Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 1 : Micah Richards headed an injury-time equaliser in only his second senior game to earn Manchester City a deserved FA Cup replay against Aston Villa.
There were only seconds remaining when Richards powered home Joey Barton’s corner to cancel out Milan Baros’ 72nd-minute goal for the home side, City had a host of chances but failed to take them and it looked like proving costly until Richards struck at the death.
Stuart Pearce’s side should have killed off the game in the opening 45 minutes with former Villa hero Darius Vassell amongst their culprits in front of goal. The misses seemed set to prove costly as Baros struck his ninth goal of the campaign.
Pearce would have been entitled to feel aggrieved had his side not earned a second crack at Villa for whom Baros and James Milner were impressive going forward. Pearce will take heart from the performance of £6million acquisition Georgios Samaras who looked sharp up front.
But the lack of sharpness in front of goal and a couple of fine saves from Thomas Sorensen ensured that Villa held on in front of a 23,847 crowd until the last seconds. The home fans saw City dominate from the first whistle.
The first decent opportunity fell to former Villa striker Vassell who was played in by Barton after he had dispossessed Gareth Barry. Vassell, who was given a mixed reception by the Villa fans, had time to steady himself but his rising shot from 12 yards flew high and wide of Sorensen’s goal.
City looked dangerous whenever they ventured forward and Sylvain Distin should have done better when he peeled off the Villa defence to meet a deep corner from Barton which he volleyed over the bar.
Vassell then seized onto a back pass from Villa left-back Jlloyd Samuel and found himself with a clear run at goal but he tried to take the ball around Sorensen who was able to save at his feet. The Blues were slicing through the middle of the Villa defence like a knife through butter and they were also winning the majority of the second balls in the middle of the park.
Vassell used his pace and power to shrug off the challenge of Mark Delaney only to over elaborate and be crowded out on the edge of the Villa box. But the chances were coming thick and fast and Antoine Sibierski found himself with a free header from Kiki Musampa’s free-kick but directed his effort past the post.
Sorensen came to Villa’s rescue when he parried a stinging low drive from Barton around the post. Then Villa failed to pick up Sibierski for a second time - from an Albert Riera corner - but again his header failed to hit the target.
Richard Dunne became the first player to be yellow-carded for dissent but it was the only blip for the visitors who were constantly stretching the Villa rearguard. Villa skipper Olof Mellberg will now have to serve a one-match ban against Portsmouth after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign for a foul on Riera.
David O’Leary made a half-time substitution with Delaney, who had picked up an early knock, being replaced by Liam Ridgewell. There was a rare moment of excitement for the Villa supporters when James Milner went for glory with a dipping volley but his effort skidded past the post.
But City still looked the more dangerous and a low drive from Musampa was deflected past his own post by Mellberg. Vassell brushed off a challenge from Aaron Hughes but his shot went across the face of goal.
David James was called into meaningful action for the first time after 63 minutes when he failed to cling onto a low free-kick from Steven Davis. Milner came to Villa’s rescue when he headed away a goal-bound header from Richards as City started to regain the ascendancy.
But then, against the run of play, Baros came up trumps for Villa with his ninth goal of the season. Baros started the move by 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 proving sufficient until Richards had the final say.
