ASTON VILLA 1 CITY 3
FA Barclays Premiership
29th November 2006
Attendance 30,124
Scorers
City Vassell(18), Barton(32), Distin(75)
Aston Villa McCann(66)
City Weaver, Distin, Dunne, Richards, Thatcher, Reyna, Barton, Trabelsi, Vassell, Samaras, Corradi – Subs Dickov(85), Onuoha(90), Hart(unused), Hamann(76), Miller(unused)
Aston Villa Taylor, Mellberg, Caill, Ridgewell, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Petrov, McCann, Barry, Baros, Angel – subs Davis(63), Olejnil(unused), Whittingham(unused), Hughes(unused), Gardner(unused)
VASSELL OPENS THE SCORING FOR THE BLUES
DISTIN MAKES IT 3-1
WHAT THE PRESS SAID
RANDY LERNER rode into town with a fistful of dollars last night, but Aston ViIIa’s new billionaire owner was cleaned out by old boy Darius Vassell. As City pulled off their first away win of the season, on the same ground where they achieved their last one seven months ago. Vassell’s vendetta against his former club continued. Bombeb out by David O’Leary, Vassell has now scored five goals in four games against Villa for City. Throw in Joey Barton’s sublime finish and Sylvain Distin’s 20-yard solo stunner and City did not just sabotage Villa’s unbeaten home record they took Martin O’Neill’s Champions League contenders apart. …Hatem TrabeIsi’s right-wing cross was flicked on by Bernardo Corradi and Vassell drilled a left- foot shot beyond Stuart Taylor for the opener. Georgios Samaras then set up Barton to sweep a delightful low shot past Taylor at the near post. Gavin McCann’s 25-yarder gave Villa hope but Distin robbed the hopeless Milan Baros, exchanged passes with Corradi and motored past Liam Ridgewell to clinch the points. Disappointed. Villa boss O’Neill said: “You should not be able to come to Aston Villa and win so comfortably.” MIKE WALTERS WRITING FOR THE DAILY MIRROR 30TH NOVEMBER 2006