- The left-back smashed home the winner in stoppage time in the second half
- Brighton had Aaron Mooy sent off in the first half for two bookable offences
- Adam Webster scored his first goal for Brighton to give them the initial lead
- Jack Grealish cancelled out Webster’s header with a goal in first-half added time
- Both sides had chances to win the game in the second half before Targett’s strike
A red card, a goal disallowed by VAR and a late, late Aston Villa winner that floored Brighton’s players and sent the home supporters wild. Welcome back to the Premier League.
This had all the elements of an exciting, enthralling clash between two sides grateful to be in the top flight but that made the scrap for the points all the more entertaining.
There was barely a moment when there wasn’t something to debate or analyse. Between Adam Webster’s opener for Brighton in the 21st minute and Matt Targett’s late winner for Villa.
Matt Targett scored the winner in the final minute of stoppage time to break Brighton hearts
For it had just about everything else along with Aaron Mooy’s crazy five-minute spell where he was shown two yellow cards to Conor Hourihane’s strike being ruled out by the officials at Stockley Park before Jack Grealish’s effort ahead of half-time was given the green light. Then throw in Villa’s rather desperate penalty appeal after John McGinn’s shot had clearly rebounded off the back of Shane Duffy minutes before Targett struck.
In the end, Dean Smith punched the air as the home supporters celebrated. Graham Potter stuck out a hand for Smith to shake and then walked to his players to comfort them. This will sting.
For Villa, on the back of that thumping 5-1 win over Norwich, this was what they had craved – a late win at Villa Park. Grealish and Tyrone Mings soaked up the applause after full-time after the focus pre-match had fallen on the England central defender.
The left-back hammered home from close range to seal a last-gap win for Villa
An hour before the whistle was blown at 3pm, Villa fans cheered his name when it was read out on the tannoy. Then, five minutes before the start, a banner of Mings in an England shirt with the word ‘PROUD’ at the bottom was held up at the front of the North Stand.
Seconds before referee David Coote blew to start the match, Mings’s name was announced again and for the second time he was given a standing ovation. It was a brilliant gesture after the central defender was racially abused during his senior debut for England in the European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria last Monday.
The support helped to build an atmosphere and Villa were positive from the off. Early exchanges between Grealish and McGinn opened up space for lone striker Wesley and gave him a chance to test Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who was alongside Webster as opposed to his long-term partner Duffy, who was on the bench.
Smith had spoken of his players not exactly needing a break after their 5-1 demolition of Norwich two weeks ago, but his captain made the most of his few days of downtime. Grealish flew to Switzerland where he stayed in the aptly named Hotel Villa Honegg.
The break seemed to do him good. He looked refreshed and ready to go. Inside 10 minutes, he controlled the ball in his own half, broke forward and ran towards the Brighton penalty area after skipping past Dale Stephens. After briefly looking up and assessing his options, he played a pass out to the right for Frederic Guilbert.
Adam Webster gave Brighton the lead with a header from Pascal Gross’ free-kick
It was the centre back’s first goal for Brighton as the visitors capitalised on a good start
Guilbert didn’t rush his pass but eventually fizzed it into the six-yard area. Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan fumbled the ball, conceding possession but Wesley, who sprinted back to retrieve it, could only find defender Martin Montoya who cleared.
Still, it was a positive sign and something for Villa to build on if only they could stay sharp and alert in defence.
Unfortunately that didn’t happen. After Conor Hourihane was perhaps harshly booked for a foul on Montoya, Brighton were awarded a free-kick 30 yards from Villa’s goal. Mooy ran over the ball, Pascal Gross delivered, Mings lost failed to track the cross and Webster headed into the far corner.
However, Brighton went down to 10 men after Aaron Mooy was sent off for a second yellow
Mooy made two challenges deemed to be bookable offences within five minutes of each other
But it wouldn’t be long before Villa would find a way back into the game. It was a five-minute spell that Mooy will want to forget. First, the Australian kicked the ball away after Coote had awarded Villa a free-kick. If that wasn’t daft enough then clattering into the back of Grealish was scratch your head sort of stuff. Off he went and Villa looked lively.
McGinn, who scored a hat-trick for Scotland against San Marino during the two-week break, was as sharp as ever, but there was nothing he could do as he watched his shot, which appeared destined for the bottom corner, come off Wesley and away from goal. Frustrating, but two minutes before half-time, Villa had the ball in the net. Hourihane drove McGinn’s cutback into the bottom corner. Villa Park erupted but cheers quickly changed to boos as it became apparent that Wesley’s obstruction of Ryan had been spotted by VAR.
It was probably fair but Villa fans, who watched their side be denied goals against Crystal Palace and Burnley, feel there is a little injustice against them. ‘Embarrassing,’ Smith could be spotted as saying as the television cameras panned to him.
The drama didn’t end there as Conor Hourihane had a goal controversial ruled out by VAR
The goal was chalked off as Wesley was deemed to have infringed goalkeeper Mat Ryan
Jack Grealish however did eventually level things up in added time at the end of the first half
The goal just before the break was Grealish’s first Premier League goal at Villa Park
It was why when Villa did have the ball in the net through Grealish moments later, the same fans waited for Coote to point to the centre spot after the decision was checked before they celebrated.
It all made for an entertaining first half and gave the match an unpredictability as it entered the second period.
Aaron Connolly hadn’t enjoyed the sort of game that he did when he scored twice in the 3-0 win over Tottenham and he was replaced by Solly March at half-time. It was a change made by Potter to give Brighton more width following Mooy’s dismissal.
Tyrone Mings played his first game since suffering racist abuse on England duty in Bulgaria
Neal Maupay (right) was a threat despite Brighton’s numerical disadvantage
March’s first contribution was to send a shot inches past Tom Heaton’s goal.
Down the other end, Villa surged forward with Grealish orchestrating the attack. He set Matt Targett clear to send a cross into the 12-yard box. Hourihane caught the ball sweetly but the left leg of Ryan denied him and Anwar El Ghazi couldn’t do any better as he sent the ball over.
It wasn’t dissimilar to how Neal Maupay sent the ball over the Villa bar some time after although the striker’s effort was from further out.
England boss Gareth Southgate and U21s manager Aidy Boothroyd were in attendance
John McGinn also spurned another Villa opportunity after more brilliance from Grealish
Anwar El Ghazi (right) should have put Villa ahead but missed two glorious opportunities
But Targett was to make no mistake with what was virtually the last kick of the game
Not that it mattered when Brighton were just a few feet out as Montoya realised when his tame effort ended up in the hands of Ryan when a more lethal finisher would have buried his shot.
By now, Brighton had opted for four central defenders at the back after Duffy replaced Montoya. Brighton were trying to limit Villa’s crosses into the box so the hosts went through the middle. McGinn’s shot rebounded off Duffy’s back inside the Brighton area. ‘Handball,’ was the cry but after Coote, after checking with VAR, said no chance.
One last charge from Brighton and one last cross from Grealish came and went. Keinan Davis had a try but his shot was saved. Then came Targett, on the left side of the penalty area, he was calm with the ball at his feet, kept his head down and shot low past Ryan. What a moment and what a way to score your first Villa goal.
source:dailymail