IF MARC Albrighton hadn’t already chosen Acorns to be the deserved beneficiary of his bumper prize for scoring the Premier League’s 20,000th goal then there was another worthy cause in Witton last night.
No, not Alex McLeish’s January transfer budget. The recently reformed Villa Park Mutual Appreciation Society.
For the claret and blue faithful proved how effective they can be when their team give them some encouragement and vice versa.
It was a refreshing reciprocal arrangement and while it won’t make up for the cruel, cruel finale, it has certainly restored a little of the festive spirit heading into Christmas after a difficult December so far.
Despite four changes, Villa’s bright start set the tone as an early chance cranked up the atmosphere inside the ground.
Charles N’Zogbia whipped over a ball from the right flank and Gabby Abgonlahor’s header from point-blank range forced Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny into a reflex save, prompting a vociferous response from the stands.
Agbonlahor, returning from a one-match ban in place of injured Emile Heskey, and N’Zogbia returning from a loss of form, tested the Gunners defence with determined running during the early stages.
The Brummie striker’s touch was slightly too heavy from the next raid, but he still recovered to cross to the near post where Szczesny reacted ahead of Stephen Ireland, who got the nod ahead of Nathan Delfouneso, who dropped to the subs bench.
N’Zogbia was the next to threaten, driving over a dangerous ball from the left which Agbonlahor swung at only for his effort to be blocked by a defender.
And then it happened. The moment the Holte End had been dreading. The goal against.
Ciaran Clark, called into a holding midfield role in place of Fabian Delph, let Theo Walcott wriggle past him near the byline and in his eagerness to atone pulled at the winger’s shirt. It was a penalty, albeit a soft one.
Robin van Persie buried it, even against past spot-kick saviour Brad Guzan, and Villa Park waited for the atmosphere to go from fortress to funeral. It didn’t.
If the goal was against the run of play then so too was the crowd and home team’s reaction compared to recent games.
Instead of feeling down on their luck, the claret and blues responded with passion and purpose.
Granted they escaped an almighty scare within a minute of the 17th minute concession when Guzan raced off his line to stop Walcott’s chip after an incisive pass from van Persie. But they never lost hope. At least not until the 87th minute anyway.
Crikey, N’Zogbia even produced a sumptuous drag back and nutmeg on Francis Coquelin, although the Arsenal right-back soon exacted revenge by hacking down the Villa wideman, earning himself a booking in the process.
