Milner magic proves vital for Villa

JAMES MILNER fired Aston Villa firmly into Champions League contention by settling a thriller at Wigan last night. The converted midfielder fired home in the 63rd minute after Wigan’s Gary Caldwell had cancelled out an own goal from team-mate James McCarthy at the DW Stadium.

Victory lifted Martin O’Neill’s men within three points of fourth-placed Tottenham, with a game in hand, in the Premier League.

Remarkably, it was O’Neill’s first victory in the league in the month of March since taking charge at Villa.

Yet Wigan, desperate for points at the opposite end of the table, could count themselves unlucky not to have earned a draw from an absorbing contest.

The Latics are clearly benefiting from the decision to relay their much-criticised pitch and played some enterprising football.

Roberto Martinez’s men showed no hangovers from Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing at Bolton as they created numerous chances, but Villa – who also had two goals disallowed – also enjoyed the true new surface.

Villa took the lead in fortuitous circumstances on 25 minutes after Carew headed down a Downing cross.

McCarthy was under no pressure as the ball fell his way but he mistimed his clearance horribly and sliced the ball beyond Kirkland.

But Wigan produced the perfect response and levelled within two minutes as Charles N’Zogbia’s free-kick was met by a glancing header from Caldwell that took it beyond Friedel.

The second period began at the same lung-bursting pace with Wigan’s Marcelo Moreno curling a shot narrowly wide.

Villa reclaimed the lead just after the hour as Kirkland flapped at a cross and the ball was only half-cleared as far as Milner on the edge of the box.

The midfielder fired the ball straight back at goal and it somehow found its way through a crowded penalty area to hit the net.

Wigan pressed on to the end with Moses again showing his pace but he was unable to carve out an opening.

WIGAN: Kirkland, Boyce (Scotland 90), Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa, Thomas, McCarthy (Scharner 71), Diame, N’Zogbia (Moses 56), Moreno, Rodallega.

ASTON VILLA: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Downing, Milner, Petrov, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor (Sidwell 81), Carew (Heskey 81).

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).