Carew: Villa are back on track after Carling Cup woe

Hat-trick hero John Carew insists Villa's stunning FA Cup comeback at Reading was the perfect response to their Carling Cup final defeat.

Martin O'Neill's men looked as though their 14-year wait for silverware would continue as they trailed the Championship strugglers 2-0 at the break in Sunday's sixth round clash.

But Ashley Young's goal and Carew's treble capped a remarkable Villa fight-back as the Midlands giants booked a second trip to Wembley with a semi-final showdown against title-chasing Chelsea.

And Carew believes that result has helped ease the pain of their League Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

The Norway international said: "It makes amends for last Sunday in the sense we have a chance to get to a final again and the whole team are really happy to get to the next round.

"We really showed the determination to put it behind us. We had a blow in the face going two goals behind on a pitch like this against a team playing their game of the season.

"The way we came back to score four goals was one of the performances of the season. We showed we have our head in the right place again.

"I think we can turn last week into a positive and I think we have done. This is an even bigger cup, and even more important, so it will be even greater to go all the way here.

"The players will have learnt a lot from last weekend. It was a great experience, the big scene of Wembley, and everything. Everyone dreams of getting to the final again."

Carew was only guaranteed his place in the starting line-up as England ace Gabriel Agbonlahor was hit with a stomach bug on the morning of the game.

"Well, I am just happy to be back after all the small injuries this winter,"said Carew. "I want to be important for the team and I've been that lately so I am really happy with that.

"I don't think any further than that. It was a great game and a great experience for the team and a great experience for me.

"it is difficult to say if it's my most important hat-trick, but it is a very important one and it means a lot. We have qualified for the semi-finals.

"It was maybe one of the most difficult hat-tricks. It was really difficult conditions and a really tough game and we were already two goals behind so it was a great performance from the whole team in the second half."

Carew could have been celebrating netting four goals had he not had a first half effort controversially scrubbed out for offside and the
30-year-old added: "They stole a goal from me! It was actually four goals and that was one of the best finishes!"