rhenden pillay, Craig Chambers, Matt Conway, Sam Bolton, Chris Farrer, Paul Kirkby, Steve Andersen, Liam Conway.