BACK FROM THE BRINK: VILLA 2 – IPSWICH TOWN 1
This season’s cup games to date seem to have offered Villa some respite from their lamentable league form and this afternoon saw the team come from behind to secure a home win.
Arguably back from the brink of claret and blue oblivion, Darren Bent was offered a rare start and began brightly, offering Bowery a great right cross but the youngster failed to make proper contact with it. Not to be put off, Bowery soon had another shot, forcing a decent save from Loach, the Ipswich keeper.
Somewhat predictably, just as the Villans appeared to have settled into the game, the visitors recovered from their stage fright to take the lead: Chopra made mincemeat of Baker before cutting inside and driving a shot towards goal. It appeared to be heading wide but Lichaj was unfortunately in its way and turned the ball into Given’s net.
Before long, another error, this time by Bennett, allowed Martin a chance to solidify Ipswich’s lead but, thankfully, he drove the ball straight at Given. Following his team-mate’s lead, the lively Chopra too shot at the Irishman, wasting a magnificent cross from Cresswell.
Slight improvement towards the end of the first half, including a solid Clark header saved, wasn’t enough to stop the boo boys at the break.
Lambert must have roared about the fact that his lions weren’t at the break as it took less than one minute of the second half for Bent to equalise after N’Zogbia fed him a good ball. Having been out for a month and the subject of much speculation, it was nice to see our number 9 finding the net for the first time in months.
The equaliser seemed to spur the boys in claret and blue on. Bennett, who was named ‘man of the match’, saw his shot on goal go just wide. Loach made another sound save after a shot from the busy Bent.
At the other end of the pitch, Given found himself busier than expected upon his return and he made a superb reflex save from McLean with ten minutes to play.
In the 83rd minute, Weimann latched on to Bennett’s cross and looped a fine header past Loach to give Villa a 2-1 lead.
2-1 up, with Graham’s late equaliser at Swansea very much in fans’ (and no doubt players’) minds, a nervy finish to the game ensued but Villa held on to head into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The draw takes place tomorrow, January 5th, and will be live on ITV at 3.30p.m.
