CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Aston Villa v Nottm Forest 02/11/96 3.00

Aston Villa             (1) 2 Nottm Forest            (0) 0 FT
Tiler 20                      
Yorke 65

Carl Tiler piled on the agony for Nottingham Forest by scoring against his former club and having a hand in the build-up to Aston Villa's second goal to leave Frank Clark's side without a Premiership win in 11 matches.

The Villa central defender was starting only his sixth game in an injury-wrecked 12 months since his £750,000 move from the City Ground after being frozen out by Clark.

But the former England Under-21 defender chose a timely occasion to score his first goal for the club after recovering from severely damaged nerves in his hamstring.

It piled on the agony for Clark whose side have now taken only four points out of 33 after winning at Coventry City on the opening day of the season.

But the outcome could have been so much different but for some dreadful finishing by Forest with Jason Lee, the chief culprit.

Lee had three gilt-edged opportunities but failed to capitalise on any of them and Villa made the most of their let-offs to eventually run out comfortable winners and maintain their unbeaten home record.

It is no wonder that the opportunity for Clark to go into the transfer market when new owners finally take over at the City Ground cannot come around quickly enough.

Lee could have given Forest a ninth minute lead when he latched onto Ian Woan's low curling centre but his first time shot was turned away by Michael Oakes.

Alf Inge Haaland's long pass then sent Lee sprinting clear and he seemed certain to score after lobbing the ball over the onrushing Oakes but his resulting shot lacked power with the goal gaping and Gareth Southgate was able to clear.

The visitors were made to pay for these wasted chances in the 20th minute when Tiler drilled in a left-footed shot from 15 yards after Dwight Yorke's free-kick had cannoned back off the defensive wall.

But then Des Lyttle should quickly levelled matters when Dean Saunders' cross found him unmarked in the six yard area only for the full-back to completely miskick with the goal at his mercy.

Villa upped a gear in the early stages of the second period and Tommy Johnson forced Forest keeper Mark Crossley to parry a low drive for a corner after he had held off the challenge of Steve Chettle.

Crossley tipped over an Andy Townsend volley in spectacular style, while at the other end Lee had another golden opportunity when he was picked out by Saunders at the far post but his header was blocked on the line by Fernando Nelson.

However, Villa grabbed the decisive second goal in the 65th minute. An Andy Townsend corner was headed back towards goal by Tiler and, after the ball had bounced in the six yard box, Yorke turned to volley in his sixth goal in the same number of games.

Forest still continued to pose problems and Woan summed up their day 15 minutes from time when he screwed his shot wide from close range after more good play by Saunders.