Ray Graydon’s twelve League goals this season represent almost half Aston Villa’s total.

If Saturday’s game is any criterion it is not difficult to appreciate that without his contribution the club would be in an unhappy predicament.

Having spent over an hour in depths one would have thought virtually unplumbable Villa pulled themselves up and for the remaining 20 minutes launched an unbroken raid on the County goal.

It was then that their shortcomings became more apparent.

Their sustained pressure brought them an unbelievable amount of possession, numerous shots or attempted shots at goal, five corners, three free kicks within 30 yards of the byline and not one clear-cut chance.

Only once was the County goalkeeper, Roy Brown, called into serious action and not even Graydon could set an example.

It was Graydon who failed with a 37th minute penalty awarded when Roy O’Brien handled a Chico Hamilton cross.

Graydon struck the ball firmly but Brown brought oft a superb save, diving to the foot of his left hand post to tip the shot away for a corner.

Given a bad touch of the jitters by a 35 second County “goal” ruled out for an unidentifiable infringement that referee Tony Glasson later declined to explain, Villa showed not a semblance of cohesion or understanding and County’s midfield trio of David Needham, Steve Carter and Don Masson soon had the game under control.

That they had to wait 44 minutes before Carter and Masson arranged the only goal of the game for Needham is a false reflection of play in that period.

With Leighton Phillips lacking the authority one has come to expect, Villa moved forward in jerky spasms, too often playing short and unnecessarily square passes.

When Villa at last stepped up the pace during the final twenty minutes they threw caution to the wind, leaving Cumbes virtually unprotected.

County ignored the offer, kick-anywhere tactics sufficing, whereas a better team would have leapt at the opportunity to improve their goal average.

Still a first away win of the season is a morale booster and a first home defeat a sharp deflater.

Perhaps it matters little how the result Is achieved.