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This was a tale of
a late goal in each half, and for Villa a night of
contrasting fortunes for Ross Dickinson, who dwelt on the
ball, enabling the opposition to create a chance from
nothing, but who refused to give up, and popped up deep into
stoppage time to grab the late equaliser that was the least
the visitors deserved on balance of play.
The first half saw
Villa with much the greater supremacy in terms of possession
and attempts at goal. Matt Atherton and Elliot Dunn combined
early to set up Chris Farrer, but the keeper had no trouble
dealing with the shot. A couple of minutes later, Farrer
turned provider, latching on to Sam Bolton pass and chipping
into the path of Ryan Lilley, but the latter’s shot fired
across the keeper was just too wide. Lilley found himself in
a virtually identical situation later in the half, but the
result was also identical. Shaun Gibbs in the Villa goal had
nothing to trouble him, with the home side only managing one
meaningful effort, mid way through the half, but that was
wide of the mark.
Then, in first half
stoppage time, Atherton broke away at pace and looked to be
through and clear, but was wrongly given off side. Tempest
took the kick quickly and lumped it forward. Ross Dickinson
failed to clear his lines under little pressure and had his
pocket picked, the resultant cross looked innocuous enough,
but somehow found its way to the head of Tyrer, who
gratefully accepted the unexpected gift.
Feeling aggrieved
at finding themselves behind, Villa started the second half
with purpose, and had three efforts on goal within the first
couple of minutes, two from Farrer and a Gavin Cooper free
kick. Matt Conway tried his luck with a stunning volley from
all of thirty five yards, and had it gone in it would have
been hard to beat for goal of the season, but the keeper got
strong hands on it and pushed it on to the bar.
Villa continued to
dominate and chances came and went. Lilley got on the end of
a throw in but somehow headed wide with the goal gaping. Tom
Whittaker came off the bench, and still cold, contrived to
volley over from five yards with virtually his first touch.
A couple of minutes later Whittaker did much better after
Rhenden Pillay picked him out, but the keeper saved well.
Dunn, to everyone’s
amazement was shown a red card after a relatively harmless
challenge, though the ref was given plenty of encouragement
to do so, as you do! Well and truly under the cosh, Tempest
were using every opportunity to waste time, and again we’ve
all been there! Perhaps realising the harshness of his
earlier decision, the ref, again with plenty of
encouragement this time from the Visitors ranks, allowed
play to continue well after the allotted forty five had come
and gone. And wouldn’t you know, Ross Dickinson, as he so
often does, from set pieces, was Johnny-on-the-spot when the
ball broke loose from a corner, and guided a header into the
roof of the net with ninety seven minutes on the watch.
They say the breaks
tend to even themselves out over the course of a season, and
that’s probably true. Tempest were understandably exorcised
about the lateness of the equaliser, but in truth Villa
should have had all three points sewn up much earlier.
Villa line-up:
Shaun Gibbs, Craig Chambers (Gavin Cooper 65), Darren
Davies, Ross Dickinson, Sam Bolton, Elliott Dunn, Matt
Conway (Rhenden Pillay 65), Matt Atherton, Chris Farrer (Tom
Whittaker 71) David Heald, Ryan Lilley
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