FRANZ CARR put Aston Villa one stop away from another trip to Wembley with a stunning goal on his full debut against former club Nottingham Forest in the English FA Cup quarter final at the City Ground. Carr, who walked out on Forest five years ago after a dispute with former manager Brian Clough, struck a glorious 26th minute winner for a patched up Villa side.
Brian Little's side then hung on in the second half to claim a semi final against either Liverpool or Leeds at Old Trafford on March 31st just seven days after their League Cup final with Leeds.
Carr, who followed Little to Villa from Leicester 14 months ago, has made only two brief substitute appearances since his £150,000 move. He was only in the side against Forest because of an injury and suspension list which deprived Villa of Gareth Southgate, Steve Staunton, Andy Townsend, Tommy Johnson and Lee Hendrie.
He was substituted 12 minutes from time as Villa fell back unashamedly in defence to fend off a frenzied Forest revival in the second half. In a free role just behind the two strikers, Carr had wreaked havoc on the club where he first made his name.
Villa, drawn away for the ninth FA Cup tie in a row, had looked more like the home side as they passed the ball around in wonderful style to leave Forest chasing shadows for much of a one sided opening 45 minutes. Carr craftily set up two chances in the first 12 minutes for Dwight Yorke, who forced splendid saves from Mark Crossley on both occasions.
As Villa queued up for shots at the Forest goal and Frank Clark's team barely managed a move worthy of the name, Ugo Ehiogu's 20th minute drive crashed against the crossbar after a Mark Draper corner had flicked off the heel of Savo Milosevic.
Stop gap defender Chris Bart Williams battled manfully to stem the flow, but there was no stopping Carr when he unleashed a thundering drive from just outside the box, after Milosevic had provided the final link in a passing movement with which Villa had again ripped apart Forest's reeling rearguard.
Bryan Roy wasted two chances before the break for Forest in a prelude to their second half comeback. Paul McGregor replaced Roy at the interval and sparked a series of raids that had Villa on the back foot.
The nearest they came to an equaliser was when Woan, restricted by an injury lie collected in a first half collusion with Ehiogu, unleashed a powerful drive from 25 yards which hit a grateful Alan Wright on the goalline.
However, despite goal bound shots from Steve Stone and the largely ineffective Kevin Campbell, the UEFA Cup quarter finalists could find no way through.
