Ventura defenders Robin Mitchell, Sam Rawstron and Geoff Butterfield watch as a shot by Ian Higgin (white shirt) speeds past John Salts to put Holden and Hartley one up.

From Neil Preston's Amateur Match Of the Week:
Burnley Sunday League champions Holden and Hartley maintained their 100 per cent record so far this season when they beat arch-rivals Ventura 2-0 on Sunday, 9th February 1975. That victory must now make Holden and Hartley odds-on favourites for the title, but it was an unconvincing display by the champions against a Ventura side without four regular players. Two goals in the first 20 minutes were enough to give the champions victory, but they should have scored more had their forwards taken the many chances created.

In the 10th minute a poor goal kick by Ventura goalkeeper Johns Salts was picked up by Ian Higgin just outside the penalty area. He sped past the Ventura defence and gave Salts no chance with his shot. In the 20th minute Stuart Whittaker shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net after a shot from Jackson was saved but ran loose. Ventura at last began to get into the game and had their best spell of the match but failed to break down the solid Holden and Hartley defence and the score remained 2-0 at half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Holden and Hartley doing most of the attacking but failing to take advantage of their supremacy. Once again the last 15 minutes of the half produced Ventura's best football. The nearest they came to scoring was when Kenny hit the bar after a good one-two with Bernard Kay, but after that they had little to offer and Holden and Hartley knew the two points were safe.
Ventura: Salts, Rawstron, Mitchell, Butterfield, Dunphy, Nutter, Holmes, Walne, Kenny, Kay, Andrews.
Holden and Hartley: Oxley, Heywood, Beaumont, Dooley, Lane, Whittaker, Duckworth, Danson, Fisher, Jackson, Higgin. Sub: Booth (replaced Whittaker).
Referee: S. Astin.