West Ham 2
Solano 8 Ashton 88
Aston Villa 2
Young 14 Barry 58
West Ham 2 Aston Villa 2 May 11 2008
Aston Villa's last-ditch push to secure a UEFA Cup place ended in failure as they concluded their season with a 2-2 draw at Upton Park.
Villa skipper Gareth Barry appeared to have fired a second-half winner when he expertly finished a move he started but Dean Ashton struck a stunning late equaliser to earn the Irons a point they scarcely deserved.
Martin O'Neill could have asked little more of his players as they dominated a feeble Hammers side which was often shambolic in defence.
A curling free-kick from Nolberto Solano gave the hosts a dream start after just eight minutes.
But Ashley Young's brilliant finish cancelled out the goal when he took advantage of slack marking to rifle home a superb goal from 12 yards out after being teed up by former Hammers midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.