Villa leave it late to beat Yeovil in Carabao Cup

Posted Wednesday, August 15, 2018 by PA

Aston Villa left it late to beat Yeovil as Conor Hourihane’s 77th-minute strike saw them advance in the Carabao Cup.

Hourihane’s simple tap-in came as a relief for Steve Bruce after he saw the Glovers enjoy several chances and have a second-half penalty from Alex Fisher saved.

Yeovil were on top for much of the first half, with Fisher twice forcing good saves out of Villa goalkeeper Andre Moreira, on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Diallang Jaiyesimi even had the ball in the back of the net at one point, but referee John Brooks had spotted a foul in the box before the forward tapped it in and awarded the visitors a free-kick.

Brooks was the centre of attention again just before the hour mark when he pointed to the spot after Gary Warren was ajudged to have pushed Tommy Elphick, but Moreira bailed out his side as he saved Fisher’s spot-kick.

Villa then began to turn up the heat, with substitute Jack Grealish rattling the crossbar with a shot from outside the area.

It was another substitute, Jonathan Kodija, who made his influence felt when he left Warren flat-footed in the box and played it square for Hourihane to tap in the winner.