Chatterly, Martin ( 2 ) L. Chambers

Villa continued their recent run of good form with another solid performance to register an impressive away win against a very strong Thornton side.

Once again it was the sustained discipline and effort of the whole team throughout the match which made life difficult for the home side. After ten minutes of fairly frenetic action Villa took the lead when Craig Chambers played a good ball down the right wing to Liam Conway who was able to cut into the box and lay the ball off to Graham Chatterly. From the pass he calmly placed a right foot shot just inside the post. Within the next five minutes Villa twice came close to increasing their lead, Anton Martin curled a left foot shot over the bar. Guy Clarkson then saw his low left foot shot saved at the foot of the post.

The early Villa goal had clearly unsettled the home side, and it was the visitors who were creating the openings. On 18 minutes Craig Chambers saw his lob shot tipped over the bar, then on 25 minutes Lee Chambers had a header saved on the line from a Guy Clarkson corner. A minute later Liam Conway ran onto a through ball only to see his shot come back off the inside of the post. Two minutes later Graham Chatterly ran onto a back pass only to shoot over the bar. After the early flurry of Villa chances Thornton tried to settle, and the game went through a quiet spell leading up to half time. Given that the home side had played with a strong wind at their backs in the first half, Euxton were happy to reach the break ahead.

The second half now gave the visitors the advantage of the wind which they exploited well. Anton Martin had been causing the home defence problems with his strong running, and now Villa used the wind to drop balls over the home defence for him to run onto. On 50 minutes James O' Loughlin played an inch perfect through ball which Anton Martin ran onto and despite the efforts of a defender and the goalkeeper he was able to turn the ball into the net for 2-0. Villa now upped the pace, on the hour Guy Clarkson had a good run down the left before hitting a low cross across the box. From the clearance the ball was headed back by Ross Dickinson allowing Anton Martin to begin another strong run, hold off a defender, and shoot low into the bottom corner for 3-0.

Thornton responded with their best effort of the game, they were awarded a free kick just outside the box, but keeper Shaun Gibbs produced a good save to keep the kick out. Villa continued to probe and use the ball over the top to good effect.The final Villa goal came on 80 minutes when a corner was headed in by Lee Chambers, after the game the goal was described as a bullet header by manager Mark McHugh.

Villa saw out the rest of the game comfortably to register their second away win in a week, they can be well satisfied with their performance and team spirit.

Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, Dickinson, L.Chambers, Baker, ( Neary ) O'Loughlin, L.Conway ( Winstanley ) Chatterly, Bradshaw, Clarkson ( Atherton ) Martin.