29th October 2005
Charnock Richard (0) 0 Euxton
Villa (1) 1
This was a vigorously
contested cup tie with both sides fully committed to
progressing to the next round. On a tight pitch the play
was always going to be condensed and this ensured that
neither side had time to settle on the ball. Euxton came
close after three minutes, a corner fell to James O'
Loughlin whose effort skimmed the top of the bar. Charnock
themselves came close on 15 minutes, when Shaun Gibbs had
to be at full stretch to turn a low shot around the post.
Villa were now starting to
play the more controlled football using a short passing
game, and after weathering the early Charnock pressure the
visitors started to create openings. On 20 minutes John
Winstanley chipped a ball into the box which allowed
Adrian Briggs to turn and shoot, but the effort was saved.
After 30 minutes Villa did have the ball in the net, as
Tom Whittaker thought he had beaten the offside trap, but
the goal was disallowed. Tom Whittaker came close again
five minutes later following a run down the right wing,
his left foot shot flew just over the bar.
This was easily Villa's best
spell of the game, and so it was no surprise when they
took the lead on 40 minutes. A ball over the home defence
from James O' Loughlin allowed Tom Whittaker to beat the
keeper with a perfectly placed chip. Two minutes later
Adrian Briggs nearly doubled the score, but his shot
flashed wide. Problems increased for the home side when
they had a player sent off right on half-time.
All credit to Charnock who
came out for the second half and upped the tempo of their
play, forcing Villa onto the back foot. Two minutes after
the re-start the home side came close when their left
winger fired a shot just over the bar. Villa were now
having to defend in depth, but everyone in the side worked
hard to hold onto the lead. On 55 minutes Villa thought
they had made the game safe, when Anton Martin had a shot
cleared off the line, Adrian Briggs following up came
close, but the effort was cleared. The pattern of the game
had now changed with Charnock throwing men forward and
Villa defending resolutely, but also looking to catch the
home side on the break.
Charnock again came close on
70 minutes, when, from a corner they headed over the bar,
but the Villa defence held strong, and in the latter
stages of the game nearly caught out the home defence with
breaks from Tom Whittaker and Adrian Briggs. A large crowd
watched the match which was a classic cup tie, not a game
for the purist, but for 100% effort it could not be
faulted, as Villa just edged a very close game.
Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, O'
Loughlin, Dickinson, Dowling, Whittaker, Broadbent,
Bradshaw, Winstanley, ( Clarkson ) Martin, ( Chatterly ) (
Crombie ) Briggs.
