By Aston Villa FC

Jack Grealish produced a moment of magic to beat Burton Albion and send Aston Villa through to the Third Round of the Carabao Cup.

The Brewers were faster out of the traps and took the lead after just 72 seconds when Colin Daniel fired home at the back post.

Villa hit back when debutant Ollie Watkins netted his first goal for the club, tapping home to finish off a slick move and send them in level at half-time.

With the match headed to penalties, club captain Grealish thrashed home a volley from Henri Lansbury’s corner to win the tie in the 88th minute.

Keinan Davis made sure of Villa’s progression to the next round with a fine finish in stoppage time.

Burton Albion away in the Carabao Cup

Burton began their League One campaign with a defeat against Fleetwood Town on Saturday and they started like a team with a point to prove.

There were just 72 seconds on the clock when Daniel, who arrived at the back post with perfect timing, slammed home Ryan Edwards’ cross.

Villa responded well to going behind and they should have been level when Kortney Hause headed Grealish’s cross over the bar when well-placed eight yards out.

The visitors were controlling possession and probing for an equaliser, which they duly found six minutes before half-time.

Grealish threaded a ball between two Burton players, allowing Taylor to square it across the face of goal for Watkins to tap home.

The striker should have had his second of the night moments before the half-time whistle, but he clipped the bar from close-range after Grealish had danced down the goalline to tee him up.

Burton Albion away in the Carabao Cup

The flow of Villa pressure continued at the start of the second half, with Watkins’ movement creating a glorious chance after 57 minutes.

Ahmed Elmohamady drove a ball to the front post, but the striker swung and missed with the goal at his mercy.

Chances were few and far between as the game ticked into the final ten minutes, with Dean Smith introducing Douglas Luiz, Davis and Jota in a bid to create a winner.

And it was the latter who came within inches of producing the goods with a curling left-footed strike that grazed the bar.

But just as the tie looked to be heading to penalties, Grealish exquisitely volleyed home Lansbury’s corner to send his side through to the Third Round.

Davis added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time as he beat the offside trap and picked out the far corner.



Aston Villa: Nyland, Taylor, Hause, Mings, Elmohamady, Lansbury, Grealish, Nakamba, El Ghazi (Jota), Ramsey (Luiz), Watkins (Davis).
Subs not used: Steer, Konsa, Samatta, Guilbert.