Latics Home Heroes Beat Off The Villans

By Oscar Wilde
April 18 2006

A Jimmy Bullard wonder-strike and two well taken Henri Camara goals were enough to secure Latics’ first home win of 2006 and move them back up to 8th in the Premier League.

The match started off rather scrappily with both teams struggling to get a foothold on the game until Jason Roberts’ centre was only half cleared by Gary Cahill and Bullard struck it on the volley into the top left hand corner.

 

Latics could have doubled their lead when Reto Ziegler was released by Roberts but he drilled his shot narrowly over.

 

Within seven minutes of the re-start however, Villa were back on level terms, Juan Pablo Angel took advantage of some lazy Latics defending to tap in a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross.

 

This was the catalyst for the game to burst into life.

 

First Henri Camara jinked his way into the box to fire home past Thomas Sorenson’s near post. He then doubled his total for the evening after a smart passing movement with Pascal Chimbonda.

 

Whilst all this was going on, Gareth Barry was booked for an utterly disgraceful leading-arm challenge on Pascal Chimbonda that nearly knocked his head off. With no intent on challenging for the ball – merely hurting his opponent, Barry got off lightly with a yellow, whilst a groggy Chimbonda had to change his blood-soaked shirt for a clean one.

 

The crowd were certainly enjoying the game, a Mexican Wave passed around and around the ground, the only people not interested in joining the fun were the traveling Villa support.

 

A deflected Barry cross was turned past John Filan by Liam Ridgewell to add spice to the remainder of the game, and neither team gave up the chase for another goal, leading to an exciting finale.

 

An Angel shot bobbled just in front of Filan, causing the ball to hit the ‘keeper’s hands, and luckily bounce just over the bar.

 

At the death, a surging Jason Roberts run beat the Villa defence and his square pass found Bullard in oceans of room, but he could only manage to balloon the ball into the back of the south stand.

 

Paul Jewell:

"It was far too open for my liking. We never really looked like keeping them out but we looked like scoring goals.

"I was delighted. We changed it around and freshened it up but to score three goals, do the double over Aston Villa and get 51 points is a major coup.

"Now we try and win as many games as possible."

Latics: Filan, Chimbonda, Henchoz, Scharner, Baines, Teale, Francis (Kavanagh 79), Bullard, Ziegler (McCulloch 81), Camara, Roberts.
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Johansson, Taylor.

Booked: Henchoz, Chimbonda.

Goals: Bullard 25, Camara 56, 60.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, Hughes (De la Cruz 66), Cahill, Ridgewell, Samuel, Milner, McCann, Gardner (Agbonlahor 45), Barry, Angel, Baros.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Bouma, Phillips.

Booked: Barry, Milner.

Goals: Angel 53, Ridgewell 67.

Att: 17,330.

Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).