Hammers hold Villa to draw
by Joseph Caron Dawe, 11 May 2008
West Ham ended what slim hopes Aston Villa had of finishing fifth as they held Martin O’Neill’s side to a pulsating 2-2 draw at Upton Park on Sunday afternoon – a result that means the Ulsterman’s side have to settle for Intertoto Cup football as a means of Uefa Cup qualification for next season.
There were chances-a-plenty in a thrilling game that saw the action unfold in an end-to-end manner, and Nolberto Solano gave the home side the lead from a free-kick very early on.
Ashley Young had hit the post as early as the third minute and equalised shortly after Solano’s opener and Villa took the lead through captain Gareth Barry in the second half, but Dean Ashton hit a powerful equaliser two minutes from time after Bobby Zamora had struck the bar earlier with a header.
The action got going immediately and it took just three minutes for Villa to go within the width of a goalpost of taking the lead, when Young struck the woodwork with a shot from Gabriel Agbonlahor’s cutback following a direct run and delivery from the latter.
The Hammers then took the lead with their first effort on target when after only eight minutes Solano beat Carson with an effort the keeper should never have let slip through his grasp. Anton Ferdinand was upended by Wilfred Bouma on the edge of the area and Solano’s set piece was directed almost straight at Carson, but despite having a hand on the ball and being perfectly placed he allowed it to slip through his grasp.
Villa wasted little time in redressing the balance and they were level through Young before a quarter of an hour had even passed. Nigel Reo-Coker – roundly booed by his former club’s fans every time he touched the ball – answered the detractors with a through pass that found Young in space, and faced with a poorly positioned Robert Green and dishevelled defence he had time to sidefoot home.
With parity in the scoreline restored the game continued to swing from end to end and James Tomkins was on hand to put John Carew off as chances flowed for Villa – Agbonlahor and Carew again sending efforts wide as Mark Noble volleyed just off target for the hosts.
Half time approached and the tempo showed no signs of abating as Zamora fired inches wide and Agbonlahor had a low riser blocked at close range by Tomkins.
Carew had a chance to put Villa in front as soon as the second half got underway but he directed a pullback from Agbonlahor straight at Green, and as the ball came back out to Stiliyan Petrov he rounded Green but went down and was rightly booked for simulation.
Noble cleared a Carew header off the line from a corner and Barry – in possibly his final game for Villa – curled a shot the wrong side of the post before he gave his side the lead in the 58th minute. The England international initiated and put to bed a move that saw Reo-Coker’s shot saved before Barry turned in the rebound from the penalty spot.
Olof Mellberg repelled a Zamora header from a corner which looked to be heading for the top left corner and the West Ham striker then struck the bar from a Luis Boa Morte delivery which he met with his cranium.
There were goals, well one at least, left in this game and it was the home side who scored next when – with two minutes of normal time left – Ashton stepped up and rifled West Ham level. The striker hit a beautiful shot on the turn which arrowed past a full stretch Carson to deny Villa the win.
There was still time for some drama as the Midlanders were involved in a goalmouth scramble at West Ham’s end, but a deadly touch was unable to be applied and it was Carlton Cole who very nearly got anywhere near finishing it – albeit in the wrong goal – but the ball was cleared.