Euxton Villa 1   Kirkham & Wesham 1

In a hugely entertaining game that comfortably lived up to its pre-match billing, Villa entertained K&W for the second week in a row, and , having been punished for some early disorganisation, fought back to level and finished the game the stronger.

Not so much a game of two halves, more a game of four quarters. For the first twenty minutes or so, the visitors had the upper hand, as the Villa defence seemed to be having difficulty getting to grips with the formation and the K&W front men, Horsfall in particular, enjoying far too much room to work in. Davies got them organised though, and the game settled into a fierce but fairly contested encounter, with both sides having opportunities to edge ahead. For the last twenty minutes or so however, the home side looked the more likely, and although a draw was probably a fair result, the final whistle was more welcomed by the visitors.

Although a bit all over the place at the back early on, Villa still carried a threat going forward. Rob Marquis fired just over as early as three minutes, and David Heald shot powerfully, but straight into the keeper’s arms after Ian Curwen found him with a class head-flick. Meanwhile down at the other end, Justin Johnston had to pull out a terrific save diving low to his left. Then, in the fifteenth minute, Horsfall with too much time, found St Vall with a quality cross and he headed home unopposed. Whilst Villa were still reeling from that, the visitors almost doubled their lead, but again Johnston brought off a super save.

This seemed to be the spur Villa needed, and Ryan Lilley almost grabbed the equaliser after storming work from Heald in the corner put him in, but Whiteside saved well. Then less than a minute later, Sam Bolton executed a perfect header from a Lilley corner to get his side back on terms.

The remainder of the half ebbed and flowed. Bolton went close again, this time with a low drive free kick, but again Whiteside turned it round the post. Lilley saw a header flash wide with the goal gaping, and Johnston had to be at his sharpest once again from a free kick to keep his side level at the interval.

Second half and more of the same.  Inside thee first five minutes, Johnston was again required to perform heroics from a free kick, and Heald tried to chip the keeper on the end of a trademark powerful run. Andy Farley had a free kick well held and Lilley sent a dream cross under the bar where somehow a combination of keeper and defender prevented Curwen from hooking into the net.  

In the last quarter, Villa enjoyed the greater territorial advantage. Farley had another free kick turned round by Whiteside, and Bolton nearly reprised his first half effort from the resulting corner. A couple of other chances came and went, but although the Euxton side were in the ascendancy, all was nearly undone late on as a free header somehow went wide of Johnston’s back post.

So a terrific advert for amateur football for the sizeable crowd to enjoy, with both keepers kept busy and the result probably about right. The same can be expected next week as Villa renew their rivalry  with Burnley, this time in the cup, with the visitors no doubt still smarting from only taking a single point in the two league meetings. 1.30 kick-off, don’t miss it.

Villa lineup: Johnston, Pennington, Chambers, Davies, Bolton, Marquis, Heald (Salisbury90), Loughlin, Farley, Lilley (Bingham 76), Curwen