• Date: Sat 10 January 2009
  • Venue: Villa Park
  • Ref: Bennett, S
  • Attendance: 41,757
Aston Villa

Aston Villa

Davies (19)

2 - 1

Aston Villa vs West Bromwich Albion

Team Lineups

Aston Villa

Brad Friedel
Luke Young, L
Martin Laursen
Curtis Davies
Gareth Barry
Stiliyan Petrov
Nigel Reo-Coker
Ashley Young, A
Steve Sidwell (Carlos Cuellar, 86)
James Milner
Gabriel Agbonlahor

West Bromwich Albion

Scott Carson
Jonas Olsson
Carl Hoefkens
Leon Barnett
Paul Robinson
James Morrison (Chris Brunt, 65)
Jonathan Greening
Robert Koren
Borja Valero (Kim Do-Heon, 77)
Luke Moore (Roman Bednar, 46)
Jay Simpson


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full-Time: ASTON VILLA 2-1 WEST BROM. Villa hang on for the win after a battling performance from the Baggies.

90

Roman Bednar heads wide as West Brom have a chance to equalise.

90
Yellow Card
 

Roman Bednar is booked for continually complaining to the officials.

90

There are three minutes of added time.

90

Carlos Cuellar almost scores in his own net but Brad Friedel is able to retrieve the ball and both sides are nervous in the closing stages.

89

Gabriel Agbonlahor sends the ball well wide after a fine run and cross from Ashley Young.

87

Scott Carson drops Ashley Young's cross but West Brom are able to clear.

86
Substitution
 

Steve Sidwell is replaced by Carlos Cuellar.

86

Ashley Young's shot is deflected behind for a corner.

84

West Brom have a spell of pressure but Jonas Olsson's finall ball is too long and Villa can regroup.

83

Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross is caught by Scott Carson and West Brom counterattack.

81

Roman Bednar concedes a free-kick in the area as West Brom try to attack and the chance is gone.

80

James Milner tries to curl an effort round Scott Carson but the ball bobbles through to the West Brom keeper.

77
Substitution
 

Kim Do-Heon is on for Borja Valero in West Brom's final change.

75

Chris Brunt's free-kick hits the wall and Robert Koren's follow-up is wide.

74
Yellow Card
 

Martin Laursen gets the first booking for a body check on Jay Simpson.

73

Roman Bednar and Nigel Reo-Coker clash and again the referee gives them a talking-to.

72

Scott Carson catches Ashley Young's free-kick cleanly.

71

Chris Brunt concedes a free-kick and Steve Bennett has a quiet word.

69

The frantic pace of the game has slowed a little now.

67

Luke Young tries a wild shot which is way over the bar.

65
Substitution
 

Chris Brunt replaces James Morrison who is unable to continue.

63

James Morrison and Ashley Young collide and there's a brief stoppage in play.

61

Roman Bednar almost gets the ball through to James Morrison but Martin Laursen is in the right place at the right time to avert the danger.

59

Villa have stepped up their game again and Nigel Reo-Coker has a strike which goes well wide.

57

Roman Bednar has made a huge difference to the West Brom side and forces a save from Brad Friedel.

56

Both sides are attacking whenever possible and it's turned into a very entertaining local derby.

54

West Brom apply pressure again and Jonathan Greening's corner is eventually cleared.

53

Gareth Barry heads into the side netting from the corner and most of the ground thought he'd scored.

52

Scott Carson makes another great save from Steve Sidwell for a Villa corner.

51

Ashley Young's effort is saved well by Scott Carson and the game is now end-to-end.

48
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 2-1 WEST BROM. James MORRISON's flashing drive flies past Brad Friedel from the edge of the area.

47

West Brom eventually manage to get the ball away.

47

Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot is deflected into the side netting and Villa have a corner.

46
Substitution
 

Luke Moore is off and replaced by Roman Bednar.

Second half
 

The second half gets underway.

Half time
 

Half-Time: ASTON VILLA 2-0 WEST BROM. Steve Bennett blows for half-time and West Brom need to regroup.

45

Martin Laursen is allowed a free header but can't direct it goalwards.

45

There's two minutes of added time.

44

Villa have won a flurry of corners as they step up the pace.

42

James Milner's effort flies over the bar.

40
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 2-0 WEST BROM. Poor goalkeeping from Scott Carson who allows Gabriel AGBONLAHOR's effort to squirm past him.

38

There's a bit of confusion in the Villa penalty area but they eventually clear the corner.

38

Luke Moore's goalbound volley is deflected behind for a corner.

36

Ashley Young's free-kick is too near Scott Carson as Villa threaten again.

35

James Morrison has a free header but heads straight at Brad Friedel in Albion's most incisive attack since the goal.

33

West Brom are trying to keep the ball and get a foothold back in the game, but don't yet have a cutting edge.

31

Steve Sidwell should have scored from James Milner's pullback but puts the ball wide.

30

Scott Carson does well to claim Ashley Young's cross with James Milner and Steve Sidwell threatening.

29

James Milner's cross is headed goalwards by Gareth Barry but it's straight at Scott Carson.

29

The Villa players are being much more positive after the goal.

28

The corner is cleared and Villa break with Gabriel Agbonlahor but Albion have players back to defend.

27

West Brom aren't lying down and have another corner.

25

Ashley Young tries a curling right-foot shot which is just past the post.

23

The goal has lifted the Villa fans who were being a little quiet.

21

West Brom give the ball away and Steve Sidwell has a shot from 25 yards which is saved by Scott Carson.

19
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 1-0 WEST BROM. Albion clear the ball off the line twice from the corner but Curtis DAVIES heads Gareth Barry's past Scott Carson to give Villa the lead.

18

Aston Villa have their first corner thanks to a run from Ashley Young.

17

The Villa fans aren't happy with the way their team has started the game.

15

Jay Simpson is involved again as Robert Koren's cross-shot is saved by Brad Friedel.

14

West Brom are battling well and haven't allowed Villa to settle into the game yet.

12

Steve Bennett is refereeing today after the late withdrawal of Mike Riley.

10

Ashley Young nutmegs Carl Hoefkens who then wins the ball back and the Villa man is not happy and claiming a foul.

9

Borja Valero has a shot from the edge of the area which is well over the bar.

8

West Brom have started well and have another corner.

6

Jay Simpson is causing all sorts of problems with his pace but Curtis Davies is able to deal with the threat for now.

5

Villa break forward but Ashley Young is offside.

4

Steve Sidwell heads the ball away from the corner and Villa are able to clear their lines.

3

Luke Moore has an early shot which is deflected into the side-netting and West Brom have a corner.

1
Kickoff
 

Villa kick off in this bracing lunchtime match.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

It's almost time for kick-off at Villa Park - can bottom club West Brom upset the odds and beat Champions League hopefuls Villa?