Villa overcame struggling Championship club Crystal Palace but not without some controversy.

Martin O’Neill’s men took an early and controversial lead when Gabby Agbonlahor scored from a corner which was given incorrectly. This the same event that gave Villa their late equaliser at Selhurst Park to set up tonight’s replay, and Neil Warnock will not have been best pleased.

He will though have been pleased with Palace’s reaction and eventually their perseverance told when Stephen Warnock bundled Alan Lee over in the box, the resulting penalty bringing Palace level through Darren Ambrose’s strike.

However the Eagles manager will be spitting feathers when Matt Lawrence fouled John Carew not once, but twice in the box to give Villa two penalties to wrap up the win, the Norwegian striker picking himself up both times to power home and give Villa the dream of two Wembley appearances this season.

Attendance: 31,874
Referee: Martin Atkinson