It’s been nearly 14 years but maybe, just maybe, Wembley glory finally lies around the corner for Villa and their silverware-starved supporters.

John Gregory, Graham Taylor and David O’Leary all failed to do what Ron Atkinson and Brian Little both achieved within the space of three years and deliver a major trophy to the Midlands’ premier club.

But last night’s richly-deserved Carling Cup quarter-final victory over Portsmouth kept Martin O’Neill on course to emulate those achievements.

And it was a quartet of England stars who did the damage to the Premier League’s bottom club with Emile Heskey, James Milner, Stewart Downing – on his first start for the club – and Ashley Young all on target at Fratton Park.

It is the first time Villa have reached the competition’s last four since losing to Bolton under O’Leary in 2004.

They are a far stronger side than then, though, and despite the inevitable perils which tonight’s semi-final draw will bring, O’Neill’s team have already proven they can beat the best on their day.

The chances are they will have to do just that with Manchester United’s place in the hat for the two-legged semis in January already finalised and Manchester City/Arsenal and Chelsea/Blackburn vying to join them.

Nonetheless, it is easily the best chance O’Neill has had of winning significant silverware since taking charge in 2006.

As huge as the Northern Irishman’s impact has been since his appointment, he now needs a trophy or a top-four finish, to reach the next level.

And the vast importance this competition has now taken on was confirmed by the strength of his team.

There was a first start for Downing at the expense of Nigel Reo-Coker.

As expected, Brad Guzan, the hero of the last round, replaced Brad Friedel between the sticks, Stephen Warnock was passed fit and replaced Habib Beye in defence and Heskey came in for John Carew.

One major talking point since Downing signed this summer is how O’Neill will accommodate him and fellow wingers Milner and Ashley Young in his team.

The Villa manager’s vision was finally exposed with Milner in the centre and Young and Downing starting down the respective right and left channels and then regularly switching sides.

Villa, roared on by over 3,000 travelling fans after selling out their away allocation, began purposefully and in the third minute Gabby Agbonlahor almost got the wrong side of Jounes Kaboul only for the ex-Tottenham man to hoof clear.

But seven minutes later O’Neill’s men found themselves behind when Danny Webber’s inswinging corner was sliced into his own net by Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov.

But Villa were back level within two minutes as Heskey latched onto Milner’s threaded pass before coolly lifting the ball over Asmir Begovic for his second goal in three games.

Fratton Park has certainly proved a happy hunting ground for Heskey, who has scored there on each of his last three visits – including the winner on his Villa debut in January.

Villa were carving Pompey open at will with the regularly-rotating wingers given acres of space to roam in.

Petrov’s floated pass sent Downing through only for Ashley Young to completely miscue the new boy’s pinpoint cut-back and namesake Luke to blaze over the follow up.

O’Neill’s men didn’t have to wait long for a second, though, and what a goal it was.

Ashley Young found Milner with a throw-in deep in Pompey territory and the club record signing did the rest, checking inside before curling a delightful 20-yard shot inside Asmir Begovic’s far post.

Avram Grant’s team looked to have spurned a good opportunity from a free-kick 25 yards out when Nadir Belhadj miscued a lay-off straight into the path of Ashley Young, earning ironic cheers from the visiting support. But the Algeria international almost had the last laugh when the ball fell back into his path and his ferocious drive flashed above the bar.

It was the home side who ended the first half the stronger with Guzan bravely diving at the feet of Danny Webber to deny the Pompey striker.

But Villa came within a whisker of doubling their advantage right on the whistle when Agbonlahor headed Ashley Young’s teasing inswinger inches over.

Like any classic cup contest, it was extremely open – perfectly suiting Villa’s counter-attacking style.

Ashley Young and Heskey led one breakaway charge which forced Begovic into a smart save to deny the former Watford man while, down the other end, Richard Dunne and Warnock both made vital interceptions.

It took a fine last-ditch clearance from Tal Ben Haim to deny Villa a third when Warnock’s cross to the back post looked odds-on to be converted by Ashley Young.

But on 74 goal number three arrived when the Villa winger’s cross found its way to Downing at the back post with aid of a deflection and the England man stooped to squeeze a header inside the post.

That should have been game, set and match. Yet ex-Albion forward Kanu had other ideas – making for an anxious few moments for the travelling faithful.

Hermann Hreidarsson chested down Kaboul’s long ball forward and Kanu beat Guzan to the ball to prod home.

However, any hopes the home side had of a comeback were extinguished almost immediately with a near carbon copy of the third.

This time it was Agbonlahor who raced clear down the right, he picked out Young and the winger made sure of the result with an emphatic finish into the roof of the net.

Suddenly, the long journey home didn’t seem so bad after all.

By Brendan McLoughlin.