ASTON VILLA 2 – 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Taylor, 22,56

Attendance:- 33,608

Referee:- B. Knight

Aston Villa (3-5-2):- James; Alpay, Southgate (sub Delaney, 23), Barry; Stone, Taylor, Merson, Boateng, Wright; Dublin, Joachim (sub Ginola, 77)

Subs not used:- Enckelman(GK); Hendrie; De Bilde No bookings

Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Young, Vega, Perry; Carr, Anderton, Clemence, Sherwood, Thatcher; Rebrov (sub Doherty, 82), Ferdinand (sub Armstrong, 46)

Subs not used:- Walker; Thelwell; King Booked:- Vega, Anderton, Sherwood

We were dire. From the start we played like a team wanting to defend the 0-0 scoreline. That was never going to be easy with Merson pulling the strings, and Joachim getting the better of the Spurs defence with his pace and off the ball movement. Spurs hardly got into the opponents half in the first half of the game. We did not win a corner and to the best of my recollection we did not even have a throw-in on their territory, until after the break. James was hardly bothered, whereas Sullivan was under some pressure. We had hardly anything to cheer, except for one Anderton shot straight at James, and of course the presence of David Ginola.

Ginola got the biggest cheer of the day from the travelling fans and he acknowledged us with a military salute at the end of the warm-up. John Gregory even allowed him a cameo appearance at the end of the game during which Ginola showed us enough to remind us (as if we needed it) of what we were missing. I swear that he even tried to score directly from a corner.

We were probably fortunate to get a game today, but the Villa ground is fully covered, and therefore protected against the prevailing wet weather of the moment. Villa camped with ease in our half from the outset, and Sullivan had an early save to make from a Merson shot. Then Dion Dublin glanced a header wide from a well-worked move on the right involving Merson, Taylor and Stone. The pressure on Spurs was relentless to be honest, and occasionally Stephen Carr would get just beyond the half way line, but Anderton (who seemed to have the forward midfield role today) was way out of touch with his passing for most of the game, and anything resembling a move would soon be snuffed out by the energetic Villa midfield.

It was 10 against 10 for a while, as both Southgate then Ferdinand had to leave the filed after a clash of heads. Sullivan did well to cover a hopeless Perry pass back, with an attacker breathing down his neck, then Ferdinand returned, but Villa took the lead despite being a man short at the time. First there was that rare Spurs attack, when Anderton finished off a Rebrov and Carr build up with a decent shot that went straight into James’ arms. In no time the first goal came. Merson sent Joachim away, and he passed back to Wright whose cross was met by Taylor at the near post, able to send a glancing header across the goal past Sullivan. This goal was in front of the Hoult End, who roared their approval.

A Merson run was just about stemmed by Stephen Clemence, but the ball reached Wright, and Dublin headed the cross over the bar. Dublin had a better chance when Thatcher lost out to Stone on the right. Dion met Stone’s low ball at the near post, but his shot was just wide of the mark. Sullivan then made a scrambled save from yet another Merson effort. Vega got booked for fouling Dublin for the umpteenth time, and when he protested the referee pointed North, West, east and South to indicate that he had spotted how much Ramon had been struggling to contain the attacker. Sullivan had to stretch to his right to save Wright’s free kick. To be honest, it was a miracle that we went in at the interval only one down. Apart from Anderton’s shot, the only other chance I can recall was Sherwood skying a snatched shot.

Chris Armstrong replaced Ferdinand at half-time, and early on, we actually won a corner, courtesy of young Mr Carr! In reply to a semi-formed attack by Spurs, Villa broke clear with Merson on the run, once again sending Joachim away. Thatcher and Perry could not contain him, and he chipped a cross, which Dublin headed just over the angle of the woodwork. Another rare Spurs attack followed, through Anderton, and Armstrong, but Rebrov’s shot was way over the bar.

Villa doubled their lead, when Taylor was put in by Dublin, and Luke Young failed to track back to allow Taylor to coolly slot the ball low across Sullivan. This time the scorer paraded in front of the away support, which was hardly wise. sadly, the game died a death really, as Villa took their feet off the gas, and I have to report that Spurs did not make much of an effort to get back into the game. Graham bemoaned the lack of confidence in the side, but there seemed a distinct lack of motivation, with the usual exception(s), if you ask me.

Ginola’s cameo featured one run to leave Thatcher and Perry struggling, and a corner where he beckoned his team-mates to come short, then sent a curling ball to the back post, which I am sure was an attempt on goal. Sherwood found his way into Mr Knight’s book for clattering his ex-colleague. Merson had time to try and re-enact his antics at Everton with a quick shot from distance which landed on top of the net, and in the dying minutes Thatcher did beat the defence with a long cross, which reached Doherty (working class replacement for Rebrov), who simply shot at James.

There had been some booing of GG by the Spurs contingent at half time, and there was plenty of shouting for “Sugar Out” during the game. Just in front of me someone unfurled a banner saying “SUGAR - TAKE YOUR PROFILE AND GO”. However, by the end most of the Spurs fans were silent, and could hardly raise any applause for this inept display, save a ripple for Carr and Clemence as they were the last to leave the field.