West Lancs League Prem

I’m sure that the Villa management and players cringe every time I employ the phrase ‘draw specialists’, but a study of the tables for the last couple of seasons will confirm that the sobriquet is well merited.  And all too often said draws have come as a result of failing to close out a match in which they have been commanding  in all but goals, particularly at home. So here we are, played two -at home - drawn two!  But therein the similarity to most of the previous such draws ends, as on both these most recent occasions Villa might be forgiven for thinking that they ‘got out of jail’. That said, had they played for the first one hundred and sixty five minutes with the conviction and drive they showed during the last fifteen, then it might have all been so different.

Fulwood, of course, as their recent record shows, are one of the better sides in the league, and when they were gifted an absurdly soft goal on sixteen minutes they were content to play a containing game, with two very capable centre backs, Neil Wright in particular, dealing easily with Villa’s rather one-dimensional attempts at penetration.  For their part, Villa were unable to call Jimmy Brindle in the visitors’ goal into action until the seventy fifth minute, and that a fairly routine catch to boot. However, with a couple of returnees having made the trip literally from the airport to the bench, the home side showed enough in the last quarter of an hour to suggest that the best is very much yet to come.

As indicated, Fulwood’s breakthrough came as a result of an aberration at the back, and Spence was as surprised as anyone to see his scuffed effort bobble harmlessly but unchallenged over the line. Fortified by this unearned advantage, Fulwood set about the remainder of their task with a ‘what we have we hold’ attitude, whilst for their part, Villa seemed bereft of ideas other than to lump the ball over the top for the forwards to run on to – the main trouble with that being that the only one with the pace to have any chance of capitalising on such play happens to be occupying a sun lounger in the Greek islands at present! A couple of shots off target from the visitors were all that either keeper had to concern themselves with during the remainder of the first half.

Mark McDonnell rung the changes at half time, throwing on Elliot Dunn and Tom Whittaker, both of whom being amongst those who forgot to check when the season was due to start before booking their holidays.  Gradually Villa began to attain a more cohesive flow to their play. Dunn and Whittaker made an impact from the outset, allowing David Heald, virtually anonymous in the first half, the room and support to hint at what he is really capable of.  Still there was little sign of Villa being able to trouble Brindle, whilst down the other end, Ross Baxter kept his side in touch with a wonderful full length save.

The final fifteen minutes, however, were a different story. Villa looked to have a belief that was notable for its earlier absence, and with both Darren Davies and Sam Bolton pushing further forward more and more, one began to feel that an equaliser was definitely on the cards.

Mark Swift joined the fray for the final ten minutes, and his delivery of the ball, both from open play and the set piece, immediately posed a new set of problems for the visiting defence. And it was from one such Swift delivery, as part of, one suspects, a well rehearsed corner routine, that Dunn was able to outfox his marker to head powerfully home from close range.

‘A point earned rather than two points dropped’, was McDonnell’s post match verdict, with enough promise to suggest better times to come.

Villa line-Up: Ross Baxter, John Salisbury (Mark Swift 79),Darren Davies, Lee Chambers, Sam Bolton, Matt Plano, Ryan Lilley, David Heald , David Warburton  (Elliot Dunn 45),  Alex Gutteridge (Tom Whittaker 45), Greg Johnstone.