Villa sink sorry Spurs

Reo-Coker celebrates with fellow scorer Young

Man of the match - Ashley Young - Always a threat, inspired the first goal and scored the second. A nightmare for Spurs to handle.

Moment of the match - Heurelho Gomes' gaffe on 54 minutes sealed the win in the end for Aston Villa.

Attempt of the match - Ashley Young could've bagged a second when he narrowly volleyed wide into the crowd following a blistering counter-attack from Villa.

Save of the match - We can't give it to Gomes after his performance so Jermaine Jenas gets the vote for his brilliant block to deny Marlon Harewood making it 3-1 in injury-time.

Talking point - After John Terry's sending off for a 'cynical foul' at the weekend should Michael Dawson have received his marching orders for his challenge on Ashley Young on 57 minutes?

Goal of the game - Villa's early opener was a slick move and Nigel Reo-Coker finished it well.

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Teams

• Aston Villa
• Tottenham Hotspur

Players

• Darren Bent
• Nigel Reo-Coker

• More Players +

  • Ashley Young

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Aston Villa climbed up to fourth spot in the table with a 2-1 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Goals from Nigel Reo-Coker and Ashley Young were enough to give Villa a deserved win although they were made to sweat after Darren Bent pulled back a fortuitous goal three minutes from time.

The defeat leave Spurs rooted to the bottom of the table and still looking for their first win of the campaign.

Reo-Coker gave Villa the lead after just five minutes when he slotted home Gabriel Agbonlahor's cross from the left from close-range to net his first league goal for the club.

Young added a second on 54 minutes when he saw his shot from the edge of the box squirm under the body of Heurelho Gomes and trickle into the net.

Spurs gave themselves hope three minutes from time when Bent deflected Jermaine Jenas' shot past Brad Friedel, but Villa held on for the victory.

The corresponding fixture last year resulted in eight goals shared and Spurs' dramatic comeback completed in the last seconds - and the way both teams started suggested they were in the mood for more of the same.

With Franco Baldini from Fabio Capello's backroom staff watching in the stands, Villa broke the deadlock in the fifth minute with a goal made by three of Villa's seven Englishmen in their starting XI.

Opener

Reo-Coker did not take a touch and stroked the ball in at the the near post, his first league goal for Villa.

Luka Modric attempted to get Spurs back into the game with a run and shot that was saved by Friedel - his only contribution before hobbling off with a knock - but it could have got worse for the hosts.

Reo-Coker had a cross deflected that sliced towards Gomes' goal and hit the post.

The scoreline made for an open game, and Gomes kept Spurs within reach with two saves from the top drawer. The first was when Gareth Barry got on the end of Agbonlahor's cross - the ball was behind the Brazilian when he clawed it away.

Then Agbonlahor met Shorey's cross at the far post and Gomes punched to safety.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos sent on David Bentley at the break and the England midfielder came sprinting out of the dressing room first, signalling his intent.

Save

Villa's second started with Barry getting out of trouble in his own territory by tricking Jermaine Jenas and Pavlyuchenko with a sharp turn. He fed midfielder Young on the halfway line and the former Watford player headed towards goal, breezing past Michael Dawson and then firing a skidding shot that crept under Gomes' dive.

Bent grabbed his goal with four minutes remaining when he failed to get out of the way of Jenas' shot - the ball struck his ankles and flew past Friedel.

Jenas then blocked on the line from Villa substitute Marlon Harewood when a third goal looked a certainty.