Euxton Villa U16 Black Dominate Langho U16 Blue 6-1 At Jim Fowler Ground

On 9th November 2025, Euxton Villa U16 Black welcomed Langho U16 Blue to the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground for a pivotal cup tie kicking off at 11:30am. The home side delivered a commanding performance, running out comfortable 6-1 winners in an 80-minute contest overseen by referee Jordan Dennett, who maintained excellent control throughout.

Euxton Villa lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, deploying Adam Tucker in goal with a back four comprising Alex Howarth at right back, Harley Ashton and Louis Grant as central defenders, and Finlay Mann on the left. Frank Cooper occupied the holding midfield role, shielding the defence and distributing play. Ahead of him, a midfield quartet featured Archie Finch on the right wing, Ethan Bingham and Ollie Bamber centrally as attacking midfielders, and Roman Taylor on the left. Leading the line was William Murray as the lone striker, tasked with finishing chances created by the attacking midfielders. On the bench were Oliver Gardner, Jack Willett, Lucas Harvey, and Jack Shirley ready to impact proceedings as required.

The match began with an early setback for Euxton Villa as William Murray was forced off injured after just three minutes, replaced by Oliver Gardner. Despite this disruption, Euxton quickly asserted themselves. Frank Cooper tested the Langho keeper with a wide effort in the sixth minute, followed by Roman Taylor’s high attempt moments later. Taylor again threatened in the 14th minute but was denied by a fine save.

Langho struck first against the run of play in the 15th minute when they headed home from a set-piece, capitalising on a lapse in concentration. Frank Cooper’s late tackle in the same minute drew a foul but no penalty was awarded. Euxton responded positively, with Cooper nearly levelling in the 26th minute only to see his shot saved. Archie Finch then fired over in the 27th minute, and Harley Ashton’s effort was also kept out by the Langho goalkeeper in the 36th minute.

Euxton’s persistence paid off when Archie Finch opened his account in the 36th minute, finishing neatly with his right foot following a short pass from Ashton. Finch doubled the lead three minutes later with a solo goal, cleverly flicking on a pass from substitute Oliver Gardner and slotting home. The half ended with Euxton firmly in control at 2-1.

At half-time, tactical substitutions saw Jack Willett replace Frank Cooper, Lucas Harvey come on for Ethan Bingham, and William Murray return to the field taking the place of Oliver Gardner. The changes injected fresh energy into the side as the second half commenced.

Early in the second period, William Murray was caught offside twice, both correct decisions due to mistimed runs. Ollie Bamber’s wide attempt in the 48th minute was a rare miss, but the home side’s dominance continued. In the 56th minute, Roman Taylor scored a superb solo goal, finishing after a long pass from Archie Finch, extending the lead to 3-1.

Bamber’s saved effort in the 62nd minute and Murray’s saved shot in the 66th minute kept the pressure on Langho. Finch’s attempt was also denied in the 68th minute, but he soon made amends by assisting Murray’s goal in the 72nd minute. The striker finished inside the box with a right-footed flick, showcasing excellent link-up play.

Substitutions followed swiftly with Oliver Gardner and Ethan Bingham reintroduced for Finch and Bamber respectively. Bingham was caught offside in the 74th minute, but a minute later he made a telling impact by scoring from close range after a long pass from Lucas Harvey, making it 5-1.

A moment of controversy arose in the 76th minute when goalkeeper Adam Tucker received a yellow card for unsporting behaviour, but this did little to halt Euxton’s momentum. The final goal came in the 80th minute when Alex Howarth tapped in a close-range finish following a short pass from William Murray, sealing a comprehensive 6-1 victory.

Archie Finch was deservedly named player of the match for his influential attacking displays, scoring twice and providing multiple assists. Alex Howarth also earned recognition for his solid defensive work and crucial late goal. Euxton Villa U16 Black’s clinical finishing and tactical flexibility ensured they progressed comfortably in this cup tie, leaving Langho U16 Blue to rue missed opportunities and defensive lapses.