Aston Villa 3 - 3 Everton

Villans stage fightback

Updated: April 12, 2009, 4:21 PM UK

Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry converted a controversial penalty to cap a second-half fightback as Everton were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw.

•  "I thought there were quite a few decisions which might have gone either way. I don't want to criticise the referee as the FA have got enough of my money".

Villa trailed 2-0 and then 3-1 but refused to buckle and Barry earned them a share of the spoils after Joleon Lescott caught Stiliyan Petrov in the face with his boot when attempting to clear.

Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill put Everton in control and, after John Carew had reduced the arrears, Steven Pienaar put the Toffees back in command before James Milner and Barry rescued a point for Villa.

But the result did little for the chances of either side in their attempts to overhaul fourth-placed Arsenal.

Villa have now gone 10 games without a win in all competitions and Everton are still without an away league victory in 2009.

Everton played the better football for long periods with Leon Osman and skipper Phil Neville, in the 400th league appearance of his career, excellent in the centre of the park.

The Villa defence also looked at sixes and sevens and struggled to contain the threat of Fellaini, Jo and Cahill.

But the Everton rearguard were also severely tested in coping with Carew via the stream of high balls into their penalty box.

And Ashley Young was a constant source of danger with his trickery which earned him a series of free-kicks.

Villa did most of the early pressing and Tim Howard gathered a dipping centre from Milner after he had escaped the attention of Leighton Baines on the right flank.

But Brad Friedel had to be alert to tip over a rising fierce half-volley from Neville after a corner from Baines had only been half cleared.

Then after 20 minutes the Villa goalkeeper was powerless to stop Fellaini putting Everton ahead with his eighth goal of the campaign.

Jo was involved in the build-up before finding Baines and his low cross was tapped in at close range by Fellaini.

Villa looked shell-shocked by this setback and a low shot from Pienaar curled only a couple of feet away.

In a rare Villa reply, Milner stung the hands of Howard with a long range drive although it was straight at the Everton keeper.

David Moyes' side were soon back on the offensive and Friedel parried an effort from Cahill after being found in space by Jo.

But after 22 minutes, Cahill grabbed his ninth goal of the season to double Everton's lead.

Cahill thumped his header against the crossbar from a Pienaar corner and he was first to react to the rebound and headed past Friedel.

Villa tried to retaliate and Tony Hibbert became the first player to be yellow-carded after 28 minutes for a touchline challenge on Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The home side looked all over the place every time Everton ventured forward and Friedel saved bravely at the feet of Cahill.

But after 32 minutes Carew gave Villa a lifeline with his 13th goal of the campaign.

Milner's centre was deflected back across goal by Barry and then Agbonlahor also got a touch on the ball before Carew made no mistake from close range.

Everton still looked dangerous and Curtis Davies blocked a shot from Jo after Cahill had allowed the ball to run across the box into his path.

Hopes of a Villa revival suffered a setback after 53 minutes when a superb strike from Pienaar restored Everton's two-goal advantage.

Neville played the ball into Pienaar's feet and he turned past Luke Young and curled a 20-yard drive past Friedel into the corner of the net.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill was forced into an immediate change when Agbonlahor limped out of the action to be replaced by Nathan Delfouneso.

And after 55 minutes, Milner brought Villa back into the game with a deadly piece of finishing. Lescott fouled Carew 20 yards out and Milner curled his free-kick past Howard and just inside the post.

Two minutes later the harsh penalty award allowed Barry to bring Villa back on level terms.

Lescott caught Petrov in the face trying to clear the ball but referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot and Barry hammered the ball high and wide of Howard.

Young curled a low drive just wide after good play by Carew and in injury-time Howard denied Delfouneso.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill admitted his side have a mountain to climb to claim a Champions League spot after being held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Everton at Villa Park.

Villa came from 3-1 down to salvage a point and remain in fifth place, one point ahead of their Merseyside rivals.

But they are now eight points adrift of Arsenal, who also have a superior goal difference, with just six games remaining.

O'Neill said: "Are we out of the Champions League? I would not disagree. I think either of us had to win to keep in touch. It is a result that suits Arsenal".

But he's still hopeful Arsenal might falter.

"With Arsenal winning yesterday it will now be very hard but we shouldn't just give up the fight like that. Arsenal have some very tough games ahead, so have we, so we just have to go and win them and see what happens".

Everton manager David Moyes had a similar opinion, adding: "I think the Arsenal result yesterday has made it very difficult for any of us to get there.

"If Villa had beaten us they would think they would still be in with a shout and if we had won, we would have not given up the chase. You don't say never until it is mathematically impossible but realistically it will be hard to get fourth place".

He was honest in his assessment of both clubs' standing the Premier League.

"Aston Villa and Everton have tried hard to push the top boys this season but have come up a little bit short.But given the players we have had missing this season, if we finish fifth or sixth it will be excellent for us. If you had given me that at the start of the season I would have taken it, especially with the players we've had missing.''

O'Neill was full of praise for the way in which Villa twice came from two goals behind to salvage a point.

He said: "I thought we were fantastic going forward, although defensively we were not so clever.

"But we showed tremendous character and determination when 2-0 and 3-1 down and the fans were fantastic towards us today.''

Moyes felt his side were hard done by with the penalty awarded against Joleon Lescott for a foul on Stiliyan Petrov, Gareth Barry converting the spot-kick to make it 3-3.

He said: "I thought it might have been an indirect free-kick because all Joleon has done is put his foot up to try and get the ball. "I thought there were quite a few decisions which might have gone either way,'' Moyes said after the game. "I don't want to criticise the referee (Howard Webb) as the FA have got enough of my money".

He went on to explain that "the foot was high, but did he make contact with his head? I don't think so. I think I was a harsh decision.''

O'Neill said: "In my opinion we should have had a penalty for a foul on John Carew just before half-time and Ashley Young also had a reasonable claim.''

Despite their inability to hang on for the win, Moyes was full of praise for the way his team performed.

"You can't take anything away from the way our boys played. I thought we were terrific today, I thought we played well, passed it well. There is a hint of disappointment we have not held on and taken three points.''