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Aston Villa logo
FA Cup | Third Round
Jan 19, 2016 at 7.45pm UK
 
Wycombe Wanderers

2-0

Clark (75'), Gana (90')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Live Commentary: Aston Villa 2-0 Wycombe Wanderers - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's text commentary of Aston Villa's 2-0 win over Wycombe in their FA Cup third-round replay.
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Second-half goals from Ciaran Clark and Idrissa Gana were enough to send Aston Villa through to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Tuesday evening.

Remi Garde's side laboured to a 2-0 victory at Villa Park, but were tested by their League Two opponents.

The Premier League outfit will face Manchester City in the next phase of the competition.

Discover how the game unfolded in Sports Mole's text updates below.


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Evening all! There are eight FA Cup fixtures being played this evening, and right here we will be focusing on the third-round replay between Aston Villa and Wycombe Wanderers at Villa Park. The League Two outfit managed to earn a replay by coming from behind to record a 1-1 draw at Adams Park on January 9.

Villa have been having a torrid season so far. Hopes of retaining their Premier League status are diminishing as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, 10 points from safety. The Midlands outfit have only won twice this season, but is the tide turning? In their last two league fixtures they have won one and drawn one. Ensuring their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup would be a welcome boost to the team!

As for Wycombe, they are currently sixth in the League Two table, eight points off a top three position, but they head into tonight's game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Hartlepool. Despite that result, they have confidence that they can cause an upset to a struggling top-flight side as they came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw in their first meeting earlier this month. Right, before we go any further, let's bring you the lineups!

ASTON VILLA XI: Guzan; Richards, Clark, Lyden, Richardson; Westwood, Sanchez, Grealish; Ayew, Sinclair, Gestede
Subs: Bunn, Gana, Lescott, Veretout, Gil, Kozak, Cissokho

WYCOMBE XI: Ingram; McCarthy, Jacobson, Pierre, Stewart; Harriman, Wood, Bloomfield, O'Nien; Hayes, Thompson
Subs: Lynch, Jombati, McGinn, Bean, Amadi-Holloway, Ugwu, Udumaga

As expected, Garde has rung the changes. Nine alterations have been made to the side that sealed a 1-1 draw against Leicester City at the weekend. Jack Grealish comes into the fold after recovering from illness, and will be joined in the midfield by Ashley Westwood and Carlos Sanchez.

Micah Richards, Ciaran Clark, Jordan Lyden and Kieran Richardson make up a new-look defence, with Brad Guzan keeping goal. Scott Sinclair and Rudy Gestede join the attack and the only survivors from the weekend are Westwood and Jordan Ayew.


As for this evening's visitors, Wycombe have made just the one change from the team that suffered defeat to Hartlepool. Goose Ugwu has dropped to the bench and Paul Hayes takes his place in attack at Villa Park.


If you're an Aston Villa fan, it's probably been difficult to find some joy in this season. Their victory over Bournemouth on the opening day of the campaign was as good as it got for months! From then, the team went 19 games without a win and also lost their manager Tim Sherwood. Remi Garde has since taken the reigns, but unfortunately it has not gotten much better. Since the Frenchman took charge, the team have recorded five defeats, five draws and just the one victory.

The silver lining, though, is that the single victory came a week ago when Joleon Lescott got a bit of fortune from a goalkeeping error to give Villa a win over Crystal Palace. Four days later, Garde's men managed to restrict top-four challengers Leicester City to a 1-1 draw. Shinji Okazaki put the Foxes ahead in the 28th minute, but Rudy Gestede struck 15 minutes from time to earn a point for the Midlands outfit.

After the game, Garde told Sky Sports News: "In the first half we were not the same level as Tuesday against Crystal Palace, but the second half was much better.

"We had a good reaction. We were behind the leader and when you come back to draw it is very positive for the bottom team. We were more aggressive, more positive and more attacking as well.

"If you look at the level of the game between the teams there was not the huge gap you can see on the table."

Remi Garde appears ahead of the FA Cup game between Wycombe Wanderers and Aston Villa on January 9, 2016© Getty Images


It will take a huge turnaround for Villa to secure safety in the Premier League, so that makes the FA Cup even more important, because if they can get a good run going in the competition, then it will do wonders for confidence. Let's not forget, Villa made it to the final last season, so who's to say they can't do that again...?

Well, Wycombe will want to answer that question by booting Villa out of the competition this evening. They managed to earn themselves a replay when the two sides went head to head at Adams Park. It will be a harder task for the League Two club as they will be at a Premier League stadium playing in front of a large crowd of opposition fans.

In the build up to the game manager Gareth Ainsworth told Sky Sports News:" We're as big an underdog as you can imagine given the gulf in the two teams. It would be momentous to get anything out of Aston Villa and I fully expect us to be up against it.

"We'll give it everything we've got and we're looking forward to pitting our wits against a Premier League side away from home."

Gareth Ainsworth cheers after the FA Cup game between Wycombe Wanderers and Aston Villa on January 9, 2016© Getty Images


How about some FA Cup stats? It's good reading for Villa as they have won their last seven ties against fourth-tier opposition. The last time that they were beaten by a League Two side was in 1972 - a 1-0 loss to Southend in the first round. In addition, Villa have reached the fourth round of this competition in six of the last seven seasons.

Right, we're edging closer to kickoff! Fingers crossed for a decent fixture. One of these teams will be through to the fourth round this evening.

