Aston Villa 0 Burnley 1 - Match report

Danny Ings's sixth-minute header was all that separated the sides on a day when Villa were below par but should have taken something from the game but for a string of saves by Clarets keeper Tom Heaton.

Ron Vlaar blazed wide and Heaton denied Christian Benteke and Ashley Westwood in the first half and Gabriel Agbonlahor, Fabian Delph and Charles N'Zogbia after the break.

Villa boss Tim Sherwood sprang a double surprise before kick off by handing a Premier League debut to Jed Steer and playing N'Zogbia at left back with Kieran Richardson injured.

Steer, the 22-year-old shotstopper, replaced first choice Brad Guzan, who was on the bench six days before the Wembley final against Arsenal.

Burnley, who started with two former Wolves players in Jason Shackell at left back and David Jones in central midfield, stunned the Holte by taking the lead in the first real attack of the game.

Villa failed to deal with a long ball forward from Kieran Trippier and when Jones headed the ball on, Ashley Barnes nodded across goal and Ings planted a firm header over Steer and into the far corner of the net.

The hosts took a while to get into the game and it was almost half-time before Villa worked up a head of steam.

Villa's first chance arrived in the 16th minute when Vlaar blazed wide after Tom Cleverley headed across goal.

But Ings wasted the chance to put Burnley 2-0 up 10 minutes later when he could only scoop into the Holte following George Boyd's run and cross.

Only in the final 10 minutes of the half did Villa show anything like Cup final form.

Two chances fell to Benteke in the space of three minutes.

First, the powerful Belgian chested down and volleyed goalwards only to see his shot cannon off the leg of Michael Keane in the 36th minute.

Two minutes later his far-post header was pushed around the post by Heaton, who produced a superb reflex save on 45 to deny Westwood's volley.

Again Villa were slow to get going following the restart, and there were loud boos at one point when Vlaar passed back to Steer to sum up the lackadaisical performance of the home side.

It wasn't until the 63rd minute that either side created another chance, this time Heaton smothering Agbonlahor's left-footed effort that lacked the power and direction to trouble the keeper after a fine run by Benteke into the box.

Villa looked the more likely scorers and 10 minutes later, Delph let fly from long range with his left foot and Heaton confidently pushed it away.

Sherwood's men remained on the attack and Heaton produced more heroics to tip N'Zogbia's powerful swerving angled drive over the bar.

Although the game was played mostly in Burnley's half, Villa lacked a cutting edge and never seriously looked as if they were going to breach Heaton's goal in a below-par curtain call.

Villa (4-1-2-1-2): Steer 6; Bacuna 6 (Hutton 80, 6), Vlaar 6, Baker 6, N'Zogbia 5; WESTWOOD 7; Cleverley 7 (Sinclair 72, 6), Delph 6; Grealish 6; Benteke 6, Agbonlahor 6.

Subs not used: Weimann, Sanchez, Green, Robinson, Guzan (gk).

Burnley (4-42): Heaton, Trippier, Keane, Mee, Shackell; Boyd, Ulvestad (Taylor 65), Jones, Arfield; Barnes (Vokes 34), Ings.

Subs not used: Duff, Kightly, Reid, Jutkiewicz, Gilks (gk).

Referee: Mike Jones (Chester).

Attendance: 40,792.