Walsall 2 Aston Villa 3
Forget the result, there was one major talking point at Walsall last night and that was a sight most Villa fans had given up on ever seeing again - Gareth Barry in a Villa shirt.
Forget the result, there was one major talking point at Walsall last night and that was a sight most Villa fans had given up on ever seeing again - Gareth Barry in a Villa shirt.
As confirmation of Barry's inclusion in a largely second-string side filtered around the Banks's Stadium, the conspiracy theories went into overdrive.
Was this a public shaming for his misdemeanours? Perhaps a humiliating parting shot from manager Martin O'Neill before he leaves for Liverpool, or
even Arsenal?
Then again it could just be a fitness-driven exercise aimed at maintaining the midfielder's value and appeal. After all, who wants a player who will
take weeks to get fit? One thing is for certain, that O'Neill took an £18m gamble last night.
An injury to Barry here could have seen his hopes of a dream move to Merseyside disappear while leaving O'Neill without his money or simply
another body to call on.
The risk paid off, for both parties. Barry's professional performance ensured he regained the respect of at least some of the 2,227 travelling supporters.
The widespread boos and 'judas' chants which greeted his every touch gradually faded out . By the time he was substituted in the 60th minute, plenty stood to applaud their fallen hero.
On the other side, Saddlers manager Jimmy Mullen gave another chance to trialists Georges Ba and Chris Palmer from the start. The pair did their hopes of earning a permanent contract no harm at all.
Mullen's men took the lead when Alex Nicholls capitalised on a disastrous mix-up between rookie pair Parish and Eric Lichaj just before half-time.
Barry was replaced on the hour mark and within a minute Villa were level, courtesy of Shaun Maloney's 18-yard free-kick.
The home side restored their advantage, when Palmer's pinpoint pass to the back post was volleyedback across goal for trialist Patrick Suffo, on as a substitute, to clinically convert after 70 minutes.
Nine minutes later Villa were level for a second time, again thanks to the industrious Maloney, who followed up Moustapha Salifou's saved shot.
The final word was left to another one of Villa's stars on the night, Wayne Routledge, to bring the curtain down on the evening. This was exactly the
type of finish the word emphatic was invented for, as he crashed home Zoltan Stieber's cross with the sweetest of volleys.
Walsall (4-4-2): Ince (Gilmartin 76), Palmer, Roberts (Smith 61), Gerrard, Sansara, Nicholls (Craddock 88), Mattis, Bradley (Ayre 66), Zaaboub
(Demontagnac 61) Ibehre (Deeney 68), Ba (Suffo 52)
Villa (4-4-2): Parish, Salifou, Lichaj,Baker (Roome 74), Stiebler, Routledge, Barry (Bannan 60), Osbourne, Maloney, Harewood, Delfouneso
(Albrighton 82)
Referee: P. Gibbs.
Attendance: 5,081 (2,227 Villa fans)
