EASING Aston Villa’s relegation fears must have felt pretty small fry to Matty Cash on Saturday.
The full-back earned Steven Gerrard a welcome three points with an early blast, added to by Ollie Watkins’ second-half strike, to move Villa nine points clear of the drop zone.
But it soon paled into insignificance when Cash celebrated with a show of support for a Polish international team-mate trapped in wartorn Kiev.
Cash took off his top to reveal a message which read: “Tomasz Kedziora and family – stay strong bro”.
Kedziora is a defender for Dynamo Kiev currently stuck in the Ukrainian capital, which is under siege by the troops of evil Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
It was the most eye-catching moment of quite a day for Cash.
He had started it by sharing a social-media post, along with the majority of his international colleagues, about how Poland did not wish to play Russia in the World Cup play-offs.
The Villa bus was then stuck in traffic, meaning kick-off at the Amex was delayed until 3.30pm.
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It did not seem to affect Gerrard’s men though as they looked fully focused on ending a poor run of one win in seven games – and then went and did it.
Their task was helped by Brighton being below their best at home for the second week running, following on from last week’s 3-0 home defeat to Burnley.
The game itself was short on quality but full of feistiness, with rookie ref John Brooks booking no fewer than NINE players.
Sadly, that group included Cash for removing his shirt for his well-intended celebration.
By the letter of the law, Brooks was correct as he went for his yellow card in only his third Premier League game. But sometimes you have to read the room.
It came after a brilliant opener from Cash, chesting the ball down on the edge of the box after Alexis Mac Allister’s weak header and then firing in off the far post.
Mac Allister had the chance to level soon after with this time Cash at fault.
The ex-Nottingham Forest full-back allowed Solly March to race down the left and pick out Neal Maupay, who cleverly flicked it back for Mac Allister.
The Argentine international connected well but his powerful effort flicked off the crossbar and went over.
That was the nearest Graham Potter’s men came to a goal as the game grew more and more heated.
Douglas Luiz and Leandro Trossard both went into the book for getting into a shoving match.
While Watkins was cautioned for sending Marc Cucurella crashing to the turf, as was Villa captain Tyrone Mings for suggesting the curly-haired Spaniard was making a meal out of it.
Philippe Coutinho would have doubled the lead straight after the break with an expertly-taken free-kick if his 25-yard effort had not been matched by an even better save from Robert Sanchez.
Cash then threatened a second for himself when racing onto Coutinho’s lofted through-ball but this time could not find the inside of the far post with his drive.
Villa did finally add to their tally on 68 minutes and it was a shocker of a goal to concede from Potter’s perspective.
Mings pumped a long ball up the pitch which completely caught out Joel Veltman, allowing Watkins to race in and slot past Sanchez for his sixth of the season.
It sent Gerrard’s side up to 30 points and within touching distance of safety, even if it did all seem trivial given what Kedziora and many others in Kiev are going through.
Cash gave his Villa top to one lucky fan after the final whistle as he went over to the away support to celebrate along with the rest of his team-mates.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
