Villa started their first foray in Division One with an away fixture at Zizou FC. Zizou finished 2nd bottom of the league last season but due to league restructuring kept their place in the second tier of the BNESL.
The orders from the new manager were to start fast against a side whom he had pitted his wits against on numerous occasions and he couldn’t have asked for a better opening 10 minutes.
Tristan Woolfenden went close on 2 occasions in the opening exchanges, shooting inches wide early on before miss kicking on the 6 yard line after a save from Zizou keeper Reece Free. However Woolfenden was to turn provider on 9 minutes when a great shot on the turn was pushed onto the bar by Free with the rebound falling to Scott Collins. The Villa skipper made no mistake after composing himself as the ball dropped out of the air volleying past the keeper and into the net.
Steven Webb went close on 14 mins when after a great passage of play Luke Ellis played the ball through to an overlapping Webb but he perhaps struck the ball too sweetly as the ball viciuosly thumped the crossbar and landed safely, much to the relief of the Zizou rearguard.
That relief was short lived however on 22 minutes when Scott Collins doubled his and Villas tally with a drilled effort that keeper Free could do nothing about, the ball going through his legs as he tried to position himself.
The home side had not caused Villa too many problems with their few efforts on goal being from long range which Gavin Woolfenden in the Villa goal dealt with easily, although one effort from the impressive James Claydon did sting the hands which Woolfenden clutched gratefully at the second attempt. Claydon went one better on 25 minutes when holding Colley and Douglas off of the ball before firing across Woolfenden into the far corner of the net to reduce the arrears.
Two changes were made at half time with Matt Davies and Chris Collins replacing Steven Webb and Gavin Taylor and for a large part of the half both sides cancelled each other out with no chances of great note for either. The game sprung back into life on 72 minutes though and dealt a serious problem for Villas hunt for 3 points.
Chris Collins lost possession of the ball in the middle of his own half and Zizou sprung Jake Buckland into the edge of the area. He enticed Douglas into a lunged tackle and although the Villa man said no contacy had been made, confirmed after the game by the Zizou man, the referees mind had been sown the seed.. Penalty Given! Oli Starling stepped up and struck it sweet and high to Woolfendens right hand side. No chance, 2-2, game on!
Villa were in danger of throwing away their great start but showed great character in rolling up their sleeves and hunting down the winner. On 80 minutes Villa were awarded a corner and scorer Collins turned provider when his whipped in delivery was headed in at the front post by Matt Davies on his league debut.
Villa weren’t finished though and put the game to bed 3 minutes later when Collins added to his scoring double with a double assist when a freekick was awarded in Villas favour on the left. Curling the ball into the box Zizou’s back line failed to deal with the delivery and as the ball skipped off the damp long grass with pace it took a double deflection off of 2 defenders and into the net with Woolfenden seeing that it went over the line.
The sound of the referees whistle sounded soon after with the points secured and a feeling that they had made hard work off the second half.. Something to work on perhaps but the target at the start of the match was to win the game. Achievement box ticked !
