Aston Villa's record signing Pablo Angel justified his recall to the side last night with two goals that ended their recent lean spell in the Premiership and added to Ipswich's growing plight adrift at the bottom of the table.
George Burley and John Gregory were both compelled to leave their seats early to try to orchestrate matters with shouts and gestures as their players expended a great deal of energy to no great effect.
So, great was the surprise, not least to Villa, when Finidi George suddenly put Ipswich ahead, their first Premiership goal for 332 minutes and, understandably, much celebrated. Indeed, one or two of their players seemed hardly able to believe their eyes, quickly checking with the referee and his assistant before giving full vents to their joy.
Jermaine Wright had just underlined the Suffolk side's chronic scoring problems by launching a shot, if it could be described as such, roughly four times higher that Peter Schmeichel's bar and thereby, perhaps, filling the Villa defence with a feeling of something close to vulnerability. It did not last much longer than two shakes of their manager's fists.
George Boateng lost the ball through sheer carelessness and Herman Hreidarsson immediately galloped at full speed deep down Villa's right flank. Richard Naylor picked up the move and George finished with a crisp, low shot beyond Schmeichel.
Simple, really, as Burley had no doubt been drumming into his players ever since their last Premiership goal on November 18th when Matt Holland scored against Bolton.
Considerably unnerved by conceding the goal and so ending the Ipswich drought, Villa set about retrieving the situation but without any conviction whatsoever.
Ipswich were not having to defend especially well because there was little to defend, although as half-time approached Villa finally seemed to remember they were the home side.
They duly equalised but Ipswich must have been kicking themselves all the way down the tunnel.
They failed hopelessly to clear a Steve Staunton corner after Matteo Sereni had dropped them into trouble by flapping at the ball. The Ipswich defence still had the time to clear but the ball fell again for Staunton who measured his cross beautifully and Pablo Angel rose like a seraphim to head past the culpable Ipswich goalkeeper. But it was an equaliser Villa had scarcely deserved.
The pace of the football increased significantly after half-time although chances remained few and far between inside the hour. George was replaced by Jamie Clapham while Villa brought on Dion Dublin for Hendrie to beat off their attack. The balance shifted almost immediately, although Dublin had nothing to do with Villa's winning goal.
It was set up by Steve Stone, whose swift and accurate through ball put Angel clear and alone. The Colombian's finishing was superb, chipping the hapless Sereni as he tried to narrow the angle. Angel was simply and deliciously expansive with his finish, and Ipswich heads fell.
ASTON VILLA: Schmeichel, Samuel, Mellberg, Staunton, Wright, Barry, Boateng, Hendrie (Dublin 67), Stone, Angel (Vassell 84), Merson. Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Balaban, Bewers. Goals: Angel 44, 70.
IPSWICH: Sereni, Makin, McGreal, Venus, Hreidarsson, Wright, Holland, Magilton, George (Clapham 65), Armstrong (Marcus Bent 80), Naylor. Subs Not Used: Counago, Bramble, Branagan. Booked: Naylor. Goals: George 18.
Referee: M Dean (The Wirral).
