Skip to content
Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Aston Villa vs Brighton and Hove Albion. The FA Cup Fourth Round.

Villa ParkAttendance39,725.

Aston Villa 3

  • N Delfouneso (5th minute)
  • A Young (48th minute)
  • F Delph (63rd minute)

Brighton and Hove Albion 2

  • T Elphick (41st minute)
  • N Forster (91st minute)

Villa too strong for Seagulls

Fabian Delph fires home to make it 3-1 to Aston Villa
Image: Delph: First goal for Villa

Aston Villa's fine cup week continued with a fully-deserved 3-2 FA Cup success over plucky Brighton.

Delfouneso, Young and Delph net as Villa progress

Aston Villa's fine cup week continued with a fully-deserved 3-2 FA Cup success over plucky Brighton at Villa Park. Martin O'Neill's side were quick out of the blocks and scored early on when Nathan Delfouneso turned home Marc Albrighton's right-wing cross. However, Villa failed to build on their early advantage and the League One side hit back before half-time with Tommy Elphick capitalising on weak corner marking. The home side started the second half like they started the first with captain Ashley Young heading home Stewart Downing's ball to restore their lead. O'Neill's men ensured there would be no second comeback when the impressive Fabian Delph scored his first goal for Villa to move them two goals clear. Brighton did set up a somewhat nervy injury-time for the home side when veteran Nicky Forster scored late on, but it proved nothing more than a consolation. Ashley Young tested Michel Kuipers inside the first 30 seconds with the Seagulls keeper unable to hold onto his dipping drive but Adam Virgo was on hand to clear. It came as no surprise when after six minutes Villa broke the deadlock through rookie striker Delfouneso. Another Villa youngster Albrighton was the creator with a powerful run to the by-line before cutting the ball back across goal.

Opening goal

Delfouneso, who had netted against Blackburn in the previous round, was the first to react and his near-post flick sent the ball into the corner of the net. England Under-19 striker Delfouneso caused further problems for the visitors after breaking into the box from the left and his low cross was only just too strong for Ashley Young to connect with. O'Neill was forced to make a change after 13 minutes with Albrighton limping out of the action to be replaced by James Milner. Albion midfielder Alan Navarro became the first player to be shown a yellow card after 16 minutes for a foul on Delph. Brighton started to come more into the game and Villa keeper Brad Guzan had a clearance blocked by Forster but the ball ricocheted to safety. Brighton squandered a good chance to draw level after 37 minutes when Villa only half cleared a free-kick from Navarro. The ball eventually broke to Glenn Murray only 12 yards out but he could not keep his shot down with only Guzan to beat. Then after 40 minutes the Brighton fans erupted when Elphick equalised. Villa failed to deal with a second corner in quick succession from Elliott Bennett and the ball broke at the near post to Elphick who squeezed his shot inside the post.
Back in front
Villa needed only two minutes of the second half to regain the lead through a rare headed goal from Ashley Young. Milner made a probing 50-yard break before releasing Downing in space on the left and he sent over an inviting cross for Young whose header beat the dive of Kuipers via the angle of bar and post. O'Neill made a second substitute shortly afterwards with centre-back Curtis Davies replacing Warnock in his first action for nearly five months since undergoing shoulder surgery. Brighton were indebted to a fine reflex save from Kuipers for keeping them in the tie. The influential Milner cut to the by-line and his low cross picked out Delph who looked certain to score but Kuipers somehow blocked his close range effort. Villa were not to be denied and after 61 minutes Delph scored his first goal for the club. Milner's through ball sent Delph racing clear of the Brighton defence and he beat the dive of Kuipers with an angled shot into the corner of the net. Brighton refused to buckle and Guzan tipped over a shot from a narrow angle by Carole while Murray drilled a low drive into the side netting. But Villa finished on the offensive with Kuipers denying Steve Sidwell from 10 yards out. The woodwork denied Delfouneso a second goal with five minutes remaining when his 20 yard curler rattled against a post. But Brighton had the final say in the 90th minute with Forster's shot on the turn from 12 yards.
Team Name Aston Villa Brighton & Hove Albion
Possession 55% 45%
Goals 3 2
Shots On Target 7 3
Shots Off Target 4 4
Blocked Shots 2 0
Corners 8 3
Fouls Conceded 8 6
Offsides 2 2
Yellow Cards 1 1
Red Cards 0 0

Around Sky