*Aston Villa see off Brighton to maintain winning cup form*

Aston Villa fans were compelled to relive “a night of history” before kick-off, referring to the 6-4 midweek win over Blackburn that paved the way to the Carling Cup final. At times it seemed that message had fed through to the players.

Against a Brighton side resting 56 league places beneath them Villa once again traded on quantity rather than quality, as their fleetingly inspired ­counterattacking play was undermined by long periods of benevolent torpor.

Brighton may have felt a sense of momentum going into this fixture after winning their last three games – all away from home – and defeating Rushden & Diamonds, Wycombe and Torquay to get this far. Their 6,400 fans who ­travelled up from Sussex presumably felt it too, yet if the ultimate scoreline at least ­suggested respectability, they would have been disappointed by their side’s timid start.

Stephen Warnock’s bizarre decision to dribble across the face of his own goal could have led to an opportunity for Brighton but instead it proved the building block of a sweeping move, with Ashley Young feeding Marc Albrighton on the right wing. The pigeon-chested winger was half-checked by the left back Jimmy McNulty but he ­composed himself to lay on an easy tap-in for Nathan Delfouneso.

Albrighton limped off immediately afterwards, to be replaced by James Milner, but aside from one eye-catching surge from Fabian Delph, Villa were slow to build on their lead as Brighton recovered their sense of purpose.

Four minutes before half-time they were level. Elliott Bennett’s corner seemed innocuous enough as it skimmed into Brad Guzan’s near post, but Villa’s collective indecision allowed Tommy Elphick to prod home from close range.

Gus Poyet, Brighton’s relentlessly ­positive manager, allowed his straight-backed, sergeant’s stance to relax for a second or two, sharing a celebratory handshake with his assistant, Mauricio Taricco.

But any sense of satisfaction shared between the two former Tottenham players was short-lived. Two minutes after the break Villa launched a stinging counterattack, and despite being ­easily outnumbered by Brighton defenders Milner was able to pick out Stewart Downing in space, and the left-winger chipped across for Young to head past Michael Kuipers.

On 63 minutes Brighton’s game was up, as Milner careered through the centre, once again unchecked, and sent Delph through on goal. The 20-year-old showed impressive close control as he drifted to the right before planting a low, precise finish into the right corner. It was enough to earn him the man of the match award. On this evidence he will win many more.

Villa, for whom Curtis Davies returned from injury for his first appearance since August, remained vulnerable with Sébastien Carole forcing a strong-armed save from Guzan, before the veteran striker Nicky Forster spun away from James Collins to score in injury time.

“We made a couple of mistakes and paid the price for that,” Poyet said. “I was never going to come to Villa Park and try and play for a 0-0 and be boring. That is not my style. I wanted to come and entertain and the boys can be proud of their efforts.”

Neutrals would perhaps say the second goal was more than Brighton deserved. But at the very least it served as a notice to those predicting Villa would reach a second cup final this season. “We could do; we’ll try,” Martin O’Neill said, “but I’m not sure if we’re good enough.” Time will tell.
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*The Telegraph*
Saturday, 23 January 2010

If Aston Villa had been at all concerned about an inability to score in recent weeks, they can rest easy, after taking their tally to nine goals in two games.

The problem now looks to be at the other end of the pitch, for they conceded two against opposition currently sitting at the wrong end of League One.

Nevertheless, their 3-2 victory over Brighton & Hove moves Villa into the fifth round of the FA Cup - only the third time since they reached the final in 2000.

Flush with confidence from their Carling Cup success over Blackburn in midweek, Martin O’Neill’s side had looked dangerous from the first minute, Ashley Young provoking Michael Kuipers into an early fumble with a long range shot.

Marc Albrighton broke from his own half minutes later, laying off to Young, the winger continued his run, collected Young’s pass, and looked up to find Nathan Delfouneso, a colleague from the reserve team, inside the six yard box. It left Delfouneso with little to do but turn it in.

