SUBSTITUTE Stewart Downing’s extra-time goal sealed a Carling Cup quarter-final spot for 10-man Aston Villa and ended the challenge of Burnley at Villa Park last night.

Aston Villa 2 Burnley 1 (after extra-time)

West Brom 2 Burnley 2

NEIL WARNOCK is hardly averse to a spot of hyperbole, but nobody argued when the veteran manager suggested yesterday that turning his Crystal Palace side from Championship cannon fodder into Premier League hopefuls has been the biggest achievement of his long managerial career.