Express & Star

Aston Villa 1 Stoke City 4 - match report and pictures

By
Published
Last updated

[gallery]A triple first-half blast from Stoke blew Villa away as the claret and blues suffered more home woe.

Peter Odemwingie, Peter Crouch and Steven N'Zonzi won it for the visitors with all three goals coming in a devastating 20-minute spell.

Geoff Cameron completed the embarrassment for Villa – and Stoke's second Premier League away win this season – as he added a fourth in the final minute.

Christian Benteke had fired the hosts ahead early before their capitulation as Stoke claimed a deserved first win at Villa Park since 1988.

Villa were chasing a third straight home win for the first time in seven years but never looked like recovering after falling behind.

Victory saw Stoke leapfrog Villa in the Premier League as Paul Lambert's side dropped to 11th.

Ryan Bertrand replaced Joe Bennett in the only change from the 1-0 win at Chelsea with the Stamford Bridge loanee back after being ineligible against his parent club.

Stoke included former Villa striker Peter Crouch and ex-Albion forward Peter Odemwingie in attack.

Villa started where they left off against Chelsea and were ahead after just five minutes thanks to a fine finish and criminal Stoke defending.

The in-form Fabian Delph skilfully spun Geoff Cameron on the left and found Benteke in space for the striker to fire high past Asmir Begovic.

That the Potters left Benteke unmarked and Cameron was turned so comfortably only made it easier for the hosts.

But it was a false dawn as Stoke, who had been poor in the first 20 minutes, hit back to stun Villa Park.

Odemwingie fired a deflected shot over as a warning, before he levelled on 22 minutes by latching onto Crouch's knock down and sliding under Brad Guzan.

Four minutes later the visitors were ahead when Crouch fired in Erik Pieter's cross.

Karim El Ahmadi and Andi Weimann limped off injured – replaced by Yacouba Sylla and Marc Albrighton – as Villa's gameplan continued to crumble.

And it disintegrated three minutes before the break when N'Zonzi capped a 17-pass move by drilling into the corner after Nathan Baker's missed interception.

There was little response after the re-start and Benteke was booked for dissent after going down under Cameron's challenge in the area.

Guzan saved from Odemwingie just after the hour but the game became scrappy, littered with fouls as Villa struggled to mount a response.

Albrighton, Bacuna and Baker were booked as frustrations grew during a non-event of a second half.

And Stoke piled on the misery in the final minute when Arnautovic skinned Bacuna and crossed for Cameron to sweep in.