Villa bombard Sunderland with incessant attacking play, have a stonewall penalty for hands refused, before having to wait until 30' to open the scoring only for the visitors to equalise with an offside goal completely against the run of play ahead of half time. Needless to say referee Briggs was having far from a good game.

The second 45' saw Sunderland adopt a huge rearguard action with at least five men permenantly back but from their sole breakway they take the lead in the most surprising of fashions.

For the next 15 minutes the pressure borne upon the Sunderland goal is of epic proportions before Chris Buckley, up from defence, dribbles his way through for the equaliser before 2' later Billy Gerrish hits the winner of a game in which Villa could easily have amassed double figures.

Villa extend their unbeaten run to ten with nine victories in all competitions as Sunderland become their latest Villa Park victims to make it fifteen wins, four draws and five defeats in their twenty four division one games so far this season.