CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Aston Villa v Leeds 19/10/96 3.00

Aston Villa             (0) 2 Leeds                   (0) 0 FT
Yorke 58                      
Johnson 65

Aston Villa, inspired by a brilliant display from midfielder Sasa Curcic, ended a run of seven matches without a win by comfortably disposing of Leeds United at Villa Park.

Brian Little's side put together some of their best football of the season in the second 45 minutes and goals from Dwight Yorke and Tommy Johnson midway through the period confirmed their superiority.

Villa recaptured the free-flowing football which was a feature of their play last season with Curcic showing just why Little was prepared to pay £4million for him in the summer.

His series of incisive passes carved open the shaky looking Leeds defence with the visitors never threatening to take revenge for last season's Coca-Cola Cup final defeat.

Indeed, only a splendid performance from Leeds goalkeeper Nigel Martyn prevented Villa from winning by a far greater margin as he pulled off several fine saves.

There will have to be a big improvement from George Graham's side, who produced some neat football but lacked a cutting edge, if they are to turn the tables on Villa in Wednesday's Coca-Cola Cup rematch at Elland Road.

Little finally lost patience with striker Savo Milosevic who has been out of form and appeared to have a touchline bust-up with the Villa manager at Tottenham last weekend.

He was not even included amongst the five players on the bench and there must be a big question mark over his future especially as his replacement Tommy Johnson had an excellent game.

Curcic was prominent in the few probing attacks put together by Villa in a disappointing first half.

He provided the opening for the closest either side came to a goal in that period with a neat pass into the path of Dwight Yorke whose 37th minute shot from 20 yards hit the crossbar.

Another incisive bit of play by Curcic allowed Ian Taylor to burst through the Leeds defence but his chip was comfortably held by Martyn while Johnson also had a low shot turned around the post.

Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was called upon to make only one save when he held onto a low shot from Mark Hateley just before the interval.

Villa stepped up a gear after the interval and could have gone ahead within 40 seconds of the restart.

Taylor found himself with only Martyn to beat after a neat one-two with Martyn but the Leeds goalkeeper was able to block his shot.

Martyn then made a stunning save to keep out a Curcic volley from 25 yards, but it was only a matter of time before Leeds cracked.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 58th minute with Alan Wright, that man Curcic and Johnson involved in the build-up before Yorke, in space on the right side of the area, planted an angled drive wide of Martyn.

Villa were now rampant and it came as no surprise when they went further ahead in the 64th minute. Curcic found Yorke on the right flank and his low centre was brilliantly turned home by Johnson for his fourth goal in the five games he has started this season.

Curcic came close to achieving a well-deserved goal himself after Johnson freed the ex-Bolton player, but his shot rolled wide of Martyn and also the far post.

Then two minutes from time, Curcic had a low shot blocked by Martyn and then somehow put the rebound wide from eight yards out as Villa