Pre-Season Friendly

> 19.7.2007

After hastily arranging this friendly only a week or so ago, the fans who turned up for this one, hoping perhaps for a glimpse of a Premiership star or two, were treated to an entertaining game between the Pitmen and Villa's second string, fielding a number of triallists from all over the globe

Aswas expected, the full-time outfit started much the better side, with Danish youngster Tobias Mikaelsson making most of the running for the Villa. He created a chance for himself inside the first five minutes, only to be denied by a well-timed challenge from Paul Robinson. However, the Pitmen found their feet and in the sixth minute new boy Simon Forsdick, signed from Halesowen Town, headed goalwards, but his effort was hacked off the line for a corner kick

The excellent Mikaelsson was next to register a shot on goal, with his effort cannoning off the post. Before he could get to the rebound, he was flagged offside by the assistant referee on the far side. It was all Villa for a stage, with new boy Rene Gilmartin havin got be quick to deny Hungarian Zoltan Stieber after he was played in by Mikaelsson

It was Peter Knox who was next to go close for the home side, collecting a ball from Dave Macpherson but allowed David Bevan, the Villa keeper, to clear. The Pitmen's pressure paid off just after the half hour mark, as they took the lead courtesy of Paul Robinson. Forsdick's cross was headed powerfully home by defender Robinson, giving Bevan no chance 

It was almost 2-0 straight after, but Alan Nagington could not get enough on his shot after being set up by Ross Adams

Villa equalised on thirty five minutes, with Mikaelsson involved yet again; his layoff to Chris Herd allowed the Academy youngster to volley confidently past Gilmartin to level the scores

A number of changes were made by both sides during the second period, but this did not spoil what was a good battle between the sides. Nagington almost set up Knox, before Liam Hebberd rescued the ball and found Knox a second time, but his header sailed over the bar 

Ross Dyer came on for Hebberd during the second half after missing the first game at Keys Park due to his holiday, and the talented teenager put the Pitmen back into the lead on sixty six minutes, controlling a Tom Marshall free kick before firing past Bevan

The Pitmen were on a roll, and youth team player David Brown, on for Knox, created an opening for Nagington by clipping the ball to the unmarked striker. In truth, he should have hit the target, but made a hash of his shot and fired wide

In the end, the full-time fitness of Villa told, and the excellent Mikaelsson won a penalty for the visitors five minutes from the end, brought down by Robinson. Stieber stepped up and dispatched the penalty, giving Gilmartin no chance and bringing to an end a very fair and entertaining draw  cds

Alsager Town (A)

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