3-0

For a while after the match confusion was in charge.

A rumour that Aston Villa were promoted because Sunderland had lost had spread quickly.

Some of the Villa fans had grouped themselves in front of Bloomfield Road’s dressing room stand and called for Ron Saunders’ who joined them, jubilantly entering into their celebrations.

Sunderland won 3-0 and Villa still need two points to make sure of First Division football next year, although with their goal average, the best in the four Divisions, one would probably do.

I felt particularly sorry for one lad who looked as if he spent every other Saturday afternoon at the Holte End.

He was holding a lump of turf and I did not have the heart to tell him he would have to go gardening again at Hillsborough on Wednesday when Villa meet bottom placed Sheffield Wednesday.

If Villa are beaten in that match - unthinkable in view of Saturday’s performance - their remaining fixtures are demanding.

They meet the two other main promotion candidates, Sunderland at home and Norwich, away. But if they can rely on the same kind of support that they received at Blackpool then their task will be made considerably easier.

Estimates varied but I thought that three quarters of the 20,762 crowd, Blackpool’s second biggest of the season, were Villa supporters.

The atmosphere was like a home match for Villa and the predominant colours were claret and blue.

The team did not let them down either.

I have never seen an away side dominate a game as Villa did on Saturday.

Before the match Blackpool had conceded fewer goals than any other team in the League.

Only 26 to be precise. But Villa spoilt than boast with their 100th competitive goal of Saunders’ remarkable season.

There was a collective and individual confidence in the team that was astonishing considering the fact that Blackpool started the game in sixth place, their promotion effort spent only a week or so ago.

Perhaps the home team were demoralised by playing in front of an away crowd at home, and they were certainly disconcerted by Villa’s commitment and drive.

From the seventh minute, when Villa were put in front by a goal cleverly worked by Chico Hamilton and crisply scored by Leighton Phillips, there never seemed any danger that they would even drop a point.

The only openings created by Blackpool came in the last ten minutes.

These moments of relaxation by Villa’s defence annoyed Saunders, but they were momentary and never threatened Villa’s superiority.

Because, by then Villa were 3-0 ahead, Blackpool having relied on their goalkeeper John Burridge to keep the defeat equal to their heaviest of the season, by Manchester United in October.

Burridge had no chance with the goals and he made three saves which showed why he has kept 21 clean sheets this season although his co-defenders gave no clues as to why this should be.

Villa also went close on three other occasions, which showed why they have scored more League goals than any other team in the First and Second Divisions.

They were helped towards that lofty position by an own goal from Dave Hatton after 18 minutes to make it 2-0 and Brian Little’s goal made sure Villa went one better than Burnley’s 68 goals.

Little’s goal came directly from Jim Cumbes’ huge clearance which bounced 10 yards outside the other penalty area and was missed by Peter Suddaby.

Little hit it home powerfully for his sixth goal in the last three games.