By Ryan Ghee
August 3 2005

A solid Aston Villa performance saw them run out 3-0 winners against League One oufit Walsall. Villa totally dominated proceedings in a match where they were rarely threatened by the opposition. Aston Villa started the match strongly and with just 7 minutes played, Solano threatened to open the scoring. After a strong run down the right flank, he cut inside and his delicate chip missed the target by a matter of inches.
Minutes later, Villa were caught off guard and Walsall had their only real chance of the evening. Fryatt found himself one-on-one with Thomas Sorensen but the Villa keeper stood tall and pushed the shot to safety.
After this scare it was Aston Villa who grasped control of the match and after 21 minutes, Juan Pablo Angel broke the deadlock. After a surging run from Gareth Barry, Angel received the ball and sent a curling right-foot effort into the corner of the net.
Seven minutes later it was Liam Ridgewell's turn to get on the score sheet. Patrik Berger delivered a dangerous right-wing corner and Ridgewell rose above his marker before powering a header past Oakes in the Walsall goal.
Nobby Solano and Patrik Berger both had good chances to make it 3-0 before the break but Solano fired over and Berger was denied by Oakes.
David O'Leary made two half-time changes with Taylor replacing Sorensen in goal and Laursen coming on for Mellberg in defence. This is great news for Villa fans as some reports had suggested that Laursen would be out for months with a knee injury.
Three minutes into the second half, Kevin Phillips continued his fine pre-season form with another goal. McCann provided a precise cross from the right and Phillips calmly directed his header inside the far post.
Just 60 seconds later Juan Pablo Angel nearly grabbed his second goal of the match but his powerful effort was pushed away by Oakes.
After 69 minutes of the match, Berger unleashed a long-range effort in typical fashion but it deflected behind for a corner.
The match slowed down in the last twenty minutes and the only significant moments were when Phillips was once again denied by the Walsall keeper and when former Villa favourite Steve Staunton was given a standing ovation after being substituted for Walsall.

Speaking in his post match conference, David O'Leary said, "That was more like it. We're starting to get into the swing of things and there were plenty of good signs out there...We scored three well taken, well worked goals and probably should have had a few more, but overall I was satisfied."