Everton 2, Aston Villa 3: Villa go fifth after five goal thriller
Dec 7 2008 By Paul Walker
Villa were trying to avoid a run of three consecutive goalless league draws, and they settled that issue after just 34 seconds.
They had set about Everton with a ferocious tempo, and the hosts were caught cold when Mikel Arteta lost possession. The ball was transferred between Ashley Young, James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor before arriving at Sidwell’s feet.
And from 25 yards the midfielder lashed a rising shot past Tim Howard.
Everton were initially all at sea, trying to decide whether Steven Pienaar should play closer to Anichebe.
Villa were quicker all over the pitch and could have had another when Martin Laursen’s header from Ashley Young’s corner was deflected over the bar.
Another break down the left saw Agbonlahor pull the ball back to an unmarked Stiliyan Petrov, but he delayed his shot from a good position to allow Tim Cahill to get in a desperate saving tackle.
After 25 minutes Everton finally fashioned their first chances when Leon Osman’s header put Cahill in on the left, and his drive was blocked by Brad Friedel.
A minute later when Arteta’s corner curled into the box for Marouane Fellaini, but his header was saved by Friedel to his left.
That flurry gave Everton much-needed confidence and after 30 minutes they were level.
Arteta’s free-kick was flicked on by Osman for Lescott to turn the ball in from a couple of yards.
Everton, now firmly in the game, pressed Villa back and three minutes from the break it took a goal-line header from Carlos Cuellar to keep our another Fellaini effort.
Two minutes into the second period, Fellaini saw a further header touched onto the bar from Arteta’s corner by Friedel.
But then a shocking error from Jagielka, arguably Everton’s most reliable defender this term, gifted Villa the lead again after 54 minutes.
The Everton defender played a backpass without looking, and Ashley Young raced onto the ball to lift his shot past a hopelessly exposed Howard.
Everton’s response to that body-blow was muted, Villa seemingly content to defend and hit on the break.
Ashley Young broke away after 77 minutes, the ball having cannoned to him after a tackle on Arteta in midfield, which had the crowd pleading for a free-kick.
But referee Martin Atkinson, who had let far too much go in a physical game, allowed the play to continue. But when Ashley Young got into the box he lost possession and the chance was lost.
With six minutes to go, Everton turned to Van der Meyde for his first appearance since April 2007.
Two minutes later Leighton Baines replaced Anichebe, with Jagielka going up front.
It was a grandstand finish from Everton, with Cahill and then Lescott going close with headers.
But two minutes into injury-time, Everton hauled themselves level.
Jagielka headed the ball back into the box, Cahill touched it on and Lescott was there to hook it home.
But Villa were not finished. They broke from the kick-off and from Agbonlahor’s flick Young raced away to guide his low shot past Howard in superb fashion.
For Bill Howell's post-match verdict, read Monday's Birmingham Mail
