This should be one of my easiest reports. Villa did a hell of a job defending against 11 Wigan platyers and a homer ref that was totally biased throughout.
The game was intriguing, at times it was a barrage of pressure by the hosts other times it was end to end stuff, but with no real end product. The chances were very few. Bent should have done better one on one with the keeper, Cuellar headed straight at El Habsi with the entire goal at his mercy, the goalie also made a hash of a save from Keane. At the other end Given made his first save in the 85th minute, a shot straight at him and minutes later palmed a shot around the post.
The remaining shots from both teams ranged from a volley that almost snuck into the top corner all the way to a scuff that went out for a throw in level with the edge of the area.
Anything else you need to know about the actual football was how much space the Wigan wingers were allowed and how good their passing was. Moses led his people through the muddy field with great energy and movement and if his finishing or crossing were not so poor he would be a very decent player.
The real story in my view was the ref. Every little thing was called against Villa, while the opposite was true for the home team. Albrighton, Collins, Hutton and Gardner were called up and booked. Then Di Santo committed a foul as bad as any of theirs before half-time and got no warning.
Gardner was dragged down rugby style after he beat the former Chelsea man again was spared the book. Moments later another overly hard tackle by the same player was called and no booking. A minute later he dissented against the ref. A warning was given. Seriously?
Cuellar handled in the first half and Albrighton the second half. Squeezed in between, Di Santo made the same hand ball. No call.
Finally, the striker shoved Cuellar in the back near the touchline dangerously. No call. Cuellar kicked the ball away. Unsportsman like? Yes. He was rightly cautioned. But, what about Di Santo holding up his fingers in a 'yellow card' gesture? Again, no card.
Every time a Villan had the ball, he was shoved in the back with no call. Finally, the ref called a foul when Darren Bent landed hard and had to be stretchered off. Not sure that one was even a foul. No card either for Boyce who deliberately left a foot out to trip sub Ireland late on.
The only other noteworthy event was the fans chanting you don't know what you're doing when he took off Villa's best defender, Mark Albrighton, who had tracked back all game to check Beausojour and threw on Heskey, whose only contributions were a shot and header off target.
In the end I was happy with a draw under such difficult circumstances.