Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham

6 mins - Simon Davies chests the ball down at Villa Park and fires over the crossbar. Fulham comfortably holding their own so far.

14 mins - Ashley Young cuts in from the left only to have his progress checked by Clint Dempsey - the hosts appeal for a penalty but the referee plays on. Replays agree with the ref.

25 mins - Ashley Young is starting to cause the Fulham backline all sorts of problems at Villa Park and his cross finds Gareth Barry eight yards out, only for the midfielder to glance his header agonisingly wide.

36 mins - Gabriel Agbonlahor holds the ball up well down the Villa right and finds Ashley Young on the edge of the box, but he lifts it miles over the Fulham bar.

39 mins - Golden chance. Ashley Young swings over a free-kick and Steve Sidwell meets it seven yards out unmarked, wastefully heading over the crossbar with Mark Schwarzer in no-man's land.

42 mins - A late chance first half chance for Fulham from nowhere as Clint Dempsey loops a shot at goal from 20 yards but it is tipped over brilliantly by Brad Friedel in the Villa goal.

65 mins - Gareth Barry heads straight at Mark Schwarzer from an Ashley Young cross and the keeper uncomfortably deflects it on to the crossbar. Barry still waiting for his 50th Villa goal.

70 mins - Fulham are presented with a very good chance, it's Clint Dempsey at a bit of an angle on the right who lashes it in but Brad Friedel stands tall and parries it away.

A disappointing game it really did need an early goal.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Luke Young, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor, Ashley Young. Subs: Guzan, Harewood, Delfouneso, Knight, Salifou, Shorey, Gardner.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Bullard, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gera, Gray, Etuhu, Stoor, Kallio.

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).