A controversial refereeing performance from Ernie Oxley sees a rare display of dissent from the Villa team in protest at his penalty award two minutes after half time. That decision proves to be the winning goal and Villa have suddenly lost consecutive games and are now 2 points off 19th but more worryingly the gap to the relegation places is now down to just two points with seven games left to play.

Joe Mercer's Villa lose a second successive game to make it eleven wins, four draws and twenty losses in thirty five division one games with seven games left to play and a tight fight to avoid relegation continues.