COLUMNIST PAUL TRAILL

Match Report - Villa Thriller

As many others did I?m sure, I got a bit carried away with the Easter break on Saturday and so come the morning of Easter Sunday I was regretting my offer to drive to Villa Park. Regardless, as agreed I picked up Gary at 9am and hammered to down the M6 at some pace. Once we got to Birmingham my car began to slow down dramatically, much to mine and Gary?s concerns. For some reason Everton had gone out of their way to print parking directions in last weeks matchday programme for a spec just a 10 minutes walk from the ground for only £4 so we felt we?d go with that. As it turned out the directions were far from straightforward though we did find a little spec just by the greyhound track where some helpful chap tipped us off it was fine to park there for free. Sorted! Time to give the car a well-earned break. It was only 10.30am!

We first walked on down the road but were told by a helpful old lady it was the wrong road and so headed back in the other direction. A 4X4 then pulled over with two Everton fans in asking us where the ground was. As we were pretty clueless they let us hop in with them until we found it, just a short distance round the corner. With the match not kicking off until 2pm we had a lot of time to kill before the game. With a hangover really beginning to kick in now we went in search of somewhere to get a bite to eat. The over-expensive burger vans aside, there was just nothing open anywhere. It was like a scene from Dawn of the Dead as we tottered around the deserted suburbia with even evil supermarket-giants Tesco deciding to close for Easter Sunday. Eventually we found a chippy that had just opened up which provided a much needed fish and chips, or donner meet and chips for Gary.

With little else to do we thought we?d go the pub as it was now about 11.30am. I think every time I?ve been to Villa Park I?ve gone the Cap & Gown pub before kick off so fancied a change this time though was thwarted as nothing else was open just yet, so Cap & Gown it was then - paying £2 for the privilege. Still, it was alright in there and about 1pm Andy joined us having just made the trip with his Dad.

I was unaware Aston Villa had moved the away fans to the side of the pitch rather than behind the goal so it was a little confusing as we got to Villa Park for kick off. Still, we shuffled our way through the turnstile and got up to the crowd just as the teams took to the pitch. I never fail to be impressed with Villa Park and this was no exception as I gazed out onto the pitch. It?s a fantastic stadium and certainly my favourite away ground. Our seats were near the back of the Upper Tier which represented a really good view of the game. As expected there were no changes to the team that dismantled Wigan Athletic so effectively last Sunday. Villa started with Carew and Agbonlahor up front and attacked to my right in the first half. The referee was Howard Webb.

Whilst Villa probably started the game more effectively, it didn?t take Everton long at all to get into their stride and it was jubilation in the away end when Baines drove a low ball across the box which was tapped home by Fellaini from just a couple of yards out. Once we had our goal however we really pressed home our dominance. It was 2-0 when Cahill won the ball well in the middle of the park and Fellaini brought it forward, playing it back to Cahill. He drove at goal but Friedel tipped it behind awkwardly. From the resulting corner Cahill got away from his marker and nodded goalwards. The ball came back off the face of the bar but Cahill was first to react sharply nodding home the rebound before darting to the corner flag for his usual sparring routine.

Really we could?ve (should?ve?) been out of site by the time Carew finally responded for Aston Villa when he drove home after a bit of ding-dong in the box. Pienaar had lashed a cracking effort narrowly wide; after a great run by Baines he slipped in Jo who was tackled whilst trying to turn and the ball oh so nearly ran through to Osman who surely would have scored from close range; whilst it was probably just one pass too many by Cahill when he tried to play in Jo when he had a good chance to drive at goal. If one of those would have been put away then who knows what would have happened in this game. As it was we went in just 2-1 to the good at the break but still quite optimistic about winning this one. Gary?s disappointment at Aston Villa not serving beer to away fans was evident at the break, though we did instead get some ruddy nice Chicken Balti pies ? probably the finest pie I?ve ever had at a game.

The second half was equally as entertaining as the first and when Pienaar turned nicely and smashed a superb effort into the corner of the net I thought we?d done enough to wrap the game up. Unfortunately Villa responded almost immediately when James Milner smashed in an excellent free kick which was awarded for a none-existent foul as far as I could see. Regardless, I felt Howard should have saved it anyway. Anyway, now you somehow weren?t quite as confident of us coming away with the three points.

Ashley Young had been giving Hibbert a torrid time throughout and after nearly conceding one penalty plus already accumulating a harsh yellow card, Hibbert was dragged off for Lars Jacobsen. Almost immediately after this we?d conceded a very unfortunate penalty when Lescott tried to volley the ball away. Whilst he put his boot quite high, Petrov put his head pretty low and the penalty award was harsh but Webb probably felt he had to give one as the crowd were starting to get on his back and there?d been a few close calls prior to that. Up stepped Barry and there was never really any doubt that he?d spank this one home and that was 3-3. Darn!

We had a more than reasonable penalty shout of our own after this when Baines played a ball across the box looking for Jo. He seemed to have the run on his marker who appeared to bundle him over as they both went for the ball. I think it?d ?ave been given down the other end anyway. That was more or less Jo?s last action and Saha replaced him for the last 15 minutes or so. The Frenchman never really got any opportunities however and it was actually Villa substitute Delfouneso who came closest to winning this game when he got into the box and forced a smart save from Tim Howard.

As we left it felt a bit like a defeat though overall it was probably a fair result. We walked back to the car, saying farewell to Andy who?s on a plane back to Boston as I type. Hoping for the best we set off and the car immediately started making a noise that it certainly shouldn?t have. Regardless it got us home and we put it down to having a hole in the exhaust. I hope that?s all it is anyway ? it?s gotta get me to work tomorrow!

All in all, a quality day out at the match though, as Gary pointed out ? play like that next Sunday?we?ll get spanked.

Player Ratings:

Howard: Other than a smart save at the end he was utterly hopeless. I hope it was just down to that thigh strain he had because he?ll need to be in good form next week. 5

Baines: Whilst he started sloppily he sorted himself out, setting up one goal and getting forward well throughout. 7

Lescott: The pick of the two at the back and was unlucky with the penalty award. 8

Jagielka: Generally pretty solid. 7

Hibbert: Got torn to shreds by Young though wasn?t helped by a very unfair early booking from Howard Webb. 5

Neville: Did pretty well in the middle. 7

Cahill: One of his quieter games but did get a goal. 6

Osman: Fantastic display from Osman. He used the ball ever so well and was constantly on the move. I understand he hasn?t been able to train much for most of the season and is only really getting a full week of training in now which is why he?s in such good form. Let?s hope then that he has the game of his life next Sunday. 8

Pienaar: My man of the match, just edging Osman. He scored a terrific goal and was very productive and industrious throughout. 9

Fellaini: Also had a very good game and got on the scoresheet. Seemed to tire perhaps near the end. 7

Jo: Had a good lively game though one without any chances really. 7

Subs: Jacobsen (for Hibbert): In a game that must have been very difficult to come into I thought he did very well. 7

Saha (for Jo): Didn?t really get into the game. Will have to be at the races next weekend. 5

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