After their midweek hiccup, Villa bounced straight back against joint leaders Fulwood in a game that had everything: a penalty scored, a penalty saved, red cards, yellow cards, and to top it all, two of the best goals you’ll see this or any season.

With no sign of a hangover from the other night, Villa started confidently, but handed their opposition an early advantage, when an uncharacteristic rush of blood saw Andy Farley upend his opponent inside the box. Alan Wright gave Johnston no chance from the spot.

The home side redoubled their efforts, and when Farley fed Alf Gutteridge down the line, the latter’s low drive could only be turned round the post. From the corner, Damien Stewart set up Gutteridge, but his instinctive volley was right at the keeper.  Almost immediately Fulwood nearly doubled their lead with a floated lob on the end of a long ball that narrowly missed its target with Johnston stranded.

 

 

The first half hour was fairly even and not without incident. Tom Cahill had a penalty claim rightly waved away, and Bingham narrowly missed for the visitors with a head flick after a brilliant late run from deep. Gradually though, Villa began to take control, producing a series of chances before the half time whistle. Gutteridge volleyed just over after Baldwin palmed away a free kick, Brad Dowling sent Cahill down the line with a precision pass, and his cut back deserved a finish .Gutteridge again forced a fine save, and seconds later struck the bar having gotten on the end of the resultant corner. The same player again had the keeper scrambling to the rescue, having charged down a clearance and left the full-back trailing in his wake. With the last move of the half, Justin Johnston kept the opposition within touching distance with one of the less spectacular, but bravest of saves at feet.

The second half continued at the same brake-neck pace. Farley, Gutteridge and David Heald combined to carve an opening, but somehow the shot hit a leg, and Heald hit the ricochet just over. Johnston pulled off an outstanding save form a corner, and Cahill had yet another shot blocked after good work from Heald and Gutteridge.  Then, shortly after the hour, Gutteridge gathered the ball on the left, beat several before cutting inside and firing an unstoppable shot high into the rigging.  Playing like a man inspired, he then repeated the .procedure from the other flank, just to prove he could do it with either foot!  Two spectacular strikes that shook the visitors into action, and saw them have their most productive spell of the match. But Johnson was having none of it, and in fact it was the Euxton side who came closest again. Heald carved an opening for Cahill with clever close control, just wide, and a Salisbury shot was safely gathered by keeper Baldwin. Farley fired a rasping free kick inches over, (mind you it was indirect!), and the chance to wrap it up came with five minutes to go. Frustration saw Gutteridge upended when bearing down on goal, and regular taker Sam Bolton waved away Gutteridge’s claim, but his weak spot kick gave Baldwin no trouble.

 

 

Fulwood finished the game with nine men after a couple of late indiscretions, but nothing could detract from another spirited team performance from the entire Villa team. David Heald was immense, but runaway man of the match was Alf Gutteridge with an outstanding and inspired ninety minutes.

 

Villa Line-up: Johnston, Farley, Crombie, Bolton, Dowling, Gutteridge, Heald, Loughlin, Swift (Salisbury 66), Stewart (Briggs 66), Cahill (Pennington 83).