Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 1: Sunday Mercury Big Match Report

Sep 18 2011 by Mat Kendrick, Sunday Mercury

NOT even God and the angel Gabriel could help Aston Villa find the winning formula to banish the draw demons as Alex McLeish’s men were stuck in point-sharing purgatory at Villa Park.

Paul McGrath, a claret and blue legend of almost biblical proportions, put in an appearance at half-time as part of a fundraiser for Villa’s charity Acorns.

And Gabby Agbonlahor, on his 200th start, got McLeish’s men off to a perfect start against Newcastle with a clinically taken 13th minute opener.

But Leon Best struck an equaliser just before the hour mark to earn the Magpies a deserved point and prolong their Premier League unbeaten run.

Villa have also gone five without loss, but despite the bright form of Brummie goal-getter Agbonlahor, the Villa Park faithful fear their team is currently lacking a cutting edge.

McLeish describes Agbonlahor as “deadly” and the club’s current longest-serving player certainly lived up to his pre-match billing with his goal.