Richmond Spurs: Match Report: Villa 2 Spurs 1

Courtesy of Official Site-

A Jermain Defoe strike 11 minutes from time was not enough to result in us
leaving Villa Park with any reward as the New Year was seen in with a 2-1
defeat.
It looked like we were back in it and seeking maximum points
when Defoe's smart finish levelled Olaf Mellberg's headed finish late in the
first half. But another set piece late in the game came at a hefty cost and it
was Martin Laursen who sent the home fans away happy.Villa should have grabbed
the lead in the fifth minute, a positive passage of play leading to a Stiliyan
Petrov cross being struck on the turn by Luke Moore - the young striker firing
wide with the goal at his mercy. An Ashley Young free-kick later caused
momentary concern when it cleared air bourne heads and required Paul Robinson to
stoop and divert, with Jermaine Jenas applying the more forceful clearance.
Villa were the livlier attacking outfit in the opening third of the first
period, looking sprightly going forward with the pace of messrs Young,
Agbonlahor and Moore the principal threat. There was another gilt-edged
opportunity for the home side on 24 minutes when a Petrov cross to the near post
was sent off course by a Younes Kaboul intervention, but the ball ran loose in
front of the goal and rolled into the feet of Laursen who, like Moore before
him, could not hit the target and this time the effort went blazing over the
crossbar. If this was a boxing contest, Villa would have been well ahead on
points approaching the half hour mark, with us a little on the ropes. They were
struggling to land the decisive blow, however, while we were struggling to come
up with a counter punch. Jenas attempted to create a spark with a threaded
throughball in the path of Aaron Lennon, but goalkeeper Scott Carson was quick
to spot the danger before, at the other end, Robinson foiled Petrov's low drive
on goal. Villa did snatch the lead five minutes before the break when Kevin
Prince Boateng needlessly gave away a free-kick near the top left corner of the
penalty area. Young flighted in his set piece, Mellberg escaped the attentions
of the German and rose unchallenged to head past a stranded Robinson. Dimitar
Berbatov could have levelled moments later but smashed straight at Carson when
an opportunity presented itself. Tom Huddlestone was drafted in for the second
half, replacing Boateng and he was quickly in the action - drilling a headed
clearance back from some 25 yards, albeit some way wide. There was further
change eight minutes in when Robbie Keane took over from Lennon and then Kaboul
was withdrawn for Jamie O'Hara. Again Juande Ramos adopted a three at the back
system, with Jenas and O'Hara occupying wide midfield positions. O'Hara had a
shooting chance shortly after coming on, latching onto a Jenas cross that
somehow evaded the watching defenders. There was definitely a renewed purpose
about the side, but it was Villa who should have scored next when Petrov's work
and cross ball was squandered by Moore when a second looked on the cards. Keane
had half a penalty shout after tangling with with Curtis Davies and Laursen
inside the area after Berbatov worked the ball in from the left, with Malbranque
eventually shooting wide. Parity was restored on 79 minutes when, after industry
from Keane, a Dawson chip forward was headed away but Berbatov blocked the
clearance and the ball was pounced on by Defoe, who athletically fired past
Carson. Joy was relatively short-lived and again it was a set piece that proved
our undoing. A Barry corner swung in from the left was met by the head of the
unmarked Laursen and the net at the Holte End of Villa Park was quickly
shaking.This game was a tough one to get back into in the first instance - doing
it again with just ten minutes left on the clock was just too tall an order.