Nick Meredith is an Aston Villa fan and blogger. He runs his own blog, Dots&Crosses. He also has his own personal Twitter account @NTMeredith, and his blog's Twitter account, @DotsCrosses.
As a Villa supporter living in London, chances to see Villa play are few and far between. I’ve also only been interested in football for a shorter time than most, with a mild interest throughout my life only recently growing into full-on football fanaticism. With this in mind, I've chosen my first ever experience watching Villa, in a game that was (fortunately for my burgeoning interest in football) as electrifying as you could wish. The game I have chosen is Aston Villa’s 2-3 win over Everton at Goodison Park in the December of 2008.
Being not only my first live Villa match, but also my first away match, I was nervous and excited in equal measure. Prior to the game, I simply soaked up the atmosphere, only sparing time for visiting the Dixie Dean statue outside the stadium and buying myself a pie and a drink before taking my seat. I was seated in the South end of the Bullens Road stand, surrounded by seasoned Villa campaigners. I had barely sat down, however, before I was on my feet and cheering as the much-maligned Steve Sidwell’s 25-yard rocket of a shot flew into the corner of Tim Howard’s goal in the first minute.
Far from cowing the opposition however, Everton fought back fiercely, driven by their vociferous supporters. That said, whilst their support was animated, it was far from hostile: their applause of Brad Friedel when he ran out to take his position in particular was a nice touch. Everton took control of the game with the impressive duo of Leon Osman and Marouane Fellaini bossing the midfield and creating space for Mikel Arteta to work his magic. Tim Cahill, as ever, was a constant threat, running beyond Victor Anichebe to test Brad Friedel with a volley. Fellaini threatened too, with his powerful header being clawed away by Friedel. Eventually, however, something had to give. A low Arteta free-kick surprised the Villa defence, finding Leon Osman’s head, and the diminutive midfielder’s flick-on reached Lescott, who prodded in past Brad Friedel.
As the second half began, Everton continued to press. The impressive Fellaini had another header cleared off the line, this time by Carlos Cuellar, before yet another header was improbably tipped onto the bar by the veteran Friedel. The Merseysiders were bossing the game, looking sure in their passing and threatening in their attacks, but it was at the other end where the goal came. Phil Jagielka knocked an abysmally short back-pass to Friedel’s compatriot Howard, and Ashley Young stole in and clipped the ball over the American’s despairing dive to continue his wonderful run of form. Needless to say, the Villa supporters went wild, albeit tinged with relief and guilt that such a gift should be presented to us.
Suddenly, Villa were in control as they hadn’t been all game. The defence, lead by the brilliant Martin Laursen, cut out Everton attacks with ease, and talisman Young continued to threaten with his pace and trickery. Everton threw more and more men forward even bringing on Andy Van Der Meyde, a winger, for Phil Neville late on. Though Everton looked increasingly desperate, Villa were dealing well with their waves of attacks, until in the 92nd minute they got their reward. An Everton corner was poorly cleared by Agbonlahor, and Leon Osman pinged a floating ball back into the box. It was headed back across, back again, before a lurking Joleon Lescott twisted his body into a scarcely believable shape to score a wonderful right-footed volley. The goal was crushing: Goodison Park erupted, the Villa away end had its head in its hands, and Everton had snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat. I was utterly deflated: my first Villa game, and the draw we had earned felt like a loss. A devastated Martin Laursen picked himself up off the floor dejectedly. Not one person saw what was coming next.
Villa kicked off for what was going to be a mere kick around until the whistle sounded. Luke Young hoofed it right into the arms of Tim Howard, who kicked it back downfield. An Everton player lost out in the air, and Gabby Agbonlahor scrapped to win the ball back before tapping it to Young. The young winger took off with blinding pace, ducking inside Lescott, and suddenly he was clear. It is awfully cliché to say that the world stood still, but I remember it exactly that way; Young’s leg pulled back at the edge of the box, three Everton defenders without a hope of stopping him, Tim Howard ready to dive.
Young’s shot fizzed off his boot, nestling perfectly in the bottom corner, and the Villa supporters exploded. Ashley Young ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with Laursen and Agbonlahor in front of our fans. There was jubilation as rampant Villans hugged celebrated – I was rather disconcerted when a large man wearing a claret and blue scarf hugged me – and the whistle blew to end one of the most wonderful games that I have ever seen, and certainly the best one I have ever seen live.
