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Click here for your Rough Guide to Wycombe Wanderers Wycombe Wanderers 0 Aston Villa
Aston Villa 5
Tuesday 23rd September 2003
Carling Cup - Second Round
A rare piece of action for Villa keeper Thomas Sorenson Wanderers were thrashed 5-0 by Aston Villa in this Carling Cup tie at Adams Park. The Premiership side cruised past a Wycombe side that Lawrie Sanchez said would be playing for pride when he spoke in press conference prior to the game. He said "There won’t be much need for a team talk. I will tell then they are playing for pride, for themselves, the club and the fans and to get out there and earn their money.” Wanderers did indeed play with pride but after 19 year old Peter Whittingham had given the visitors the lead in the 14th minute, Wycombe were second best by a long way. Juan Pablo Angel added a second after 31 minutes and the Columbian went on to complete a hat-trick including a 49th minute penalty following a foul by substitute Dannie Bulman. Angel scored his third and Villa's fourth on 54 minutes and England striker Darius Vassell completed the rout in the 86th minute when he converted from the spot after Chris Vinnicombe had tripped the same player.
The result came after Sanchez went with a back five to help plug Wanderers leaky defence - Andy Thomson being the extra man for his first appearance of the season. Chris Vinnicombe returned after his one match ban and Danny Senda was preferred again at right-back. Steve Williams retained his place in goal despite Frank Talia being available again following his one match ban. Dannie Bulman was the player sacrificed in a midfield trio of Darren Currie, Michael Simpson and Steve Brown.
Darren Currie in action against VillaWanderers best chances in the tie fell to Gavin Holligan while triallist Andy Bell had another encoraging game with some good hold up play. Holligan went close for Wanderers after 13 minutes following a well worked move from defence. The final shot from the right bye line was deflected wide for a corner on the opposite flank but Villa dealt with that easily and were ahead 30 seconds later - Angel's cross from the right finding an unmarked Whittingham on the far edge of the six yard box who beat Williams with ease with a clean strike into the back of the Valley End net.
Holligan shot wide on the turn after 19 minutes following a looping ball into the Villa penalty area but after that Villa ruled the show. Marcus Allback saw his shot deflected over the crossbar by Roger Johnson on 26 minutes and three minutes later Lee Hendrie shot across the face of the goal as Wanderers were exposed again at the back.
Angel started his goal scoring spree on 31 minutes when he made finishing look simple following a ball down the right flank from Gavin McCann.
Half-time Wycombe 0 Villa 2
It was 'game over' four minutes into the second-half when Bulman fouled Angel while Wanderers claimed strongly for offside. Williams got booked for his protests before being beaten from the spot. Angel completed his hat-trick when he tucked the ball in at the far post after Ulises de la Cruz's shot could only be palmed away by Williams.
Lewis Cook attempts to beat Mark Rogers on route to goal - The Villa No.9 is 1980's Wanderers loanee Dion DublinWith nothing more to lose, Sanchez sent on Richard Harris in place of Andy Thomson for the final quarter of the game as Wycombe converted to a back four. However, Harris made little impression on a Villa defence that included former Wanderer loanee Dion Dublin as a stand-in centre-half.
Michael Simpson saw a shot blocked on 70 minutes followed by Darren Currie shooting high of the target in a brief spell of Wycombe pressure but Villa looked like they could score at will and on another night could have doubled their score. Vassell's penalty in the dying moments only confirmed an evening when Wycombe were totally outclassed.
A defiant Lawrie Sanchez braved the post match press conference for the first time in five games and said "You’re always under pressure as a manager, you don’t have to lose five goals in a cup game for that, but I said to the players the other day that you don’t win promotion or get relegated on eight games. We’ve got to show more of the determination we showed tonight, I thought we were quite bright under the circumstances. We’ve got a lot of work to do but this club won’t be relegated under me, I can tell you that.”
Final Score - Wycombe 0 Aston Villa 5
Wycombe: Williams, Senda, Vinnicombe, Rogers, Johnson, Thomson (sub 63 Harris), Brown (sub HT Bulman), Simpson, Currie, Holligan, Bell (sub 76 Cook) - subs not used: Roberts, Talia
Bookings: Williams (49 dissent)
Aston Villa: Sorensen, De La Cruz, Delaney, Dublin, Samuel, Hendrie (sub 75 Ridgewell), McCann, Barry, Whittingham, Allback (sub 75 Moore), Angel (sub 62 Vassell) - subs not used: Postma, Hitzlesperger
Bookings: -
Scorers: Whittingham (14), Angel (31, 49 pen, 54), Vassell (86 pen)
Referee: Mr Alan Butler Attendance: 6,072 (1,677 away end)
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