Villa overcome Everton

Substitute Ginola turned Villa's fortunes upside down

Aston Villa 2-1 Everton

David Ginola came off the substitutes' bench to inspire Aston Villa to an important three points against struggling Everton.

Aston Villa boss John Gregory surprisingly left Ginola on the bench at the start - despite his goalscoring exploits against West Ham United.

And he emerged to answer the demands of the Villa Park crowd who called for his introduction by setting up the winning goal for Ian Taylor.

Dion Dublin had given Villa the lead inside two minutes - only for Everton's David Unsworth to silence the jeers of the home crowd with a spectacular equaliser after 21 minutes.

Unsworth left Aston Villa for Everton without playing a league game for the club in the summer of 1998 after admitting he had made a mistake in agreeing to join them from West Ham.

And it was an episode that was clearly remembered inside Villa Park as Unsworth was subjected to constant barracking.

We've only lost the same amount of games as Leeds, but our problem has been winning and we have started to put that right

  Aston Villa manager John Gregory

But it may turn out to be a bitter-sweet goal for Unsworth, who unwisely chose to taunt the Villa fans after scoring.

Taylor's goal decided a dour affair, and Villa deserved their win after enjoying prolonged second half supremacy.

Everton handed Kevin Campbell a lone striker's role up front - resting Duncan Ferguson in the hope the giant striker will be fit to face Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

Villa made the perfect start, going ahead in the second minute courtesy of Dublin's well-worked goal.

Alan Wright's pass opened up the Everton defence after a neat dummy by Ian Taylor, and Dublin scored with a well-placed right foot finish.

Smith - injury problems

Villa enjoyed early dominance, but suffered a setback when Everton equalised against the run of play after 21 minutes.

Thomas Gravesen's long throw was headed into the path of Villa Park old boy Unsworth by Gareth Southgate, and he hooked an acrobatic left foot strike high past David James.

Unsworth - who had been taunted by Villa fans recalling his ill-fated and brief stay at the club - then indulged in an ill-advised celebration.

We allowed far too much pressure around our box in the latter stages and in the end paid the price for it

  Everton manager Walter Smith

He foolishly ran along the touchline taunting the home supporters, an action that was not well-received by the majority of those inside Villa Park.

The goal knocked Villa out of their stride, and the rest of the first half was played out in a subdued atmosphere fitting for the end-of-season feel surrounding the fixture.

Wright attempted to restore Villa's supremacy with two fine efforts inside a minute early in the second half.

He tested Gerrard with a long-range drive after 54 minutes, then saw a stunning left foot volley bounce off an upright seconds later.

Gregory axed Ginola

Dublin also struck the woodwork in an eventful spell, with Everton responding through a Campbell header which gave James an anxious moment.

Everton boss Smith made a change on the hour by removing the combative Gravesen - who had been booked and was treading a fine line with a succession of fouls - with Alex Nyarko.

Villa made the change the home fans were demanding with 21 minutes left, introducing Ginola at the expense of Lee Hendrie.

Everton broke the shackles with a rare attack when Mark Pembridge forced James to save at the second attempt.

But Ginola did the trick for Villa with nine minutes remaining, teasing the Everton defence down the left flank before serving up the perfect cross for Taylor to head powerfully past Gerrard.

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Aston Villa: James, Delaney, Wright, Southgate, Alpay, Taylor, Boateng, Hendrie, Stone, Merson, Dublin. Subs: Angel, Ginola, Barry, Vassell, Enckelman.

Everton: Gerrard, Steve Watson, Pistone, Weir, Unsworth, Ball, Gemmill, Pembridge, Gravesen, Alexandersson, Campbell. Subs: Nyarko, Simonsen, Moore, Hibbert, Tal.

Referee: P Taylor (Cheshunt)