RUSH TO THE LINE: Villa could have goalkeeper dramas

BROTHERS Aston Villa coach Glen Sparozvich admits he will have a headache on his hands if there is extra time tonight in the FFA Cup.

ON TIME: Brothers Aston Villa's Alec Rohdmann tries in vain to stop a goal against The Waves earlier this season. Picture: Brian Cassidy

FOOTBALL: Brothers Aston Villa coach Glen Sparozvich admits he will have a headache on his hands if there is extra time tonight in the FFA Cup.

The Bundaberg side will take on Sunbury in Maryborough in the semi finals of the Wide Bay part of the tournament.

The winner will make the final and be three wins away from potentially facing an A-League side in the main draw of the competition.

But Villa faces a test if it can't get the job done in 90 minutes and extra time is required. Villa goalkeeper Alec Rohdmann starts work at 10.30 at night with the game starting at 6.30pm.

He would need to leave at 9pm to get to work on time, which would be fine if the game is finished in normal time.

"We'll have to sub him if it goes to extra time,” Sparozvich revealed.

"He's got a commitment and we need to adhere to that.”

But it raises the issue of who does replace him? Villa's back-up goalkeeper is Scott Sommer but he is injured at the moment and is unlikely to play. He will be given until game time to prove his fitness.

"He may be able to do a job,” Sparozvich said.

"He'll sit on the bench and won't need to move much in goal so it could work but we'll just wait and see.”

Sparozvich said the dilemma just made the 90 minutes of game play more important to get a result. The side lost 2-1 to Sunbury earlier this season in the Wide Bay Premier League but the Villa coach is confident the result can be reversed.

Sparozvich said the side had improved since then.

"We learnt a lot from that game, similar to the Triple M Division 1 Cup loss to The Waves earlier this season,” he said.

"Tactically we went out with a specific game plan that we weren't able to execute.

"We also have a couple of players in Michael Stayte and Jaryd Bennier who have hit hot form recently.”

It promises to be a battle of the forwards with Stayte scoring nine goals in his past three games.

Sunbury has the returning Anthony Mollee who has scored four goals in his past three games against Villa.

"Defence will be key,” Sparozvich said.

"It's no point scoring three and then conceding three or four in return. We need to be strong at the back.”

Villa takes on Sunbury at Federation Park. The other match between the United Park Eagles and the KSS Jets will be held at 7pm at Martens Oval.

Originally published as RUSH TO THE LINE: Villa could have goalkeeper dramas