Trailing to Milan Baros' second-half effort, City piled men forward deep into stoppage time with David James lumbering forward to bolster a City attack that had been guilty of several misses over the course of the 90 minutes. But instead it was another unlikely figure that earned Stuart Pearce's side a replay, that of Richards, who rose unmarked to direct Joey Barton's corner past Thomas Sorensen with some force. In truth, it was little more than the visitors deserved.
Villa have an atrocious home record this season, and accordingly it was City that started the brightest, a weak effort by Spaniard Reira signalled the blues' intent as early as the first minute. With Andy Cole likely to be out for sometime with an ankle injury the onus is on Darius Vassell and recent arrival Georgios Samaras to score the goals, and both enjoyed early chances but failed to force the shaky Sorensen into a meaningful save. Only profligate finishing from Sylvain Distin saved the goalkeeper's blushes midway through the half but he soon made amends, plucking the ball from Vassell's feet after Jlloyd Samuel’s weak back-pass had left him one-on-one.
Antoine Sibierski and Vassell had further efforts before the former flashed two headers wide as Villa struggles to defend the dead ball. Better finishing and the visitors would have been coasting by half-time, but David O'Leary rallied his troops and they began the second period brightly before yet another Sibierski header sparked another frantic spell of Villa defending. By now the subdued home fans must have eyeing the exits but as people never tire of telling us, football is indeed a funny old game. On 74 minutes Baros scrambled the ball across to Steven Davis, who took the ball to the edge of the box before threading it back into the path of Baros, and his crisp finish left former Villan David James with no chance.
City soon restored order but despite efforts from Riera and substitute Bradley Wright-Phillips, an equaliser never really looked likely until the fourth minute and final minute of injury time. Samuel conceded a corner on the left of Villas defence, which Barton whipped in and in only his second start for the side, Birmingham-born Richards earned his team a replay. His exuberant celebrations led to a censure from the referee, in the same way as his use of the 'f' word gained a telling off from Garth Crooks on the Beeb afterwards. How Villa fans yearn for such heart and passion.