Under normal circumstances, Turton , if offered a point before the game would probably have settled for that. But an unfortunate points deduction has left them in a precarious position, and their determination to scrap their way out of trouble would probably result in them taking their chance at all three. Villa, for their part, have been severely depleted by injury, and although once again the defence played well, sadly the home side offered nothing from open play in front of goal and had to rely on a couple of set pieces as the only route to trouble the visiting keeper. A study of the League table ‘goals for and against’ columns will tell you where Villa’s strengths and shortcomings have been this season.

Yet another dream start for Villa.  Before the prawn sandwich brigade had taken up their viewing positions, Sam Bolton had headed his side into the lead from a well flighted David Warburton corner. This should have settled Villa, but there was little sign of that, though in fairness the visitors offered little that was better as both sides seemed to find it difficult to get to grips with a firm and bobbly pitch. Villa’s principle tactic at this stage appeared to be lumping the ball over the top looking for Hoggy’s pace.  Only trouble with that was, of course, that the speedy striker was watching from the sidelines having been suspended playing for a ‘Sunday team’ for twining at the officials once too often.

Mid way though the first half, Turton took a quick throw down the line on their right. The ball found it’s way to Burrows, who turned and fired a low drive through a forest of leg, where an unsighted Ross Baxter could not get down in time to prevent it creeping in just inside the post.

Those were the only two incidents of note in a dire first half, and to be honest, the second half produced nothing better.  Another corner from Villa on the hour mark produced a very well taken headed goal, this time debutant Kenny Mayers gave the keeper no chance. One for the future?  However, the lead lasted less than two minutes. For some inexplicable reason matt Conway pulled back a defender in the box, though no immediate threat was obvious. Dave Ward gratefully accepted the gift from the spot.

That was pretty much it. Ross Baxter was called upon for a couple of routine saves, but the home side only had two shots all night, and one of those from a free kick troubled the roof of the clubhouse more than it did the keeper.  Sam Bolton from full back remains Villa’s top scorer by a street, and therein lies the main problem. As previously observed, the defence have been consistently resilient this season, but on this showing, had the game gone on for a week you couldn’t see where a goal from open play was going to come from.

Villa face a long trip to Dalton on Saturday, and it will indeed be a long journey back if there is not a better showing to lift the spirits in advance of the Richardson Cup Semi Final on Wednesday evening. (against Fullwood at Croston, note -  6.15 ko),  Dalton, like Turton, face a serious backlog of fixtures and are also struggling at the wrong end of the table and so will be similarly motivated.

Villa Line-Up: Ross Baxter, Matt Conway, Darren Davies, Lee Chambers, Sam Bolton, Matt Plano, David Warburton, Kenny Mayers (Rhys Crombie 89), Tom Whittaker, Alex Gutteridge (James O’Loughlin 75), Ryan Lilley.