'Hearts as big as Big Ben' - Evans praises Stevenage fight 

FIGHTING BACK: Stevenage manager Steve Evans and the team celebrate the win. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Aston Villa 1 Stevenage 2

Stevenage manager Steve Evans hailed his heroic players as having “hearts as big as Big Ben” and claimed Aston Villa’s stars were “hurt and haunted” after this incredible FA Cup upsets.

The 59-place gulf between Premier League Villa and Stevenage, who are second in League Two, was clear at times until the 88th minute.

That was the time of substitute Jamie Reid’s penalty equaliser after a moment of madness from Villa midfielder Leander Dendoncker to bring down Dean Campbell.

Fellow sub Campbell thundered home an unlikely winner on the stroke of the end of normal time as to spark pandemonium among the 3,000-plus travelling fans.

“If we were still in the game at 75 minutes, I know we have an incredibly fit group, and I knew we could introduce lads with hearts the size of Big Ben to match the ones out there,” said Evans.

“It’s magical for the players, chairman and the town of Stevenage to see over 3,000 fans here at such a brilliant iconic football club.

“Winning the way we did is what dreams are made of in the FA Cup.

“I said to the players, you will have a dream that you will talk about this to your kids and grandkids about it.” Evans had Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez – who was on the bench for this tie – on loan at Rotherham United.

“Emi came over afterwards and gave me a big hug and said ‘typical Evans – the underdog wins’ and he had a big smile,” added Evans.

“He was haunted – I could tell on his face.

“I looked at Ashley Young and you could see the hurt on his face. Was it hurt or embarrassment? Maybe a combination of both.

“I’ve got three grandkids – Joseph, James and Mimi – and they will be hearing about this in the next few years.” Villa manager Unai Emery said: “I’m upset, disappointed and sorry for our supporters. We have lost a very good opportunity to do something in the FA Cup.

“It is a process and I will continue to be demanding. Maybe now, I need to be more demanding.

“I’m very shocked. We have to improve, we have to learn.” Villa who took the lead with some Premier League quality play in the 33rd minute.

Morgan Sanson slotted home after Danny Ings’s backheel found him unmarked.

Then came the incredible turnaround. Dendoncker pulled down Campbell outside the box but seemed to bring him down inside to spark the penalty, and his own red card.

Reid sent Olsen the wrong way from the spot, then Campbell thundered home a shot inside the near post.

Villa (4-3-3): Olsen 5; Cash 5 (A Young 72 minutes, 6), Chambers 5, Bednarek 5, Augustinsson 6 (Digne 81 minutes, 5); Sanson 7 (J Ramsey 66 minutes, 6), Dendoncker 6, Douglas Luiz 6; Bailey 7, Ings © 7 (Watkins 72 minutes, 6), Coutinho 6 (Buendía 67 minutes, 6).

Substitutes: E Martínez, Mings, Kamara, K Young.

Stevenage (5-4-1): Ashby-Hammond 8; Wildin 8, Sweeney 8, Vancooten 7, Piergianni © 7, Clark 7 (Campbell, 63 minutes, 8); Rose 7 (Reid 63 minutes, 8), Taylor 6 (Amoo 67 minutes, 7), Reeves 7, Roberts 7 (Bostwick 83 minutes, 7); Norris 7 (Smith 67 minutes, 7).

Substitute: Chapman.

Referee: Graham Scott 

Attendance: 32,343.