In a commanding display at the Poolfoot Training Complex in Thornton on 3rd May 2025, Euxton Villa U15 Black triumphed over Newmains United U15 with a resounding 6-0 victory. The match, part of a tournament, kicked off at 9:00 am and showcased the attacking prowess of the Villa side, who dominated throughout the encounter.
Euxton Villa lined up in a 3-4-3 formation, designed to maximise their attacking potential while maintaining a solid defensive structure. Adam Tucker took his place in goal, shielded by a back three consisting of Harley Ashton in the centre, flanked by Alex Howarth on the right and Louis Grant on the left. The midfield was anchored by Ethan Bingham and Freddie Beanland in central roles, with Lucas Harvey and Finlay Mann providing width as right and left midfielders, respectively. Up front, the trio of Roman Taylor, William Murray, and Zak Whalley were tasked with leading the line, with Murray expected to be the focal point of the attack. The substitutes for the match included Jack Shirley, Josh Strong, Jamie Catterall, Bobby Singleton, and Oliver Gardner.
The match began with an early attempt from Zak Whalley, who tested the Newmains United defence within the first five minutes. However, it was William Murray who opened the scoring just a minute later, converting a short pass from Lucas Harvey to give Euxton Villa a 1-0 lead. The momentum continued to build as Murray struck again in the seventh minute, this time with a deft flick from Zak Whalley, doubling the advantage to 2-0.
In the twelfth minute, Louis Grant was forced off due to injury, making way for Jack Shirley, who entered the fray to maintain the Villa's defensive solidity. The relentless pressure from Euxton Villa paid off once more in the sixteenth minute, as Murray completed his hat-trick with a left-footed strike, assisted by a long pass from Ethan Bingham, extending the lead to 3-0.
As the first half drew to a close, the score remained 3-0, and the teams headed into the break with Euxton Villa firmly in control. The second half saw a flurry of tactical substitutions, with Josh Strong replacing the prolific Murray, Jamie Catterall coming on for Finlay Mann, and Bobby Singleton taking over from Alex Howarth, all within the opening minutes of the half.
Villa continued to dominate, and in the 24th minute, Josh Strong marked his introduction with a goal, assisted by Zak Whalley, pushing the score to 4-0. Jack Shirley then had a chance to add to the tally, but his effort was saved in the 26th minute. Oliver Gardner also had a go at goal shortly after, but his attempt went wide.
Ethan Bingham came close to scoring in the 30th minute, hitting the crossbar with a powerful shot, but it was Zak Whalley who found the net again in the 36th minute, scoring with a short pass from Josh Strong to make it 5-0. The onslaught continued, and in the dying moments of the match, Oliver Gardner capped off the scoring with a left-footed goal, assisted by Jack Shirley, sealing a comprehensive 6-0 victory for Euxton Villa.
The match was a testament to Euxton Villa U15 Black's attacking flair and defensive resilience, as they cruised to a well-deserved win against Newmains United U15.