KICKOFF! The game is underway at Villa Park.

As mentioned, Villa have made nine changes to the team, which is quite surprising considering the team need results. Chopping and changing the first XI doesn't always help if you want consistency, but who are we to question Garde..?

It's been quite a slow start from both sides at Villa Park as neither have created any meaningful chances as yet. The flow of the game is lacking at the moment as both sides have been penalised for fouls in their own halves.

CHANCE! What an opportunity for Gestede! Grealish whips the ball in from the left side of the area. The ball finds the head of Gestede as he climbs above his markers and directs a thumping header towards goal, but it flies over the crossbar.

Wycombe look comfortable on the ball, but Villa have shown in these early stages of the game that with the pace of Sinclair and Grealish, they can cause problems on the counter-attack.

The visitors get some joy of their own as Hayes and Thompson combine well before forcing Villa to concede a corner. The ball comes off Clark and behind the line, but the set piece comes to nothing for the lower league side.

CHANCE! Two opportunities for both sides as Harriman gets himself on the edge of the box before unleashing a shot, which soars past the top right corner. At the other end, Ayew attempts a right-footed strike from inside the box, but it smashes into the side netting.

Still no close to a goal from either side. Maybe we're in for a long night... The longer it stays like this, the more nervous the home fans will get.

Apologies for the lack of updates, but in truth, there is not much to report! Ayew's effort is the best of the opportunities so far. Gestede will also feel as though he should have done a lot better with that early header.

Villa play from the back and try to find a way through. The ball eventually falls to Lyden, who sends a cross into the box, but it's easily gathered by Ingram.

Ayew manages to break away from his marker and find space down the left side. He gets a low shot away, but it fails to trouble the goalkeeper and the opportunity goes missing.

SAVE! Wood tries to make things happen for Wycombe as he lets the ball fly off his right foot in the box, but Guzan drops to the ground and makes the save at the bottom right corner.

Wycombe are doing their job well so far. They're working hard and have had the ball in behind the full-backs a number of times. They've also found it easy to get the ball in the box, but that final touch is missing.

SAVE! Sinclair tries to break the deadlock with as he moves into the centre of the box and unleashes a shot with his left foot, but the keeper manages to save to prevent the ball nestling into the bottom left corner.

At the other end, Thompson connects to the ball in the box and directs his header at goal, but he puts it over the bar. It's not the most exciting of matches, but a goal could come from anywhere at this point.

HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 0-0 WYCOMBE

Nothing can separate these two sides at the moment! We reach the half-time break goalless at Villa Park. In truth, the chances have been few and far between. The best for Villa came from Jordan Ayew, who smashed into the side-netting for the home side. Early in the half, Rudy Gestede had the chance to take the lead with a header, but he missed the target. Wycombe had a great opportunity to go in front when Sam Wood unleashed a thumping shot, but Brad Guzan made the save. We'll be back shortly for the second half!

RESTART! We are back underway at Villa Park and a change has been made by the home side. Idrissa Gueye has come on for Carlos Sanchez.

Ayew gets the ball and spots Gestede before trying to feed the ball through to the forward, but Pierre reads the move well and gets back to nick the ball.

Villa go again as Jacobsen plays the ball forward for Ayew, who is waiting in a dangerous position, but Pierre is able to recover.

WYCOMBE SUB: The visitors make their first change of the night as McGinn replaces Bloomfield.

CHANCE! The home pick up the pace as Gana sprays the ball out wide towards Ayew, who storms down towards the box before aiming a shot, but his attempt went wide.

The home fans are becoming increasingly unhappy as the team struggle to pose a threat against their League Two opponents. Boos are coming from the crowd, but the away fans are certainly enjoying it as they jeer every time Villa's players misplace a pass.

Villa string some passes together and the ball eventually falls to Westwood, but his effort is poor and the ball flies high into the stands.

Gana tries his luck with a shot, but he's off target as well as it poses no danger to the visiting goalkeeper. The away fans liked that as well, as they chant, "what the f****** hell was that?"

WIDE! Villa are trying to find the breakthrough, but they're not showing much conviction at this stage. Ayew crossed into the area looking for Grealish, but the visitors manage to clear. The ball bobbles to Sinclair, whose shot goes wide.

Great block from Pierre! The Wycombe defender gets in the way of Sinclair's shot after the Villa man looked through on goal. Ainsworth will be relieved!

VILLA, WYCOMBE SUBS: Both sides make changes as Gil comes on for Grealish and Holloway is hauled off and replaced with Hayes.

GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-0 WYCOMBE (CLARK)

Huge relief for Villa as Clark gives the home side a crucial lead! It was made by Westwood, who crossed into the box and found the head of Clark, who nodded the ball into the top corner.

BOOKING! The first yellow card is brandished and it's to Wycombe's Jacobsen for a poor foul.

Time is running out for Wycombe to force possible extra time and penalties, but you can't rule them out. They have two men up front and considering how Villa's season has panned out, there's a chance a goal from the visitors could come.

GOAL! ASTON VILLA 2-0 WYCOMBE (GANA)

Gana has surely wrapped it up for Villa as he puts Villa two goals to the good. A great cross from Sinclair finds Gestede, who lays the ball off to Gana. The Villa man then drills the ball into the back of the net.

FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 2-0 WYCOMBE

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Scott Sinclair of Aston Villa looks on during the pre season friendly between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa at Molineux on July 28, 2015
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