Milner Double Sees Villa Past Gillingham

Martin O’Neill brought his Aston Villa side to the Priestfield Stadium hoping to avoid another Cup upset, having already fallen to lower league opposition in the Carling Cup this season.

Yet the Premier League leaders had to cope without the ill Gabriel Agbonlahor who joined injury victims Luke Young and Gareth Barry on the sidelines.

Teenage striker Nathan Delfouneso replaced Agbonlahor yet it was another young Englishman, James Milner on his 23th birthday who made the first major impact on the game.

With only 12 minutes on the clock Stiliyan Petrov won the ball off Gills captain Adam Miller, exchanged passes with Milner before returning it to the youngster just inside the box.

Milner, then placed the ball superbly past goalkeeper Simon Royce for the opener and a goal to settle the visitors’ nerves.

Yet the home side came storming back with the lively Simeon Jackson and Dennis Oli causing the Villa defence problems.

Oli was the first to have a clear opportunity, shooting just wide of Brad Friedel’s goal from a Bentley cross, before Jackson had a clear run on goal after a poor Milner back-pass only for Zat Knight to make a wonderful saving challenge on the edge of the box.

Minutes later and it was Oli again, beating Knight before being fouled by Reo-Coker on the edge of the area with the home crowd baying for a penalty.

Instead referee Keith Stround pointed, correctly, for a free kick which Miller blasted low and goalwards but the ball was deflected wide and Villa survived.

Villa, meanwhile, were struggling to create any further chances although with five minutes to go before half-time they almost made the game safe.

Milner found himself in acres of space on the right and swung in a superb ball which Delfouneso volleyed over from close range.

However, the visitors had been warned and 10 minutes into the second half they were stunned as Gillingham deservedly hauled themselves level.

Mulligan flicked a header towards Jackson who turned Knight and beat him for pace before smashing home a fine finish past a helpless Friedel.

The visitors responded, Delouneso shooting wide, Craig Garder having two shots blocked in a packed penalty area before Curtis Davies headed over from close range.

The pressure eventually told, with only 15 minutes to go captain Miller bundled into Ashley Young who duly collapsed in a heap leading the referee to point straight to the spot.

Up stepped Milner who made no mistake, sending his shot low to Royce’s right for his, and Villa’s, second of the afternoon.

The goal stunned the hosts who pressed but couldn’t find the elusive equaliser and Villa survived a tough test to take their place in the fourth round. 

Gillingham: Royce, Lewis, Bentley, King, Nutter, Oli, Weston, Miller, Barcham, Mulligan, Jackson.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Reo-Coker, Davies, Knight, Shorey, Milner, Sidwell, Petrov, Gardner, Ashley Young, Delfouneso (Harewood, 72).

GOALS

1-2 Aston Villa (Milner, pen 79)

1-1 Gillingham (Jackson, 57)

0-1 Aston Villa (Milner, 12)

--Gill Clark, Goal.com