Villa pour through defence

ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL Portsmouth 2 Aston Villa 4: MARTIN O'NEILL'S knack in this competition is threatening to bring Aston Villa their first appearance at Wembley since the turn of the century. Progress into the semi-finals was smoothed last night against a porous Portsmouth side, whose priorities lie elsewhere, and with Stewart Downing, their €13.2 million summer signing, scoring on his first start.

Villa might have ended anxiously against the Premier League’s bottom club, Kanu sliding home in the dying moments but Ashley Young restored their cushion with a shot from close range.

The hosts led early on – for barely two minutes – before Villa strolled through the vast spaces vacated in defence. Portsmouth were still celebrating their lead, secured through Stilian Petrov’s inadvertent near-post header at Danny Webber’s corner, when James Milner helped on Richard Dunne’s punt and Emile Heskey meandered through a ragged offside trap to clip over Asmir Begovic. That was only the striker’s second goal of the season. Milner, more prolific from midfield, ambled across the edge of the area before shooting beyond Begovic and into the far corner.

The marking had been atrocious, evidence of the “miracle” Avram Grant has admitted he would have achieved if he goes on to maintain this club’s top-flight status. The director of football winced as Gabriel Agbonlahor and both Youngs spurned chances to add to Villa’s first-half plunder. His consolation is this team’s ability to carve out opportunities with Portsmouth having unnerved Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar with the ferocity of forays forward.

Luke Young had done well to choke Richard Hughes’ volley from the edge of the area, with Villa heaving to clear another set-piece, while Brad Guzan blocked from Webber in the six-yard box. The profligacy pained the home support. Pompey needed to muster the next score but what defensive composure that was on show was invariably Villa’s.

Downing might have prompted a third only for the home defence to clear. The speed of one break – Warnock funnelling the ball to Heskey and Ashley Young in turn for the winger to force a save – took the breath. Their luck did not hold. Another scurry from deep inside their half saw Ashley Young conjure a deflected cross from the right and Downing bundled into the net. The late exchange of goals added to the drama.

Guardian Service

PORTSMOUTH: Begovic, Vanden Borre, Kaboul, Ben-Haim, Hreidarsson, Yebda, Brown, Hughes (Wilson 85), Belhadj, Webber (Kanu 65), Utaka (Piquionne 76). Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Mullins, Dindane, Basinas. Booked: Brown, Vanden Borre, Kaboul.

ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Luke Young, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock, Milner, Petrov, Downing, Agbonlahor, Heskey (Delfouneso 90), Ashley Young. Subs Not Used: Friedel, Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye, Gardner, Clark. Booked: Milner, Agbonlahor.

Referee: Lee Mason(Lancashire).