Aston Villa did a remarkable comeback after being at the brink of elimination from the FA Cup against Reading. They visited Reading on a match which will enhance their silverware chances this season but found themselves 2-0 down by half time. No one knew what Martin O’Neill told the team at half time but they came out firing from all sides and finished the game 4-2 with a hat-trick by John Carew.


O’Neill, after the game said that he wants Carew to build on the win and go on and score more goals as Villa tries for the fourth spot in the league. He said "Gabriel Agbonlahor was poorly this morning and had to go home so John steps in and scores a second-half hat-trick which was absolutely delightful. John at his hungriest can perform like that. He got the equaliser for us and his game lifted two or three-fold. Goals give him confidence and the next thing you know he is running the game. He can do that and I want him to perform like that more often. I would be delighted if he could score a hat-trick every week but first he needs to find a level of performance which is up there with the best strikers."

He however did not mention what he said at half time which surely motivated the players. He added that "It was a great spell by us just after half-time and we needed to do something because we had played so meekly in the first half. I think after all the effort that we have put in in both cups this season, to go out as meekly as we might have done would have been very disappointing. But I am delighted with the team, we have showed great character. The players are fine players and they knew how second best we were in the first half. They didn't need much reminding of that. But I thought Reading played very, very well in the first half. They played with no fear and deserved the second goal and I was pleased to go in just two down. But some of my players have performed unbelievably well this season and they came to the fore again."