And it nearly was.
Villa 3 - 2 Brighton
Villa took the lead after five minutes when Marc Albrighton found Nathan Delfouneso who side-footed home.
However, the Seagulls stunned Villa Park when Tommy Elphick equalised with a scruffy finish at the near post.
Ashley Young's header from Stewart Downing's cross put Villa back ahead and Fabian Delph added a third before Nicky Forster made it 3-2 late on.
With 56 places between the two sides on the league ladder, the six thousand Brighton fans who made the trip to Villa Park did so more in hope than expectation.
And those hopes were dented almost immediately by the Premier League side when Marc Albrighton, making only his second start for Villa, danced past the defence and handed Delfouneso a tap in from two yards.
Unfortunately for Albrighton, a knock picked up during that run forced Villa boss Martin O'Neill to replace him with James Milner moments later.
O'Neill had originally looked to rest Milner, making six changes from the side which overcame Blackburn 6-4 in the Carling Cup semi final in midweek.
And although they took the lead, the much-changed Villa side showed they might be susceptible to an upset when Brighton, 21st in League One, missed a fine opportunity to level.
Villa failed to defend a free-kick from Alan Navarro and the ball fell to striker Glenn Murray who volleyed over the bar from eight yards.
Five minutes later the Seagulls did shock the home side when Elphick equalised.
Villa failed to deal with a second corner in quick succession from Elliott Bennett and Elphick squeezed his shot inside the near post.
Immediately after half time Villa, who are seventh in the Premier League, reasserted their superiority when Downing's cross found Young who headed home from close range.
Delph could have increased the lead but his drive was saved at point blank range by Brighton goalkeeper Michel Kuipers.
But the 19-year-old did not have to wait for too long before he had another opportunity to open his Villa account and this time the youngster capitalised.
The midfielder, who has only featured for Villa nine times since signing from Leeds last August, latched on to Milner's through ball and calmly slotted the ball past Kuipers with his left foot.
Delfouneso hit the post with a rasping effort at the end of a fine individual 30-yard run as Villa looked, in vain, to add the fourth.
And it was Brighton who managed to make the final seconds tense when Forster drove his finish low into the bottom corner, but the dream comeback was not to be.
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