Aston Villa, the League Cup final specialists with three wins to their credit, were given an almighty fright by little Colchester at Villa Park last night before they slithered through to the third round after a penalty shootout.

The gallant Third Division side very nearly added Villa's name to the giant-killing performances they achieved in 1948 when they beat Huddersfield and 1971 when they defeated Leeds.

They bowed out only after a somewhat farcical penalties decider when their goalkeeper Mike Walker missed with the eighth spot kick and Villa's winger, Tony Morley, converting one.

In all, 18 penalties were taken before the game came to a somewhat untidy end.

Clearly Colchester will feel aggrieved at going out in this fashion, particularly as they had played so well to pull a 2-0 deficit from the first leg last week.

Villa were obviously shaken by the determination and running of a positive Colchester side, who also defended in great depth.

They took a surprise 20th minute lead through striker, Trevor Lee, and Bobby Gough shot them further ahead after 70 minutes with a dipping volley.

The Villa crowd of 19,473 looked on in stunned disbelief as Villa's injury-hit side tried in vain to come to terms with their eager opponents.

Manager Ron Saunders must have been left wondering about the wisdom of selling his unsettled Scottish striker, Andy Gray, after this punchless Villa worked hard enough to cancel out Colchester's early goal and the Essex side had fortune with them on many occasions, but Gough's second goal inspired them to even greater heights.

It was really not Villa's night until they crept through with Morley's penalty decider. Ken Swain had a "goal" disallowed after 24 minutes when Mortimer and Shaw both ran offside and Mortimer hit the upright midway through the second half with Walker stranded.

But Walker, despite his later ballooned penalty attempt which flew into the Holte End had earlier kept out Villa's other efforts, notably from Shaw and Deehan as the two front strikers tried their hardest to convert their chances into goals.

Villa's defence was certainly caught cold when Colchester schemed their neat opening goal. Foley crossed high from the left. Wignall headed back across the goal and Lee sent a powerful header well wide of Rimmer.

Despite this reverse It seemed as if Villa would move through to the next round as they held possession for long periods without being able to score.

But they were rocked back on their heels by Colchester's second goal. Lee working a 1-2 with Gough before the little striker sent his dipping volley over Rimmer's head.