Aston Villa 3-0 Hibernian (8-0 agg): Matty Cash scores AGAIN as Unai Emery’s side reach the Europa Conference League in style with Jhon Duran and Leon Bailey also on target

Aston Villa could hardly have wished for an easier return to European action at home as they entered the Europa Conference League group stage.

Villa were already 5-0 up from the first leg against the hapless Hibernian, but once again Villa made light work of the Edinburgh club here. Thirteen years after the last European meeting at this venue, first-half goals from Jhon Duran and Leon Bailey put Villa in control before right-back Matty Cash added his third in two games on the hour.

Villa will learn the identities of their three group stage opponents on Friday and those sides will certainly offer a tougher test than Hibs.

The only consolation for the visitors was that at least they are not the only team from north of the border to be transferred this week, which also sees Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen chased out of Europe and Aberdeen sent to the Conference League. Hibs’ traveling followers have been amazing. If only their team could play half as well as their supporters sing.

These seem like sad days for Scottish clubs, where the lack of finances and talent means it’s difficult to make a wider impact – but Villa won’t care about that. Boss Unai Emery will be doing everything he can during this competition as he tries to win a fifth European trophy as a coach and Villa will be a serious contender. Supporters start dreaming again of 1982, when their team won the European Cup.

Leon Bailey came in from the right and curled a second goal past David Marshall to make it 2-0 before half time

Matty Cash continued his goalscoring form on Thursday night with a third-place finish in two games

Ahead of Sunday’s game against Liverpool at Anfield, Emery made six changes, making debuts for Omari Kellyman and Seb Revan, and his side got off to a slow start. Hibs left-back Jordan Obita was a threat in the opening stages, but when his cross was spilled by Robin Olsen there was no one to convert the loose ball.

Villa were much more clinical when they created their first chance. Under little pressure, Pau Torres sauntered out of defense and hit a glorious first pass to Duran. The Colombian was far too fast and strong for Rocky Bushin and when David Marshall came out of his goal Duran clipped the ball past him into the far corner.

With Emiliano Martinez still out with injury, Olsen looked shaky in the Villa goal. He nearly scrambled across his line to push Obita’s long-range effort wide and was unconvincing in holding off Josh Campbell’s slanted volley.

It didn’t matter as Villa always seemed able to score when they attacked. The 17-year-old Kellyman dropped impressively deep to collect Torres’ pass and turned before finding Bailey, who got way too much room to drift in and blast past Marshall.

Villa sent Cash to Ezri Konsa at halftime and he quickly followed his double with another. Marshall made a huge mess of Bailey’s free kick and then failed to keep out Cash’s follow-up, even though it was shot straight at him. Moments later, Marshall denied substitute Ollie Watkins – who scored a hat-trick in the first leg – with a flying stop.

Substitute Ollie Watkins was denied a fourth goal in the tie after scoring a hat-trick in the first leg

Unai Emery’s team was not shocked at Villa Park and came to a draw relatively easily