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Davies ends Villa run
One step ahead: Davies and Ehiogu
Southampton 2-0 Aston Villa
Villa's 12-match unbeaten Premiership run ended with a double strike from Kevin Davies.
The former Blackburn striker drove home from the edge of the area six minutes before half-time.
He then added a second just after the hour with a crisp run and shot to hand Saints a league double against the side which knocked them out of both cup competitions this season.
Villa's 12-match unbeaten Premiership run ended with a double strike from Kevin Davies.
The former Blackburn striker drove home from the edge of the area six minutes before half-time.
He then added a second just after the hour with a crisp run and shot to hand Saints a league double against the side which knocked them out of both cup competitions this season.
Match facts |
Villa forced four corners in 20 minutes but faded
39: Davies returns Barry's weak clearance
63: Control and shot from Davies doubles lead
79: Barry shot dragged wide
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Villa looked shaky at the back without injured captain Gareth Southgate, while Paul Merson and Benito Carbone were well short of their recent good form.
Saints fought hard and created the better chances to bounce back from a 7-2 humiliation at Tottenham last week.
Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones did not have to make a save of any note.
He spent his afternoon collecting hopeful punts forward by an anxious Villa side which missed the pace of the dropped Julian Joachim.
Last season Villa came here and won 4-1 to set a new club record for remaining unbeaten at the start of a season.
At the same time Davies was enduring his nightmare spell at Blackburn following a £7m move north the previous summer.
He scored as many goals in this match as he managed in an entire season at Ewood Park.
After his lesser-profile return to The Dell he now has five in this campaign.
The first in this match came when Villa's Gareth Barry failed to get any distance on a clearing header.
Davies eagerly seized on the chance to blast a fierce right-foot shot home from the edge of the area as Finnish goalkeeper Peter Enckelman dived vainly to his left.
The striker then put Villa out of their
misery with a goal of utter simplicity.
Matthew Oakley's pass found him in oceans of space and as Enckelman rushed from his goal Davies calmly slipped the ball into the far corner.
Hassan Kachloul almost added another five minutes later but from 10 yards saw his shot go a foot over the bar.
Although Barry dragged a late shot wide and three substitutes came on for Villa, they were unable to force their way back into the game.
In fact their best spell had come in the opening 20 minutes when four corners were forced, and Lee Hendrie blasted wide after Merson's clever back-header.
Teams:
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Richards, El Khalej, Bridge, Tessem, Oakley, Marsden, Kachloul, Pahars, Davies. Subs: Benali, Soltvedt, Le Tissier, Boa Morte, Moss.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Watson, Ehiogu, Barry, Wright, Boateng, Taylor, Hendrie, Stone, Carbone, Merson. Subs: Thompson, Joachim, Walker, Samuel, Cutler.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds)
Saints fought hard and created the better chances to bounce back from a 7-2 humiliation at Tottenham last week.
Southampton goalkeeper Paul Jones did not have to make a save of any note.
He spent his afternoon collecting hopeful punts forward by an anxious Villa side which missed the pace of the dropped Julian Joachim.
Last season Villa came here and won 4-1 to set a new club record for remaining unbeaten at the start of a season.
 Recalled Ville defender Steve Watson and Hassan Kachloul
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He scored as many goals in this match as he managed in an entire season at Ewood Park.
After his lesser-profile return to The Dell he now has five in this campaign.
The first in this match came when Villa's Gareth Barry failed to get any distance on a clearing header.
Davies eagerly seized on the chance to blast a fierce right-foot shot home from the edge of the area as Finnish goalkeeper Peter Enckelman dived vainly to his left.
 Bad day on the coast for John Gregory
|
Matthew Oakley's pass found him in oceans of space and as Enckelman rushed from his goal Davies calmly slipped the ball into the far corner.
Hassan Kachloul almost added another five minutes later but from 10 yards saw his shot go a foot over the bar.
Although Barry dragged a late shot wide and three substitutes came on for Villa, they were unable to force their way back into the game.
In fact their best spell had come in the opening 20 minutes when four corners were forced, and Lee Hendrie blasted wide after Merson's clever back-header.
Teams:
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Richards, El Khalej, Bridge, Tessem, Oakley, Marsden, Kachloul, Pahars, Davies. Subs: Benali, Soltvedt, Le Tissier, Boa Morte, Moss.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Watson, Ehiogu, Barry, Wright, Boateng, Taylor, Hendrie, Stone, Carbone, Merson. Subs: Thompson, Joachim, Walker, Samuel, Cutler.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds)
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Links to other FA Carling Premiership stories are at the foot of the page.
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