London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 09, 2026

Stevenage beat Villa with dramatic late comeback

Stevenage beat Villa with dramatic late comeback

League Two Stevenage produced an incredible late comeback to stun Premier League Aston Villa at Villa Park and reach the FA Cup fourth round.

The visiting players and manager Steve Evans celebrated with their supporters at full-time after two goals in the final two minutes clinched a magnificent victory.

Substitute Dean Campbell fired in a superb 90th-minute winner after Jamie Reid's equaliser from the penalty spot - the spot-kick awarded after last man Leander Dendoncker was shown a straight red card for bringing down Campbell.

Morgan Sanson's first goal for Villa had given Unai Emery's side a half-time lead over a side ranked 59 places below them in the football pyramid.

But the hosts, despite their overall superiority, were unable to extend their advantage and they were made to pay in a remarkable conclusion to the match.

Fourth tier Stevenage's reward is a trip to Championship outfit Stoke City in the fourth round, which takes place from 27 to 30 January.


Villa unravel as Stevenage cause huge upset


For 84 minutes, it all appeared rather straightforward for Aston Villa.

But their bid to end their worst ever FA Cup losing run - which extends to an eighth match - unravelled from the moment Dendoncker was dispossessed on the edge of his own box and grabbed the shirt of Campbell.

Referee Graham Scott appeared to initially award a free-kick but then produced a red card and pointed to the spot, allowing a video assistant referee review to confirm the penalty.

Reid held his nerve to send Robin Olsen the wrong way and put Stevenage on course for a replay - a feat which would have been a fantastic achievement on its own.

But the League Two side were not done yet and some quick thinking from Jake Reeves to pass his corner to Campbell resulted in the 21-year-old Scot drilling a shot into the bottom corner and sending the away fans into raptures.

Villa have now progressed from just one FA Cup tie since reaching the 2015 final. Stevenage, meanwhile, are the first fourth tier side to beat a Premier League team in an away FA Cup tie for four years.


Wasteful Villa made to pay


A manager with a rich history in cup competitions, four-time Europa League winner Emery made his intentions clear this week as he announced he was preparing his side for this match with the objective of "winning the FA Cup".

Five years after he joined Barcelona in a £142m move from Liverpool in January 2018, Brazilian Philippe Coutinho started among eight changes from Villa's midweek Premier League draw with Wolves.

The hosts dictated from the start - they ended the match having averaged 78.6% possession - but Douglas Luiz's long-range effort was the only test for goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond before Stevenage offered their first warning.

Luke Norris was unlucky to marginally mistime his run before he provided a great assist to set up Danny Rose for what the visitors momentarily believed was a shock opener.

An intricate passing move produced Villa's opener, Ings teeing up Frenchman Sanson for his first goal for the club, but Stevenage stuck to their task and almost had a stunning equaliser when Norris skimmed the top of the crossbar with an excellent curled attempt.

They continued to defend resolutely as Villa increased the pressure after the break.

Perhaps too keen to impress in his first start under Emery, the misfiring Coutinho left the field after 65 minutes, having had a match-leading five attempts but landing just one on target.

There had been little to suggest the match would end as it did. After all, Stevenage scored with their only two shots on target. But what unfolded will live long in the memory of the 3,000 travelling fans present to witness a truly memorable fightback.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
UK Experts Warn AI Chatbots Are Fueling Surge in Claims of Organised ‘Satanic’ Ritual Abuse
UK Political Parties Divided Over Strategy as Iran Conflict Reshapes Foreign Policy Debate
Britain Discloses Secret Military Repair Hubs Operating Inside Ukraine
Trump Says US No Longer Needs UK Carrier Support After Delayed Offer Amid Iran Conflict
Why Britain Has Become Involved in the US-Israel Military Campaign Against Iran
UK Gas Storage Falls to Under Two Days as Iran Conflict Jolts Global Energy Markets
UK Warned to Brace for Economic Shock as Iran War Drives Global Energy Price Surge
Starmer and Trump Hold First Call After Public Dispute Over Iran Conflict
UK Dentists Returned £1.3 Billion to Government as Shift Toward Private Care Accelerates
Expert Warns UK Must Build Emergency Food Stockpiles to Prepare for Climate Shocks or War
UK Plans Charter Flight to Evacuate British Nationals from Gulf as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Families of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Fighters Call on Britain to Help Locate Skulls Taken During Colonial War
Iran’s Ambassador Warns Britain to ‘Be Very Careful’ Over Deeper Role in Expanding Middle East War
UK Military Leadership Defends Britain’s Defensive Role in Expanding Middle East Conflict
Four U.S. Strategic Bombers Arrive in Britain as Iran War Intensifies
Soham Murderer Ian Huntley Dies After Violent Attack in High-Security Prison
UK Lawmakers and Experts Condemn Scale of Overseas Human Remains Held in British Museums
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Placed on Standby for Potential Deployment
United Kingdom Confirms U.S. Military Using British Bases for Operations Targeting Iranian Missile Sites
Starmer Defends UK Role in Iran Conflict After Renewed Criticism from President Trump
Blue Owl Reveals £36 Million Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender Serving Wealthy Clients
UK Asylum Reform Plan Triggers Fierce Debate Over Border Control and Humanitarian Impact
US Stealth Bombers Head to UK Base as Trump Issues Stark Warning to Iran
UK Deputy Prime Minister Says Legal Case Could Exist for British Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites
Investigators Link Mysterious Parcel Fires Across Europe to Russian Intelligence Operation
Debate Intensifies Over Britain’s Legal Justification for US Military Operations Launched From UK Bases
Britain Faces Heightened Energy Price Risks as Iran-Linked Tensions Threaten Global Oil and Gas Supplies
British Counter-Terror Police Arrest Four Suspected of Spying on Jewish Community for Iran
Axel Springer Agrees $770 Million Deal to Acquire Britain’s Daily Telegraph
Iceland Supermarket Drops Trademark Challenge Against Icelandic Government in Long-Running Naming Dispute
UK Defence Secretary Visits Cyprus Following Scrutiny of Britain’s Response to Drone Attacks
Questions Grow Over Britain’s Military Readiness as Response to Iran Conflict Draws Scrutiny
UK Offers Failed Asylum Seeker Families Up to Forty Thousand Pounds to Leave Voluntarily
Saharan Dust Could Bring ‘Blood Rain’ to Parts of the UK as Weather Systems Shift
UK Deploys Additional Typhoon Fighter Jets to Qatar and Helicopters to Cyprus Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Experts Urge Britain to Accelerate Renewable Energy Push as Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
British Public Shows Strong Reluctance to Join Wider War in Iran
First UK Evacuation Flight Departs Middle East After Lengthy Delay
United Kingdom Imposes New Visa Requirements on Travelers from St. Lucia and Nicaragua
Iran Conflict Strains U.S.–U.K. Alliance as Trump and Starmer Clash Over Military Strategy
UK Interest Rates Could Rise Above Four Percent Again if Energy Shock Continues, Think Tank Warns
Starmer Defends Britain’s Iran Strategy as Badenoch Urges Stronger Military Support
Labour MP Says She Saw No Sign Husband Broke Law After Arrest in China Espionage Investigation
UK Jobless Rate Overtakes Italy’s for First Time in Years as Labour Market Weakens
United Kingdom Suspends Student Visas for Four Countries in Unprecedented Immigration Move
Campaigners Warn UK Student Visa Ban Could Push Migrants Toward Dangerous Channel Crossings
First U.K. Charter Flight for Stranded Nationals Set to Depart Oman Amid Middle East Crisis
×