Aston Villa 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Aston Villa have eased the pressure on manager John Gregory by coming from behind to beat Premiership strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, despite missing two penalties.

The Owls went ahead - very much against the run of play - with, ironically, a penalty.

Gilles de Bilde scored from the spot on 21 minutes after Ugo Ehiogu brought down Danny Sonner in the area.

Julian Joachim set up the equaliser, putting the ball through for midfielder Paul Merson who thumped a 20-yard shot 20-yard shot past keeper Pavel Srnicek.

Villa began in confident fashion and Srnicek was soon in the thick of the action tipping over a swerving 30-yard effort from Gareth Barry.

A mistake by Srnicek then almost cost his side as his poor clearance was turned back into the patch of Carbone.

Another long range effort - from Ugo Ehiogu - was turned over the bar as the Owls were seldom out of their own half in the first 20 minutes.

Shock lead

But they then stunned the home side by grabbing the lead in what was just about their first meaningful forage into the Villa penalty area.

Danny Sonner was brought down by Ehiogu and referee Steve Bennett instantly pointed to the penalty spot.

De Bilde was coolness personified as he drove the ball low and hard into the corner of the net away to the left of Villa keeper David James.

Gregory's side were literally handed the chance to get back on terms in the 33rd minute from the second penalty of the game. But Srnicek kept the Owls in front with a splendid save.

Villa started the second half in the same manner as the first - on the offensive - and a run and cross from Merson picked out Dublin but his powerful header flew well wide.

It was Wednesday who came close to increasing their lead in the 51st minute with what was, apart from de Bilde's spot-kick, their first shot on target.

Niclas Alexandersson threaded the ball into the path of de Bilde and his first-time shot forced James to save low to his left.

Villa began to look desperate, but they finally got back on level terms in the 69th minute.

Joachim found Merson in space and he had time to steady himself before curling a 20-yard drive past the despairing dive of Srnicek.

Then Wednesday conceded a second penalty when Emerson Thome was adjudged to have held down Dublin.

This time Merson stepped forward but again Srnicek was equal to the task as he dived to his right to push the spot-kick aside.

It looked as if Wednesday would hold out but with eight minutes left Merson crossed from the right and Taylor stole in to head home.

Teams:

Aston Villa: James, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry, Watson, Taylor, Boateng, Merson, Wright, Dublin, Carbone. Subs: Joachim, Vassell, Stone, Calderwood, Cutler.

Sheff Wed: Srnicek, Atherton, Walker, Thome, Nolan, Alexandersson, Jonk, Quinn, Sonner, De Bilde, Booth. Subs: Sibon, Cresswell, Haslam, Nicolson, Pressman.

Referee: S Bennett (Orpington )