Source: Daily_Mail
Aston Villa 1 Hull City 0: Carew strikes to deepen Hull relegation worries
John Carew scored the goal that gave Aston Villa a rare home win and ensured all of the Barclays Premier League's bottom four clubs endured a pointless Bank Holiday weekend.
Despite a couple of late scares, it would have been a serious injusticehad Hull emerged from Villa Park with anything.
Hull keeper Boaz Myhill was easily the evening's outstanding player in a game visiting managerPhil Brown will want to forget.
His skipper, Ian Ashbee, limped off in the opening 10 minutes with a gashed leg and knee injury.
Then he witnessed striker Daniel Cousin get away with a dangerous tackle on Curtis Davies, although referee Mike Dean may well want to review that decision.
As the first half ended, Brown's staff intervened when an on-field spat involving Cousin and teammate Geovanni threatened to develop into something more serious as the players left the field.
It was just the sort of stuff you might expect from a club flirting with relegation.
Not that Villa will care.
Having not won on their own turf since their defeat of neighbours West Bromwich Albion in early January, they were desperate to lift a season in which their huge promise has disintegrated .
So it fell to Carew to provide the deftest of touches to convert Ashley Young's cross following a quick counter-attack as Villa leapfrogged Everton back into fifth place in the table.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill pointed out at the final whistle that European football has now been guaranteed for a second consecutive season.
He said: 'In the end, it was a relief we got there. We deserved to win the game.
'Had we scored a second goal, then we'd have been comfortable. Their goalkeeper made a couple of unbelievable saves.
'It was nervy at the end, but it was deserved. It was nice for us to keep a clean sheet.'
Villa will have a big say in the outcome of the relegation battle.
Three of their final four games, starting on Monday night, are against teams in danger of the drop.
A fine fingertip stop from Hull keeper Boaz Myhill, released by Villa as a youngster, denied James Milner, but Villa scored in the 34th minute.
Deep in their own territory, Stiliyan Petrov and Gareth Barry hassled George Boateng and robbed him of the ball.
Barryquickly fed Young, who cut on to his right foot and aimed the ball into the danger area.
Carew appeared about four yards offside when he touched the ball home, but TV replays showed he was level with the final defender.
His manager said: 'Carew is really doing well, he's very popular and he's thriving on the confidence of a few goals.'
The hosts were well on top throughout all but the last 10 minutes of the second half.
It began with Gareth Barry toying with his marker on the edge of Hull's area, twisting this way and that before using his right foot.
Villa midfielder Gareth Barry (left) and Kevin Kilbane battle it out
He should try his luck more often.
Myhill needed to be at his agile best to tip away a shot that was headed for the top corner of his net.
And still the saves kept coming.
With 18 minutes left, Myhill produced his best of an over-worked evening.
A free-kick was lofted to the far post and Zat Knight did exactly what he should do, nodded the ball across goal.
Agbonlahor was waiting to head home only for Hull's keeper to somehow palm his effort over the bar.
Hull finally threatened late in the game.
First, Sam Ricketts's centre was fired forward by Cousin.
Ablack and amber shirt flashed across Brad Friedel's eyeline, but he managed to keep focused on the ball.
And then Zayatte met an inswinging free-kick.
The big defender was just six yards out but again the American goalkeeper barred Hull's way as the evening ended far more nervously for Villa than it should have.
'Tonight has confirmed European football at Villa Park for next season,' added O'Neill, 'some time ago the club used to feast on it. It has been a famine in recent years.'
