Timing his run to perfection from Young’s centrally positioned right-foot free-kick, some 40 yards out, Sidwell lost marker Aaron Hughes but got under the ball and nodded it well over the crossbar.

Villa were fortunate that Brad Friedel, on his 167th successive league game, was alert to tip over Dempsey’s shot right at the end of the first half.

After the break Sidwell got it all wrong in trying to connect with Young’s pass when put clean through only to scoop the ball over with an outstretched leg.

It was during a five-minute spell of ping-pong from a number of well-executed Young and Barry set-pieces that nearly brought an opener.

Mark Schwarzer almost punched into his own net and got extremely lucky by fumbling Barry’s header against the crossbar from another Young centre.

But then Villa almost threw it away. Martin Laursen jumped into Curtis Davies, Luke Young jumped over Johnson and Dempsey let fly with a near-post cracker that Friedel did well to keep out.

One final chance came Villa’s way. Predictably Ashley Young’s corner found Barry completely unmarked, but the ball glanced off his forehead, hit Curtis Davies’ shoulder and a sliding Laursen could not provide the killer touch.