FA Cup Fifth round/ Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 1: Having totally outplayed Aston Villa for much of this fifth-round tie, Manchester City thought their hopes of reaching the last eight of the FA Cup were dashed last night when Milan Baros plundered his ninth goal of the season in the 72nd minute.
It seemed like the cruellest of blows for Stuart Pearce, who had watched his side cut Villa apart with their free-flowing football only to pay the price for their shortcomings in front of goal. But Micah Richards came to City's rescue in added-time. The 17-year-old headed in a Joey Barton corner from the right in only his second start and earned his side the replay they deserved.
No one was more guilty than Darius Vassell. The City forward had a point to prove against his old club but was unable to seize his chance.
For two clubs synonymous with under-achievement this was a pivotal meeting. Little wonder then that Pearce, who failed to win the FA Cup as a player, twice picking up runners-up medals, described the tie as "the biggest game of our season". The Manchester City manager might have taken encouragement from Villa's dreadful home record; they have won only three times in the Premiership in front of their own supporters this season, though his own side's inconsistency on the road checked any pre-match optimism. A 5-2 win at Charlton in December was City's only away success in five months; hardly form to send a shiver down the spine of David O'Leary. The same could not be said for the presence of Vassell.
Back in October Vassell scored twice against his former club in a 3-1 victory at Eastlands. The former England international had only managed one more than that double during the whole of his final season at Villa, though his appetite appears to have returned following his switch to Manchester City last summer. This was the 25-year-old striker's first return to Villa Park since and he squandered a wonderful opportunity to mark it with a goal in the 18th minute.
Jlloyd Samuel, a close friend of Vassell's from their time together at Villa, appeared to be taking their friendship too far when his dreadful back pass gifted the City forward a clear run on goal. Having drawn Thomas Sorensen from his line Vassell attempted to round the Villa goalkeeper only to see the ball snatched from the end of his toe. Relief for Villa though the lesson went unheeded.
City, in total command for the opening 45 minutes, exposed the home side's porous rearguard time and again with their attacks and ought to have been comfortably ahead by the interval. Alberto Riera's pace on the left flank was causing Aaron Hughes problems in the right-back spot while Vassell frequently troubled Olof Mellberg and Mark Delaney with his incisive running.
His link-up play was impressive too, creating opportunities for Georgios Samaras and later Barton that required Sorensen to make full-stretch saves. Samaras might have squared to the unmarked Riera when he opted to shoot from the edge of the area though Barton's decision to strike for goal was the right one. His angled drive from 18 yards had been prefaced by a fluent build-up involving Antoine Sibierski and Vassell.
Sorensen stretched every sinew to turn Barton's effort around the post and from the corner that followed Villa were again found wanting. Sibierski, totally unmarked, headed powerfully but could not hit the target. Sylvain Distin was guilty of the same when another Barton corner picked out the central defender. Having taken the ball on the chest he wildly lashed a 12-yard shot high into the sparsely occupied Holte End.
Villa did make a brighter start to the second half though chances remained at a premium. McCann saw his strike from the edge of the area deflected behind by his own team-mate, Baros, while Milner's vicious free-kick was beaten away by James. That was Villa's first effort on target and it had taken 63 minutes.
But then, against the run of play, Baros struck. After scrapping for and winning possession before finding Davis, the Czech international then raced forward to collect a return pass and fired a first-time shot past James into the corner of the net. It looked like it would be enough but nobody banked on the late rescue job by Richards.
