After missing the first 3 games of the season which Euxton Oranges had played so well in, it was my first chance to see how the boys were playing and both Gary and Steve were full of praise for how well we had played in those previous games.

With a full team to choose from, Steve was left to pick the team and Villa lined up with Aaron, Malachy, Liam, Joe, Jack, James and Marshall with Alex and Luke starting as subs. Gary and I decided Jack would captain the team and the boys kicked off on a windy Autumn day.

The opening 5 minutes were quite balanced with Villa perhaps having more possession but Hoole looking dangerous on the break. Liam and Malachy were looking strong at the back and James made a couple of strong runs down the left hand side but Hoole defended well and managed to clear any danger. Villa continued to press and forced a number of corners with Liam getting forward well from defence and keeping the pressure on Hoole with some good early balls into the box but again the Hoole defence held firm. A lovely move from midfield saw Jack slip a ball through to Marshall who then played a lovely ball to Joe. Joe controlled well before striking at goal with a powerful, well placed shot but the Hoole goalkeeper made an excellent reflex save to beat the ball away. This was to be the first of a number of impressive saves by a goalkeeper who had an excellent game. Hoole then went straight on the attack, getting forward in numbers and put some real pressure on the Villa defence. It was to be the only time in the game that Villa seemed to lose their positions and Hoole nearly took advantage. A lovely move through midfield suddenly had 3 against 2 in the Villa defence and with the defence stretched, the Hoole striker got free in the area and hit a powerful, low shot towards goal that was heading for the corner. Aaron got down fantastically well to keep the ball out but it squirmed free in the area and went straight back to a Hoole player who shot at goal again. Aaron scrambled off the floor to block the ball again before bravely pouncing at the feet of a Hoole player just as he was about to shoot. This was a brilliant piece of goalkeeping by Aaron and was only matched by the smile on the face as he got up clutching the ball to this chest.

Villa then kicked it to life and dominated the rest of the first half and were soon 1-0 up. Some neat build up play in midfield put Marshall clear on the right hand side. Marshall cut into the box before playing a lovely ball across the area to the back post where James had made a great run to tap in with his RIGHT foot. It was a lovely move from Villa. Soon after it was 2-0 when villa won the ball on the left. A quick through from James found Joe in centre midfield. Joe turned, loooked up and played a fantastic ball that split the midfield and put Jack through on goal some 15 yards out. Jack ran onto the ball, hit it first time and the ball rocketed into the top left hand corner of the goal. It was a fantastic strike that no goalkeeper could have got to and another lovely move from Villa.

Half time Hoole 0 - Euxton Orange 2

At half time we encouraged the boys to keep passing, keep finding space and to keep their heads up, looking for the movement of their team mates. We also asked, when defending, to make sure we didn't have 3 or 4 players in the box marking only 2 Hoole players and to make sure when marking, that they had a man each. Alex came on up front for Marshall and Luke came on for Malachy.

The second half was one Villa dominated with some fantastic football. Villa were soon 3-0 when Joe struck a fierce shot towards the Hoole goal and Jack was there to get a touch and the ball managed to squirm past the keeper into into the back of the net. Alex then scored a cracker of a goal, cutting in from the left hand side again after some great work in midfield from Jack and Joe to finish powerfully into the top right hand corner of the Hoole goal, again giving the keeper no chance to make it 4-0. Villa were in total control now and were quick to attack down the right hand side with Liam supporting Joe well, at the back Luke was reading the game well, making some great tackles and clearing any danger. Jack then grabbed his hat-trick with another sublime finish from distance. Liam broke up play to send Joe clear on the right, cutting inside, Joe played a lovely ball to the edge of the box, almost dead central. Jack appeared from midfield and hit it first time with a lovely clean strike and the ball looped over the keeper into the top corner and vill were 5-0 up. Jack then came off to a standing ovation to be replaced by Malachy and James made way for Marshall. Villa continued to press and attack and were playing some great stuff and the score was 6-0 when again, Joe tormented the Hoole defence, twisting and turning down the right hand side before playing a powerful and accurate cross across the box which Alex met brilliantly to strike first time and the ball flew into the bottom left hand corner. Joe then came so close to grabbing the goal his performance deserved when he crashed a shot against the corner of the post and crossbar and then cutting inside from the right he went past two players in the box before shooting with his left foot but the Hoole keeper made a stunning reflex save low to his left.

That was the end of the action and the score ended Hoole 0 - Euxton Villa Orange 6

Man of the Match, a tough one. Joe was exceptional, Aaron kept the score at 0-0 with 3 fantastic saves and the whole of the team performed really well. The man of the match goes to Jack though. We've been asking Jack to work on striking the ball and he scored two stunning goals in this game. His all round performance, how hard he worked and how he listened at half time when we asked him to make sure he didn't get too far forward was great to see. A captains performance. Well done Jack