This game could not have
started better for the Villa, three goals up inside the
first 18 minutes. Both teams started well but the best
chances fell to the home side who made the most of their
opportunities. On ten minutes a ball into the Tempest
United box was not cleared by the defenders, allowing Liam
Conway to pick up the ball and put the home side ahead.
Five minutes later Villa were
two up. The home side's pressure resulted in a corner
and the ball in was met by Ross Dickinson whose header was
just kept out by the Tempest defence. But the ball was
only cleared to Nick Baker whose left wing cross again put
the visitors' defence under pressure. Anton Martin nearly
turned the ball in, and Ryan Lilley following up was able
to put the ball over the line.
Only three more minutes had
been played when Villa scored their third and best goal of
the game. The move started in the Villa half when Daniel
Walker played a ball on to Liam Conway who, in turn, found
Mick Bradshaw. His inch perfect through ball allowed
Graham Chatterly to break away and confidently lob the
Tempest keeper. Villa started to relax and on 22 minutes
Nick Baker came close to scoring following a pass from
Graham Chatterly. This was followed by a Ross Dickinson
header, which, again, came close. At this point in the
game the visitors did not seem to know `what had hit
them', as Villa continued to create chances.
A good Ryan Lilley run saw his
shot fly over the bar. A minute later he had the ball in
the net only to be ruled off side. Anton Martin put a shot
over the bar as Villa continued to press. The visitors
started to regroup and get back into the game and came
close to scoring on 39 minutes when an effort was headed
out for a corner by James O'Loughin. >From the corner,
the ball in was twice cleared off the line by Shaun Gibbs
and Daniel Walker. Villa came back, and, just before half
time thought they had scored a fourth goal when a Graham
Chatterly header seemed to cross the line, but the goal
was not given.
The visitors made changes at
half time and were rewarded on 46 minutes when Mick
Bradshaw turned the ball into his own net when trying to
clear. This lifted Tempest, and, with Villa losing Daniel
Walker with an injury, the home side lost their shape and
had to battle hard to keep out the visitors. Villa still
had chances - Graham Chatterly had a shot saved and on 65
minutes Liam Conway shot past the foot of the post when
put through by Ryan Lilley. As the half progressed the
Tempest revival waned and both Liam Conway and Ryan Lilley
came close to scoring near the end.
This was not a classic Villa
performance. When, after taking their early chances they
allowed the visitors back into the game, but all credit
to Tempest United who tried to take something from the
match right up to the last whistle.
Team - Gibbs, Walker, (Bibby),
Dickinson, O'Loughlin, Neary, L. Conway, Bradshaw,
Chatterly (Gilmour), Baker, Lilley, Martin, (M. Conway)
