VILLA THRILLER
Keeper Steer the spot-kick hero seals trip to Wembley
Jed Steer spent half this season on loan at League One Charlton but at the Hawthorns he became the man to send Aston Villa within 90 minutes of the Premier League.
dean Smith recalled Steer in January and the goalkeeper stepped up in this shootout, saving from Mason Holgate and Ahmed Hegazi so that tammy Abraham could slide the winning spot-kick past Sam Johnstone.
Johnstone got a touch, but it was an agonising one and the 2,000 Villa fans clambered over each other in celebration. twelve months on from defeat by Fulham, they will have another crack at returning to the top flight.
Steer said: ‘I’ve faced about 100 a day for the past few days, so it’s nice to make a couple of saves, but the boys’ penalties were great. We’re well up for it now, bring on Wembley.’
Abraham added: ‘What a keeper. I’ve missed a couple of penalties against him in training, he’s amazing.’
West Bromwich Albion were unfortunate having given a gutsy display. they were the better team but they were undone by Chris Brunt’s red card in the 80th minute. they lost their impetus and sunk back, with Jimmy Shan sending on defenders to maintain the 1-0 lead. It meant West Brom’s options in the shootout were limited. they must now consider a summer rebuilding job.
It was a mad climax to a wild night. A few dozen home fans had decided to try to influence matters themselves ahead of kick-off, waiting for the Villa bus and creating a gauntlet for Smith and his players to walk through.
there were flares and chants and, unsurprisingly, the loudest boos were reserved for Jack Grealish, who won the penalty that gave Villa the edge in the first leg.
Inside it was a hostile Hawthorns atmosphere. the whistles when West Brom were out of possession were vociferous. It was the noisiest the ground had been in years.
the volume ratcheted up further in the ninth minute when Anwar el Ghazi controlled a cross by Kieran Gibbs with an arm. It should have been a penalty, but referee Chris Kavanagh was unmoved. Before the half-hour it was Villa’s turn to be aggrieved. tyrone Mings felt he should have won a foul for a push by Jay rodriguez, but play continued and West Brom got a corner, then a throw-in. From there, Shan’s team went ahead. Holgate launched the ball long into the Villa box and Craig dawson ran from deep, sprang monumentally and guided a header in off the post. the ground erupted.
there was a melee on the stroke of half-time when Brunt stood on John McGinn’s arm. It looked accidental but McGinn was incensed.
West Brom came out firing after the interval. Steer was thankful to Mings after his poor kick-out went straight to Jacob Murphy. the winger’s shot was going in before Mings cleared off the line. Steer then needed two attempts to gather rodriguez’s firm drive.
Matt Phillips headed over from four yards and Brunt sent an effort whistling past a post.
Brunt resumed his battle with McGinn by sliding into a foul that earned his first booking. then, with 10 minutes left, West Brom were reduced to 10 men as the trilogy of tussles between Brunt and McGinn was completed. Brunt scythed down McGinn and was shown a second yellow.
the dismissal swung momentum Villa’s way and in the 87th minute Sam Johnstone produced an inspired one-handed save to keep out Albert Adomah’s fierce finish from 10 yards. then Johnstone punched out McGinn’s strike.