There was too little to choose between two football teams who last lifted the FA Cup in the 1950s yesterday. Neither team really did enough to win it until Benteke did so with a moment of magic in the 88^th minute that lit up what had been a very gloomy game up until then.

A replay following another goalless draw at Villa Park had seemed increasingly inevitable with every minute that ticked by yesterday. Given that The Seasiders are adrift at the foot of the table below us it is only they and our defence which secured a third consecutive home clean sheet that emerged from this game with any significant credit.

Yes we won the game, had the bulk of the possession and will be in the hat for the next round on Monday. But this was a third successive desperately dull home game in which entertainment was minimal at best and during which we posed few major concerns for our opponents defence. The win will provide some breathing space for a manager who would otherwise had been under significant pressure. But it seems to me that this victory may at best temporarily paper over the cracks at our football club.

Third Round wins in the past have left Villa fans dreaming of Wembley and an eighth FA Cup win. This one has left most if not all of us wondering which team will knock us out rather than which team we might meet in the final. Our expectations have now sadly slipped that low.

Some will suggest this is a trophy we can do without and that we should instead concentrate on survival alone once again. But three more wins would see us in a semi-final at Wembley and five would see the trophy in the clutches of a Villa captain’s hands for the first time since 1957. I do not accept that another three or five FA Cup games would necessarily lead to our relegation, it might instead provide confidence we could take into our future league games. But three wins or the five that would bring us back into Europe would do a lot to raise the profile of our club for any potential new owners as well as bring some pride back for our supporters.

These three or five wins would provide us with a platform for progress. But it is hard to see us winning another cup game let alone three or five of them at the moment. For now we have to take some comfort from avoiding another shock cup defeat although it is debatable how much of a shock losing to lower league opponents is for us now we have made such a habit of it.

This was a team that looked to be an attacking one on paper. But starting Westwood alongside two central defenders with no doubt the intention of allowing our two wing backs to get forward more often did not work.

We failed to put enough concerted pressure on Blackpool until very late in the game when they were tiring. Our players up until then seemed to lack urgency as well as the confidence to raise their head above the parapets by taking players on, getting crosses in or taking a punt at goal for fear of failure.

This rare home goal and the equally rare home win that it produced was very welcome against a team that like the last two visitors to Villa Park were content to seek a draw by putting men behind the ball as we played the ball to each other in front of them. The big test of our newly developed possession game will come in our next two home league games in which we will face teams that will arrive expecting a win and to take the game to us. Or will we revert to defending deep with little possession and trying to hit them on the break?

My player ratings from a game that has left us three admittedly unlikely cup wins from a Wembley semi-final are:

Shay Given – 7 – MOTM - Made a top class and crucial save from Miller on 82 minutes touching his on target shot from outside of the box over the bar with one hand. He had earlier touched a 36^th minute effort from Orlandi wide of his near post for a corner. His distribution from the penalty area was also a plus.

Alan Hutton – 7 – Alan was solid when he needed to be at the back and kept trying to make things happen up front. Had a 44^th minute shot blocked which bounced up for Lewis to gather comfortably having earlier had an appeal for a penalty turned down.

Ciaran Clark – 7 – Solid when tested and Ciaran continues to look good alongside Jores.

Jores Okore – 7 – Jores was at ease and steady at the back when he needed to be producing another very sound central defensive performance.

Aly Cissokho – 6 – A solid enough game but he was unable to take full advantage when he did get into more forward positions.

Ashley Westwood – 6 – A surprise return to the first team as captain and an even bigger one to see him playing so deep in a sweeper role against yesterday’s opponents. Hit some decent passes particularly on the occasions he was able to get forward which thankfully became more frequent as the game wore on.

Joe Cole - 6 – A very welcome return. Joe hit some decent passes and he keeps thinking positively.

Tom Cleverley – 5 – Kept busy but he can show more and make a more telling impression on games than he was able to do for 63 minutes yesterday.

Carlos Sánchez – 7 – Started a little hesitantly but soon shook that off producing another good midfield display and found Benteke well for our face saving late winner. Carlos also hit a 62^nd minute shot from outside the box which was gathered easily enough by Lewis.

Jack Grealish – 5 – Hit a good ball across the goal in the 3^rd minute that just needed a tap in as it flew past Benteke. But Jack was handled surprisingly easily by defenders who kept tight on him when the ball eventually got to him. He did not get to run at defenders as often and with as much threat as he usually does and was unable to provide his usual width. He will be unhappy to have not shown more in this belated and well merited start.

Christian Benteke – 6 – Scored the vital goal that took us into the next round without the need for a replay on 88 minutes when he chested down a nicely chipped ball to him from Sánchez on the edge of the box before drilling the ball past Lewis to deflate the plucky Tangerines. He had earlier hit a shot into the side netting on 45 minutes and ran onto a long ball played through to him from Hutton on 64 minutes that he hit first time as it bounced just inside the area forcing a good save by Lewis who pushed it wide of the post. Much better in the second half than he was in the first but he still needs to make more runs and go looking for the ball rather than waiting for it to come to him exactly where he wants it.

Substitutes:

Charles N’Zogbia – 5 - Replaced Cleverley on 63 minutes to provide us with more forward movement on that flank and made a limited impression on the game in the time he had to do so.

Andreas Weimann – Replaced Jack on 75 minutes but did not do quite enough to earn a rating in the limited time he had available.

Leandro Bacuna – Replaced Cole on 91 minutes. Not on long enough to gather any rating.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Source: Player Match Ratings: A late, late winner spares our blushes!