Chico Hamilton saved Aston Villa the embarrassment of extra time in last night’s third round League Cup replay, scoring with only 90 seconds left.

Until then Geoff Crudgington, the Fourth division side’s goalkeeper returning to Villa Park for the first time since his free transfer from Villa more than two years ago, had defied them.

Crudgington was aided by Villa’s wildly inaccurate finishing in the second half but when Hamilton took the ball from Sammy Morgan’s toes and shot from 23 yards he stood little chance as the ball dipped and swerved past him.

So Villa have the dubious pleasure of playing at Hartlepool in the last 16.

It is hard to argue that they didn’t deserve to win last night but they almost messed it up.

Crewe were on their knees by the end but until Hamilton tried his optimistic shot Villa had been unable to deliver the killing blow.

Jim Cumbes, the Villa goalkeeper, did not have a shot to save and his only anxious moment was in the 89th minute when Chris Nlcholl had to push the ball for a corner as Crewe made a last unavailing effort.

He can rarely have been more under-employed as he watched Villa push forward.

But there was little invention in midfield and the attack splintered on Phil Nicholls and John Rowlands in the centre of Crewe’s defence.

Rowlands, usually a striker but drafted in to mark Morgan, had a particularly effective game.

Crudgington could only watch as shots whistled wide in the first half, but in the second he made several class saves as Villa’s attack developed a sharper cutting edge.

After 61 minutes he saved brilliantly from John Robson and three minutes later capped this, arching backwards to tip Ray Graydon’s free kick over the bar.

This was a particularly fine save as the ball whipped through the wall and took a deflection.

With Brian Little on for Keith Leonard, Crudgington had to make another dazzling save after 71 minutes again from Robson.

Then came a stop from Frank Carrodus and a dash from his penalty area to block Little’s drive.

But he should have been beaten when Morgan was clear, only for the centre forward to lob the ball over both goalkeeper and the bar.

Time was running out when Hamilton lobbed over the bar in the 83rd minute but then, as at St. Andrew’s the previous night, the gods smiled.