Seven cautions and a sending off sounds exciting if a little dangerous.

It was neither.

An undistinguished match became an alarming statistic because of the apparent machinations of the referee Kevin McNally, from Hooton, in Cheshire. He said afterwards: “Trouble seems to follow me around.” Which was a reference to another sending off earlier in the season, but it seemed to me that he was seeking it out.

In the past two weeks I have seen referees decide not to send players off for violent fouls. If they were not strong enough McNally was too fussy, transgressions against his authority seemed a notch more important than offences against laws.

The bookings started after a goalless first half when things never quite came together. The spark was a goal from Andy Gray, his second In three games for Villa, a fine headed goal after good work by Ray Graydon. Within seconds John Pratt was booked for obstructing John Gidman. A few minutes later a clash between Terry Naylor and Leighton Phillips resulted in both being booked.

Retaliate

Neither player knew what made Naylor approach Phillips but most people, except for McNally and his linesmen, saw Phillips butt Naylor and the Spurs man retaliate. Both deserved to be sent off there and then. But it was Naylor who went three minutes later for kicking out at Chico Hamilton.

Then within 18 minutes four more players’ names went into McNally’s book. John Duncan for a foul on Frank Carrodus, Alfie Conn for saying something out of turn and Carrodus and Keith Osgood for kicking the ball away - in separate incidents of course.

After all this activity McNally could hardly have had the strength to note down Pratt’s 82nd minute equaliser for Tottenham.

Villa had again been guilty of wasting chances and it was typical that with only six minutes to go Graydon should misuse the game’s best opportunity. He had shot wildly wide in the 77th minute but now he was 12 yards from goal with a free shot after Brian Little’s cross had been pushed out. But the right foot which brought Graydon so many of his goals last season was not quite accurate and the ball was sent furiously over the bar.

Marksmanship

ViIla would be much higher In the First Division if their marksmanship had matched last season’s but in 15 games Graydon has scored only four times while Little, in 14 has scored only one. If either or both hit form Villa will get the rewards their exciting approach work deserves but I fear that until then Gray’s shoulders will need to bear a large burden.