Match Stats from Villa Park

Wanderers (4-5-1)

STEVE BANKS ... 7

Questioned on the first goal, but two superb saves

BRUNO N'GOTTY ... 7

Steady but found it tougher than Old Trafford

GUDNI BERGSSON ... 7

Just inches away from rescuing a point

DJIBRIL DIAWARA ... 6

Unorthodox, sometimes awkward in an unfamiliar role

SIMON CHARLTON ... 7

Tireless both in defence and getting forward

BO HANSEN ... 5

Off at half time after struggling to make an impact

KEVIN NOLAN ... 7

Let Hendrie know he was there, more than once

PER FRANDSEN ... 7

Industrious in the 'Warhurst' role; an "assist" for Ricketts' first

GARETH FARRELLY ... 6

Disciplined but he'd hoped to be more effective against his old club

RICARDO GARDNER ... 8

More than made up for conceding the penalty

MICHAEL RICKETTS ... 9

Stunned Villa and inspired Wanderers with his goals and performance

Subs: Rod Wallace (7) for Hansen (h-t), Dean Holdsworth for Farrelly (72 mins), Anthony Barness for N'Gotty (90 mins). Not used: Colin Hendry, Kevin Poole.

Aston Villa (4-4-2)

PETER SCHMEICHEL ... 7

Beaten by Ricketts but denied Wallace

MARK DELANEY... 6

Left for dead when Gardner teed up Ricketts' second

ALPAY OZALAN ... 6

Ricketts was simply too hot to handle

STEVE STAUNTON ... 7

Important contributions at both ends

ALAN WRIGHT ... 7

His unpunished tackle on Holdsworth had Wanderers' fuming

LEE HENDRIE ... 7

Foiled by Banks' super save

GEORGE BOATENG ... 7

Always a tough customer in midfield

MOUSTAPHA HADJI ... 8

Lively on the Villa right, a real handful

HASSAN KACHLOUL ... 6

Least effective of the Villa midfield

JUAN PABLO ANGEL ... 9

They say he's struggled but not on this evidence

DARIUS VASSELL ... 7

Left Banks battered, bruised and beaten

Subs: Dion Dublin for Angel (72 mins), Paul Merson for Vassell (72 mins), Ian Taylor for Hendrie (85 mins). Not used: David Ginola, Peter Enckelman.

Referee: Eddie Wolstenholme

Attendance: 33,599.

Goals: Villa - Angel 13 mins and 47 mins (pen), Vassell 42 mins; Wanderers - Ricketts 2 mins and 75 mins.

Shots/headers on target: Villa 7, Wanderers 4.

Corners: Villa 5, Wanderers 2.

Offsides: Villa 8, Wanderers 2.

Fouls committed: Villa 11, Wanderers 15.

Bookings: Villa - Kachloul 24 mins (dissent), Alpay 48 mins (foul on Ricketts)); Wanderers - Diawara 23 mins (foul on Hadji), Ricketts 47 mins (dissent), Charlton 64 mins (foul on Delaney).

Men of the Match

MICHAEL RICKETTS

& JUAN PABLO ANGEL

TWO outstanding strikers who produced the goods in a cracker of a game. Rodney Marsh reckons Villa's Colombian isn't up to much - but what does he know? It would be interesting to hear what he has to say about Ricketts.

Moan of the Match

WANDERERS have every justification for feeling hard done by. Villa were the better side and you cannot begrudge them their win but that penalty! Another of Gardner's "featherweight" touches and, like Bergkamp before him, Hadji went sprawling.

Magic Moment

FRESH from beating Barthez at Old Trafford, Ricketts was through, one on one with Schmeichel - and the finish was what we have come to expect from the Reebok hit man.

KICK BY KICK

GOAL!

2 mins: Villa look in vain for offside as Ricketts races onto Frandsen's perfect pass and controls an awkwardly bouncing ball before stabbing it low to Schmeichel's right.

GOAL!

13 mins: Angel is allowed a free header to convert Staunton's inswinging corner.

23 mins: Staunton's free kick flies across the Wanderers' goalmouth with no one able to get a touch.

26 mins: Hadji causes problems, setting up Hendrie who has one shot blocked before a second flies inches wide.

28 mins: Villa's penalty appeals are waved away when Diawara and Vassell come together in mid-air.

38 mins: Banks is dazed by a hefty blow on the head after going down bravely at Vassell's feet.

GOAL!

42 mins: Banks' goal kick comes back with interest ... Alpay's header, Angel's clever touch and tucking a right footer out of his reach and just inside the post.

45 mins: Staunton hesitates, Ricketts pounces but can only manages to prod the ball straight at Schmeichel.

Half-time: Villa 2, Wanderers 1.

47 mins: Angel scores from the spot after Gardner is penalised for a push on Hadji in a challenge for Wright's cross.

52 mins: Banks keeps Wanderers in the game with a superb one-handed save after Angel fashions a chance for himself.

59 mins: Ricketts meets Gardner's deep cross and is only inches too high with an excellent header.

61 mins: Schmeichel does well to keep out a Wallace shot after Charlton puts the super-quick sub into space on the left.

73 mins: Banks to the rescue again, this time reacting well to tip Hendrie's powerful 25 yarder over the bar.

GOAL!

75 mins: Jet-propelled Gardner speeds away from Delaney and evades Alpay's challenge to set up Ricketts for a close-range finish.

78 mins: Holdsworth despairs as his header from Frandsen's free kick flies over the Villa bar.

84 mins: Wanderers are furious as Wright leaves Holdsworth in a heap but goes unpunished.

89 mins: Frandsen crosses, Ricketts gets the header on and Bergsson is perfectly positioned to score ... if only he could have made contact!

Full-time: Villa 3, Wanderers 2.