Poulton FC Grind Out 1-0 Derby Victory Against Wyre Villa in Scrappy Encounter

Poulton FC hosted local rivals Wyre Villa in a tightly contested derby that ended in a hard-fought 1-0 victory for the home side. The match was marked by a scrappy and disjointed first half, with both teams struggling to establish any rhythm.

Wyre Villa made their intentions clear early on, disrupting Poulton’s usually free-flowing football with a series of tactical fouls designed to break up play. Despite this, Wyre Villa managed to create the first attempts on goal, though both efforts sailed harmlessly wide of the target.

The stop-start nature of the game due to frequent fouls seemed to unsettle Poulton, who found it difficult to string together their usual passing combinations. As the first half wore on, clear-cut chances were scarce for both sides, and the teams headed into the break with the scoreline locked at 0-0.

Poulton emerged for the second half with renewed focus and energy. Although they made no changes in personnel, their organisation and sharpness noticeably improved. This paid off just minutes after the restart when Toby Scammell produced a moment of quality down the flank, delivering a precise pass to Max Landless. Landless made no mistake, slotting the ball into the net to give Poulton a 1-0 lead.

From that point on, the game returned to its scrappy nature, with neither side able to fashion any significant chances. Poulton’s defense remained solid, and goalkeeper Adam Ridings had little to do, as Wyre Villa failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match.

Despite the below-par performance, Poulton’s manager, Dale Azzopardi, expressed satisfaction with the result. “We were well below our best tonight in a largely lethargic display. However, I am pleased that despite not playing well, we managed to win the game and kept the opposition from having a shot on target.“

With the victory, Poulton FC secured another valuable three points and their third win in four games.