Aston Villa 3-3 Everton: Gunners the only winners in entertaining draw

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Aston Villa and Everton staged an Easter cracker yesterday but their thrilling draw has virtually ended their Champions League hopes.

Rival bosses Martin O'Neill and David Moyes spent much of the weekend still dreaming of overhauling Arsenal to gain a topfour berth.

And when Everton stormed 2-0 ahead inside 23 minutes, they were poised to claim fifth place from Villa and move to within six points of the Gunners.

But the teams had to settle for a point each after a pulsating second half which must have left Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger delighted.

Goals from Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill put the visitors ahead yesterday before John Carew halved the arrears in the first half. Yet when the impressive Steven Pienaar made it 3-1 after the break, Villa looked poised for a fifth successive reverse.

But they showed tremendous spirit to salvage a point which keeps sixth-placed Everton below them in the table. James Milner's superb free-kick made it 3-2 before Villa skipper Gareth Barry levelled from the spot.

But it was a result neither team could afford in their quest to break into the top four.

Everton, on a run of just one defeat in 11 games, will now focus on their FA Cup semi-final this weekend against Manchester United while Villa boss O'Neill will be anxious to secure at least fifth place after recent exits in the UEFA Cup and FA Cup.

Villa started as if they were still suffering a hangover from last weekend's last-gasp defeat at United as Everton grabbed the initiative.

They raced into an early lead when left-back Leighton Baines delivered an excellent low cross from just inside the area which Fellaini gleefully tapped in from close-range in the 19th minute.

It was Fellaini's eighth goal for the club and his fourth in five games.

And Cahill then headed in his ninth of the campaign in the 23rd minute to stun Villa again.

Pienaar delivered a dangerous corner and when Cahill's initial effort came back off the bar, he was the first to react to nod it in.

With Villa firmly on the ropes it looked like O'Neill's men might be on the verge of another mauling following their recent 5-0 loss at Liverpool.

But they were handed a lifeline in the 33rd minute when Carew crashed in a scrappy goal from close-range after unselfish play by Barry.

The giant striker's 13th goal of the season breathed new life into Villa but Pienaar made it 3-1 in the 53rd minute with a brilliant right-foot shot from the edge of the box.

And when Villa had to sub England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor with a hamstring injury it appeared everything was conspiring against them.

But Villa pulled a goal back within two minutes of Pienaar's strike when Milner scored a superb rightfoot free-kick from outside the area.

Villa then levelled in the 66th minute after being awarded a penalty when Joleon Lescott kicked Stiliyan Petrov in the head with a dangerous challenge.

Skipper Barry struck a calm left-foot spot-kick down the middle past Tim Howard to make it 3-3.

They might even have snatched victory late on but Howard made a good stop from sub Nathan Delfouneso before Milner headed over.

The draw meant O'Neill's flock went home digesting the implications of only picking up a point yesterday after a row locally about staging fixtures on Easter Sunday.

Church leaders in Birmingham sent open letters to the Premier League and Villa criticising them for showing disdain for religious traditions.

The game went ahead but the kick-off was even put back to 2pm to appease the local clergy.

And Villa will surely need some divine intervention now to reach the top four.

Man of the match: Steven Pienaar

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