26th November 2005
Fulwood Amateurs (1) 2
Euxton Villa (1) 1
It was unlucky thirteen for
Villa as their unbeaten run came to an end against a well
organised and determined Fulwood side. All credit to the
home side who deserved their win in a closely contested
game of few chances. On the day Villa contributed to their
own downfall with too many players not playing to their
full potential.
The opening spell was very
tight with both teams cancelling each other out. Villa's
first opening came after twenty minutes following good
work on the left by Brad Dowling, his cross was cleared to
Heath Broadbent whose low shot was just wide. Three
minutes later Adrian Briggs had a shot saved, the ball
fell to Sam Shone, but his effort flew over the bar. The
home side responded and came close themselves on 20
minutes when a cross shot flew wide of the Villa goal,
they came even closer two minutes later forcing Shaun
Gibbs to make a good save diving low to his left.
Villa thought they had taken
the lead after 27 minutes when Adrian Briggs peeled off
from the centre back, only to be ruled offside. On the
half-hour Liam Conway forced his way down the right before
finding Adrian Briggs who came close with a good shot
which flew inches wide of the post. The game was still
very close but Fulwood edged ahead on forty minutes, they
won a corner on the right and Villa failed to clear the
cross allowing a free header which flew into the net. The
home side's joy was short lived as four minutes later
Villa were level. A cross from Liam Conway was cleared to
Adrian Briggs who controlled the ball and seeing the
Fulwood keeper off his line guided his shot just under the
crossbar.
The second half continued in
much the same vain as the first with chances for both
sides proving difficult to come by, on 55 minutes Ross
Dickinson headed over from a corner, but the home side hit
back and Shaun Gibbs had to be alert to keep out a low
shot. With 65 minutes gone, good work from Adrian Briggs
set up Sam Shone but again Villa failed to hit the target.
The winner came on 68 minutes when Villa conceded a soft
second goal, a ball into the box was not cleared and
Fulwood scored with a low shot into the bottom corner.
From this point the home side
were content to hold onto their lead and Euxton were
unable to break them down, on 70 minutes Mick Bradshaw had
a good shot turned away for a corner , and two minutes
later Heath Broadbent headed a chance over the bar. For
the remaining time the home side contained Villa and took
the three points. On another day Villa could have taken
something from the game, from this match hopefully it was
that if you let your standards drop you will be punished.
Team - Gibbs, C. Chambers,
Dickinson, Crombie, Dowling, ( Baker ) L.Conway, (
Chatterly ) Broadbent, Bradshaw, Shone,. Clarkson, (
Martin ) Briggs.
