Dave Woodhall sees Villa win at Spurs in the FA Cup.
Much as it grieves me to say it, we should first of all thank Spurs and the police for allowing Villa to take almost 9,000 to the match. It might have been what we were allowed by FA rules, but time and again police ‘advice’ has got in the way so it was good to see so many new faces getting a chance to travel.
Maybe the thought of so much time and money being spent was what persuaded Unai to put out almost a full-strength team, with Pau Torres starting and Tyrone Mings on the bench. It wouldn’t have been far off the team he’d put out for a league game, and it says a lot about how the FA Cup has been downgraded that a title-chasing Premier League team causes more comment by picking a strong side than by making wholesale changes.
Naturally, this welcome state of affairs was rewarded with Boubacar Kamara going off after nine minutes. This could have had an effect on the team but ten minutes later a quick move saw Donyell 
Malen laying the ball off for Emiliano Buendia, whose finish was of the highest order.
Matty Cash had a long-range shot well saved and Spurs had a goal ruled out for offside then Buendia and Malen combined in first-half stoppage time to give Morgan Rogers the opportunity for a second. This prompted the glorious sound of boos echoing around the ground, and they continued at the half-time whistle. Winning is nice but annoying Spurs supporters while you’re doing it is a welcome bonus.
Spurs improved after the break, which wasn’t difficult, and Marco Bizot had already saved one attempt when he had no chance with another. It could have been difficult after that but Villa did well to contain the home side and there were few real chances, with the closest to another goal coming when Buendia’s opportunity was cleared off the line.
In the end it was another comfortable win and the final whistle saw what the commentary team calls unsavoury scenes and the rest of us sit back to enjoy. Morgan Rogers was celebrating in front of the travelling horde, a couple of Spurs players were outraged by this act of open provocation and it seemed at one point as though all the players, the coaching staff of both clubs and a couple of stewards were getting involved. Unai had long departed the scene, probably off to watch footage of Everton, our next opponents.
Villa’s recent tendency to give a needless goal away apart, this was another encouraging performance. Early season dithering has been replaced by quick and incisive passing, and if we could find a player from somewhere who could score a few of the chances we create, this really could be our year for something.
The new faces amongst the nine thousand certainly enjoyed themselves, which had me thinking of the last time we took as many to an away game. St Andrews in December 1987 is the opening bid – any advance on that one?