The move came with a cost. Having started the match in fine fettle, Albrighton had apparently tweaked a leg muscle in the charge for goal, and after limping along the line for the next nine minutes he was replaced by James Milner.

A worrying sight for Brighton fans, seeing Milner introduced so early, and perhaps for those in Villa colours with half an eye on Arsenal in midweek.

If the first five minutes had been “Albrighton, rather than all Brighton” as one wag pointed out, the remainder of the half was more equally divided, in the sense that neither team could contrive much in the way of opportunities, until Tommy Elphick profited from a scramble in the box after an Elliott Bennettt corner, and equalised four minutes from the break.

On their return, Young, captaining the side, received a last minute pep talk from Stiliyan Petrov on the sideline seconds before the restart.

Goodness knows what the Bulgarian said to the winger, but two minutes later the Holte End was treated to the uncommon sight of Young climbing high in the box and employing his head to direct a Stewart Downing cross in off the post.

An impressive Fabian Delph drew an excellent save from Michael Kuipers, who had looked suspect until this point, from point blank range.

The Brighton goalkeeper was not so useful when Delph next came calling, in the 63rd minute, and directed his shot into the corner for his first goal for the club. Nicky Forster beat Brad Guzan a minute from time, but it was too late.
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*BBC Sport*
Saturday, 23 January 2010

*Aston Villa outclassed hard-working League One side Brighton to ease into the fifth round of the FA Cup.*

Villa took the lead after five minutes when Marc Albrighton found Nathan Delfouneso who side-footed home.

However, the Seagulls stunned Villa Park when Tommy Elphick equalised with a scruffy finish at the near post.

Ashley Young’s header from Stewart Downing’s cross put Villa back ahead and Fabian Delph added a third before Nicky Forster made it 3-2 late on.

With 56 places between the two sides on the league ladder, the six thousand Brighton fans who made the trip to Villa Park did so more in hope than expectation.

And those hopes were dented almost immediately by the Premier League side when Marc Albrighton, making only his second start for Villa, danced past the defence and handed Delfouneso a tap in from two yards.

Unfortunately for Albrighton, a knock picked up during that run forced Villa boss Martin O’Neill to replace him with James Milner moments later.

O’Neill had originally looked to rest Milner, making six changes from the side which overcame Blackburn 6-4 in the Carling Cup semi final in midweek.

And although they took the lead, the much-changed Villa side showed they might be susceptible to an upset when Brighton, 21st in League One, missed a fine opportunity to level.

Villa failed to defend a free-kick from Alan Navarro and the ball fell to striker Glenn Murray who volleyed over the bar from eight yards.

Five minutes later the Seagulls did shock the home side when Elphick equalised.

Villa failed to deal with a second corner in quick succession from Elliott Bennett and Elphick squeezed his shot inside the near post.

Immediately after half time Villa, who are seventh in the Premier League, reasserted their superiority when Downing’s cross found Young who headed home from close range.

Delph could have increased the lead but his drive was saved at point blank range by Brighton goalkeeper Michel Kuipers.

But the 19-year-old did not have to wait for too long before he had another opportunity to open his Villa account and this time the youngster capitalised.

The midfielder, who has only featured for Villa nine times since signing from Leeds last August, latched on to Milner’s through ball and calmly slotted the ball past Kuipers with his left foot.

Delfouneso hit the post with a rasping effort at the end of a fine individual 30-yard run as Villa looked, in vain, to add the fourth.

And it was Brighton who managed to make the final seconds tense when Forster drove his finish low into the bottom corner, but the dream comeback was not to be.

*Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill:*

“Can we reach two cup finals this season? We are certainly going to try. We’ve reached one already and now we’re in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

“Of course, you need some luck with the draw and a lot of things can happen in cup matches which are one-off games.

“But if the quality players we’ve got here stay fit, there is no reason why we shouldn’t try and achieve the double.”