Aston Villa 5 Burnley 2: Battered Burnley's play too expansive says Laws

Burnley manager Brian Laws says his side paid the penalty for "a crazy 12 or 13 minutes" which saw Aston Villa take apart the visitors after the interval.

Villa were below par in the opening 45 minutes and fell behind to a goal from Steven Fletcher.

But Ashley Young grabbed the equaliser and his display from the flank inspired Villa to a second-half revival which culminated in four goals in 13 minutes from Stewart Downing (2), Emile Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor, before Martin Paterson pulled one back at the end for the visitors.

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The Clarets boss said: "In the first half we were excellent and the game plan was spot on. We deserved to go in front and were bright, organised and solid.

"But what we didn't do was regroup well after the equaliser and the second goal was the killer.

"It was very sloppy and led to a crazy 12 or 13 minutes that lost us the game – and you can't rectify anything after that.

"We didn't capitulate but we were too expansive with our play."

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However, Laws is adamant Burnley will end their away hoodoo and a run of only one point this season away from Turf Moor.

He added: "We will get the result away from home. We will break this barrier. I am confident about that."

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill saluted a "terrific performance" from Young as his side came from behind to overpower Burnley.

O'Neill said: "Ashley was terrific for us. He wanted to make things happen. I was delighted with his performance.

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"I have this argument every week with people who say that his form has dipped this season but I think he has done brilliantly.

"It's just been the case that other players have sometimes stolen the limelight, like James Milner.

"I've been delighted with both of them – and a few others besides."

O'Neill admitted: "We started slowly. We didn't get into gear in the first half and were sluggish.

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"But, in a game where expectations were high for us to win it, to come from behind was very pleasing.

"There was relief with the equaliser then Downing scored a great second goal and we had a spell where we were electric.

"In that spell, the movement was terrific and we also had the ability to finish moves off which has not been our strongest point."

O'Neill said Agbonlahor had played despite suffering a calf injury in training on Saturday.

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He will assess the fitness of the England striker before deciding whether or not to risk him in Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round replay against Crystal Palace.

O'Neill said: "Gabby had recovered from his ankle problem but hurt his calf in training (on Saturday) and was quite sore so I will see how he feels (today)."

Burnley, who have still only taken one point on their travels and have now conceded 43 goals in the process, stunned Villa by taking the lead through Fletcher's 11th goal of the campaign.

Jack Cork's pass allowed David Nugent to break into the Villa box and his low centre was turned home at the far post by Fletcher, who had managed to remain onside.

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It was Burnley's first away league goal in 550 playing minutes since Chris Eagles scored in the 5-3 defeat at West Ham on November 28.

Villa finally drew level after 33 minutes through Young's seventh goal of the campaign.

He played a short corner to Milner, received the return pass and then cut inside before firing a ball into the box which clipped Daniel Fox before entering the net with Brian Jensen unsighted.

Villa went ahead in the 56th minute after a quick break down the left involving Heskey and Agbonlahor. Young eventually sent over a low cross and Downing drilled an angled shot into the corner of the net.

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Three minutes later the former Boro player added another. Jensen beat out a shot from Agbonlahor but Milner responded quickest to the rebound, turned the ball back inside to Downing and his shot deflected past Jensen.

Then in Villa's next attack Heskey got on the scoresheet when he diverted a low centre from Agbonlahor into the corner of the net. Burnley were now in total disarray and after 69 minutes Agbonlahor completed Villa's nap hand. Heskey found Milner in space and Agbonlahor prodded the ball home despite being under pressure from Clarke Carlisle.

In stoppage time Paterson pulled one back for Burnley from Cork's low centre.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ashley Young (Sidwell 82), Milner, Petrov, Downing, Agbonlahor (Carew 71), Heskey (Delfouneso 76). Unused substitutes: Guzan, Luke Young, Delph, Beye.

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Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Cort, Fox, Eagles, Cork, Bikey, McDonald (Elliott 64), Nugent (Nimani N'galou 70), Fletcher (Paterson 82). Unused substitutes: Weaver, Duff, Blake, Thompson.

Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).