Given the tumultuous nature of the past week and their disastrous season thus far, Bristol Rovers could be forgiven for a lack of emotion at being knocked out of the FA Cup, not least with their Football League status on the line. What will not improve the mood around the north of the City was the way the club slinked out at the third round stage - without a whimper.
Manager Paul Buckle was turfed out of the Memorial Stadium club on Tuesday, having barely been in charge for seven months, leaving the Pirates 19th in League 1. The job for his replacement will be staving off a second consecutive relegation, this time to the oblivion of the Conference, though if they were watching this match, the realisation of the task lying in their wait will have hit them.
At least Alex McLeish was still in the dugout for the travelling Midlanders, despite his less than smooth ride since crossing the second city to Villa Park; he will be thankful that this potential banana skin didn't provide any further bumps, despite the bobbly turf his side had to acclimatise to. Such was the will the Scot put into claiming victory here, a near full strength Villa eleven waded out into the Rovers' bog.
The hosts bright start belied the negative display that followed, Chris Zebroski lacking power with an effort that Brad Guzan collected at his feet in the opening exchanges.
Emile Heskey's fitness had been in question leading up to the match, but he nevertheless took up the familiar number 18 shirt, and would have put the Villains ahead after connecting with a corner were it not for Michael Poke's fingertips. Before long, however, the visitors began to take a stranglehold on the game, eventually taking the lead through Marc Albrighton.
Stiliyan Petrov provided a through ball of Premier League quality, Albrighton running in behind off-guard Rovers captain Gary Sawyer and striking the ball between the legs of Poke for the lead.
With one man up top, the Pirates rarely looked like threatening an equaliser, Zebroski producing the best attempt at levelling the scores, though Guzan made the relatively straightforward catch look a tad dramatic.
The seven time cup winners had opportunities to double their advantage, Stephen Warnock shanking a forceful drive with acres of marshland in space, much to the glee of the Gasheads in the home end.
Rovers started the second half with a similar verve to the first, Joe Anyinsah forcing his way to the dead-ball line and pulling back for veteran forward Scott McGleish, his swipe at the ball finding nothing but the chilly West Country air.
Soon enough the visitors settled back into a rhythm, clocking up a fair wedge of the possession along the way, though this was mainly due to the home teams lack of pressure and seeming fear to challenge the ball carrier.
With Rovers gradually being forced back towards their own penalty area the second goal became an inevitability for Villa, substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor eventually breaking their resolve, shrugging off Cian Bolger in midfield and placing his final effort into the bottom corner from outside the box.
If the game wasn't already over, Ciaran Clark made sure of a safe passage through to the fourth round, driving towards the penalty area unchallenged before bamboozling two defending Rovers with a series of stepovers and beating Poke with another sublimely simple finish.
Only then did the Pirates break free of their shackles, thanks in part to a helping hand from Richard Dunne. The Irishman, totally unsighted, looped a backpass towards Guzan, turning round in surprise to find McGleish lurking on the edge of the area. The 37 year old proceeded to lob the Villa custodian in two touches for a thoroughly undeserved consolation.
Spurred on by their lucky break, it was only then that the hosts began to attack in numbers, Warnock conceding a penalty for handball, allowing McGleish, scorer of 246 career goals to add further respectability to the scoreline. Guzan, who was in no way at fault for the first, refused to be beaten a second time, rounding off his night with a satisfying save from the weak spot kick, seeing Villa through to the last 32 with only five minutes of fuss.
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