Aston Villa looked like a First Division side for 60 minutes of this exciting Cup tie only to throw the initiative away in the last half hour.

It will long be argued how they came to lose after taking a deserved two goal lead. No side should capitulate from that position especially in the Cup.

Villa’s manager, Ron Saunders, said afterwards:

“Ipswich were beaten when we scored our second goal. It should have been all over.

“I am not disappointed that we lost, but I am disappointed that we stopped playing and there will be some pertinent questions to be answered on Monday.”

Bobby Robson, the Ipswich manager, agreed that his side were fortunate to go through to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

But he said:

“We made it hard for ourselves because our defence was standing around when Villa scored their two goals.”

Villa had the First Division title-chasers struggling as Bobby McDonald scored the opening goal after ten minutes following a smart one-two move with Keith Leonard.

Defeat appeared imminent for the East Anglian aide as transfer-listed Alun Evans, a replacement for the injured Brian Little, dealt a further blow with a second goal after 50 minutes. Evans had only to nod the ball in after Leonard’s header had rolled along the bar after Ray Graydon’s cross.

With Frank Carrodus, Chico Hamilton and Graydon making penetrating moves from midfield a place in the next round looked assured.

But suddenly Ipswich or rather, South African Colin Viljoen, realised that If the feed-back service from target man Leonard to his midfield runners could be intercepted, everything was not lost.

With 27 minutes remaining, Ipswich started their fight back as David Johnson slotted home a low centre from Mick Lambert after Villa’s skipper, lan Ross, had unluckily miss hit a short cross field defensive pass.

Ipswich then brought on Bryan Hamilton, their unsettled Northern Ireland international winger, on offer at £125,000, and he transformed their fortunes with two goals in six minutes.

Johnson inspired his first goal after 78 minutes placing a grand through ball to Brian Talbot, who passed the slow moving Neil Rioch before releasing to Hamilton and with six minutes left the winger headed the winner after Alan Hunter had flicked on Lambert’s corner.

It was a tragedy for Villa. They could so easily have enjoyed the glory and launched a double Wembley assault if they had kept their heads and tried to play possession football In the later stages.

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*Birmingham Daily Post*
Monday, 17 February 1975

Saunders steps up his search for new players

Aston Villa’s search for new players has been stepped up despite their success In reaching the Wembley League Cup Final.

Ron Saunders, the Villa manager, watched Third Division Watford’s friendly with the Scottish First Division side Morton at Vicarage Road, on Friday night.

But the player under review failed to impress in a poor match which ended in a goalless draw, Saunders said yesterday: “I am always searching for good players to strengthen our squad, on this occasion I had a fruitless Journey.”

Meanwhile Villa return to League action and the quest for Second Division promotion points tomorrow at Portsmouth.

Saunders hopes that striker Brian Little who missed the fifth round FA Cup clash at Ipswich on Saturday because of a thigh injury, will be able to return.

But a decision will be left until the last moment.