Steve Evans: I saw fear in Aston Villa players
Stevenage boss Steve Evans claimed to have seen the “fear” in Villa’s players after his team’s equaliser in yesterday’s FA Cup giant-killing.
Substitute Jamie Reid thumped home an 88th minute penalty to cancel out Morgan Sanson’s opener after Leander Dendoncker had been sent-off for bringing down Dean Campbell.
The latter then fired in a 90th minute winner as the League Two visitors caused the shock of third round weekend.
Evans later explained how he felt home players had looked fearful when the leveller went in.
He said: “I saw a bit of fear, after we equalised. There were 89 minutes on the clock. They know we have gone three up front.
“When you look at the replay of the corner tonight you will see they are all in the six yard box, there is no-one within 10 yards of the corner flag. Often teams will do that.
“You can’t help players when they get frightened or have the fear factor because there may be a thought then that they could go out of the FA Cup to a League Two side.”
Evans praised the reaction of Villa boss Unai Emery and his players in defeat but admitted Emi Martinez had a “haunted” look on his face while speaking post-match.
The Villa goalkeeper, who spent the match on the bench after Robin Olsen was preferred in goal, played under Evans while on loan at Rotherham in 2015.
The Stevenage boss said: “Unai Emery was very sporting. He shook my hand and wished us luck in the next round.
“When you come here you have to be very humble. Emi (Martinez) was the same. They were all very humble.
“The Villa players spoke to my players and wished them well which speaks volumes of them.
“He (Martinez) was haunted. I could tell in his face. If you are Emi Martinez, you want to play football. I looked at Ashley Young and saw the hurt on his face. Ollie Watkins, the hurt.
“It is hurt and embarrassment, maybe a little bit of both.”
Asked if he felt Villa had taken his team lightly, Evans replied: “I can’t for a minute think the management team did.
“He knows his players, I don’t deal with them on a weekly basis. We just said before the game to make sure the Villa players have to work as hard as they do against Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd. Maybe some of them forgot to do that. Maybe some of them have not played that many 90 minutes.”
