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*Villa stall on Leicester grit*

There is no doubt what Aston Villa ought to concentrate on in preparation for next week’s second leg: plenty of penalty practice, making sure Gareth Southgate keeps a low profile.

Despite a flurry of late pressure which produced two clear chances, John Gregory’s side otherwise disappointed a far from capacity crowd at Villa Park last night as they failed to find a way past a typically gritty Leicester.

If this generally tight encounter was anything to go by, spot-kicks will decide who motors on to play Bolton or Tranmere at Wembley. Having seen off Leeds and Fulham from 12 yards, Leicester will fancy their chances.

Gregory cannot have expected an easy time. Two weeks ago he left Leicester’s quarter-final in London 10 minutes early convinced that Fulham, leading 2-0, would be Villa’s opponents last night. Typically, Leicester scored twice in the last five minutes and went through on penalties. The next morning he received a mocking phone call from Martin O’Neill.

Leicester’s hopes of progress seemed to be bolstered by the return from injury last night of several key players, among them Muzzy Izzet, Gerry Taggart and Robbie Savage.

Resurgent Villa’s main worry was always going to be in attack, where injuries and the ineligibility of Benito Carbone meant Paul Merson was pushed forward to partner Julian Joachim in a pairing lacking the height Gregory favours.

Certainly they looked lightweight despite applying most of the pressure during a predictably cagey and dull opening. Steve Stone began well on the right flank but clear-cut chances were rare. The night’s first shot, by George Boateng in the 18th minute, threatened mainly the executive boxes.

Leicester’s lack of attacking ideas at once showed why they arrived without a win in 90 minutes since late November, a run of 13 matches. They looked happy to keep things tight and strike with long passes to Emile Heskey and the makeshift striker Matt Elliott on the counter.

Then, after half an hour, they produced a flurry of activity. First, after Heskey was fouled by Ugo Ehiogu, Stefan Oakes curled in a free-kick from the right edge of the area which David Jones palmed clear. Then the goalkeeper had to move quickly off his line and save at Heskey’s feet as the striker chased Izzet’s neat pass.

The boos that greeted Heskey’s every touch suggested he is not as popular with the Villa fans as he is with their manager. His initial misdemeanour was to lead with an elbow in a challenge with Gareth Barry, for which he was booked.

Not surprisingly, the sparse crowd seemed to lose enthusiasm as the game dragged on. The home fans’ biggest cheers were reserved for the sight of Heskey collapsed in pain as he pulled up chasing a Steve Guppy pass. “Let him die,” the fans chanted. The match looked to be dying itself.

Not that anyone could have been surprised by Leicester’s grit. It was that quality which helped them past superior sides such as Leeds and Arsenal in cup matches this season, and they enjoyed the better of the early stages of the second half.

But Villa burst into life just before the hour when Gregory, seeing Wembley slipping away, gambled with a double substitution. On came Mark Delaney and the 22-year-old Richard Walker, who joined Merson and Julian Joachim in a three-pronged attack.

Not long after Delaney had shot wide, Villa came agonisingly close to taking the lead. Merson’s cross from the right was met with a glancing header by Ian Taylor but the ball flashed inches wide of the far post as Walker stretched in vain for a touch.

And when Walker headed on Merson’s free-kick, Flowers made a brilliant one-handed save to keep out Southgate’s low volley.