Who Needs Goals Anyway? Two Games, Two 0-0 Draws!

Goalless draws are rare! Well, for me they are!

Ever since I started filming football matches back in 2017, I'd only ever filmed a couple of games where neither side were able to hit the target.

That was until a week ago when I covered the game between Euxton Villa and a young Chester FC XI.

Having produced a short documentary on Euxton recently, I decided to film one of their pre-season friendlies and thought that this would be a really good and entertaining game.

And, to be fair, it was!

There weren't any goals but it was still a decent match which really could have gone either way.

In the first quarter of an hour both sides had a couple of half chances but it was quite an even affair with neither team really taking control.

However, in the 15th minute Euxton Villa went close when a cross from the left was whipped in to the back post and headed against the woodwork for what turned out to be the best chance of the game.

Chester had the chance to take the lead in the 38th minute when their right winger attacked the Euxton Villa defence, cut inside onto his left foot just inside the penalty area but his attempted curled effort just didn't bend enough and went wide of the far post.

Two minutes into the second half and Euxton Villa went close again, this time their right back had ventured forward and found himself free down the right inside the box, but he blazed his shot over the bar from just 15 yards out.

A couple of minutes later it was Chester's turn to attack again, this time the ball was cleared but a mix up between 2 Villa defenders saw the ball fall to the visitor's centre forward, who looked up and found his teammate on the right wing.

After a stepover, he created half a yard for himself and drilled a shot just wide of the far post, with the keeper seemingly beaten.

On the hour mark. Chester had another half chance from a corner but despite their centre back rising above the Villa defence, he could only direct his header over the bar.

Euxton had a chance of their own in the 65th minute but the shot from the edge of the area was deflected harmlessly to the keeper, who gathered the ball comfortably.

Villa then went close inside the final 10 minutes when a loose pass from the Chester left back gifted possession to hosts, their number 11 squared the ball on the edge of the box to their number 15 but the substitute was unable to keep his left footed shot down and it went high and wide over the bar.

A minute later and Villa's number 11 went close himself when his initial shot from just outside the area rebounded back to him and his left footed curled effort was easily gathered by the goalkeeper.

The final chance of the game came in injury time when Chester hit Euxton on the break and their substitute found himself in space 30 yards out, but despite hitting the outside of the post, his shot lacked power and the danger was averted.

You can watch the match highlights below.

A week later, I was out filming again, this time it was the game between Squires Gate and Blackpool Wren Rovers in what was not only a pre-season friendly, but a derby game between two sides quite literally separated by a foot of concrete!

Squires Gate play in the North West Counties Premier Division, while Blackpool Wren Rovers are in the West Lancs Football League Premier Division.

In theory, you'd expect the non league side to dominate and win at a canter, but this was a really hard-fought game with both sides creating plenty of chances.

It was a surprise to see it end 0-0!

Squires Gate had the first real chance in the 6th minute when Hesford's close range shot was hit harmlessly straight at the keeper.

The home side went close again in the 16th minute when Riley whipped in a superb cross but Westwood was unable to guide his header goalward.

Blackpool Wren Rovers created their first big chance in the 21st minute when they won the ball back well around 35 yards out and their centre forward went on a mazy run, brilliantly turning Bartram, the Squires Gate centre back, and then rounding goalkeeper Pennington.

However, he was denied by a brilliant goal-saving challenge from Gray, who at full stretch managed to deflect the ball onto the post and out for a corner.

From the resulting set piece, Squires Gate headed against their own crossbar and the ball went out for another corner, which was whipped in brilliantly but was headed wide.

In the 29th minute, the home side won a freekick just outside the Wren Rovers penalty area and Riley's excellent effort just went over the bar.

Four minutes before half time and the Blackpool Wren Rovers number 9 went on another outstanding solo run, beating two players before playing the ball across across goal, but his strike partner was just unable to get on the end of it.

Right on half time, Squires Gate captain Westwood got on the end of a cross from the left but his header went harmlessly over the bar as the two teams went into the break level at 0-0.

Six minutes into the second half the visitors went close to opening the scoring when their number 11 cut in from the left and from the left corner of the box he fired a right footed shot goalward, but it was straight down the keeper's throat.

Just before the hour mark, the home team were awarded a freekick just outside the penalty area and their number 10, a trialist, tested the keeper with a superbly struck right footed effort which was tipped over the bar.

From the resulting corner, Squires Gate tried a well rehearsed set piece as the ball was played along the floor to the edge of the box but a complete mis-kick allowed the visitors the chance to counter.

They quickly hit the home team on the break and their outstanding number 9 again went close, eventually firing his shot over the bar from a tight angle just eight yards out.

With just four minutes to go, Squires Gate thought that they had finally made the breakthrough in this Fylde Coast derby when a corner was crossed in and Abankwah rose to head to head the ball seemingly into the top corner.

However, he was denied by a fantastic headed goal-line clearance by the defender on the post and Blackpool Wren Rovers were able to survive what seemed a certain goal.

That was the last real chance of the game, and it was my second 0-0 draw in the space of a week!

Neither match was a typical goal-less draw though! Both games were full of chances and plenty of incidents!

You can watch the match highlights of the game between Squires Gate and Blackpool Wren Rovers below.