A 54th minute goal by Bobby McDonald at Villa Park yesterday rubbed out Derby’s mathematical interest in the League Championship and earned Villa a prestigious victory to carry into the summer recess.

There was no question of Villa strolling towards the end of the season in a pedestrian fashion.

Their greater dash and vigour ruffled Derby out of their sophisticated style. This was exemplified nowhere more emphatically than in attack where Andy Gray and John Deehan gave England international Roy McFarland and Colin Todd a harrowing afternoon.

Derby may have relinquished their hold on the First Division title but they were certainly not brooding about it in the early stages.

Bruce Rioch almost marked his first return to Villa Park since his transfer to Derby with a remarkable goal. Straight from the kick off he powered in a shot from the centre circle which flew too close to Jake Findlay’s goal for comfort.

Then Rioch unleashed a ferocious free kick from the edge of the box three minutes later which Findlay palmed spectacularly over the top.

Villa shook themselves visibly after this early bombardment and hit back through Frank Carrodus whose low centre in the 29th minute spun off Graham Moseley on to the near post.

Seconds later Deehan won the leap to a high free kick from John Gidman and although Ray Graydon swept the ball home from close range, Cup final referee Owen Thomas ruled that the winger was guilty of pushing.

The second half belonged exclusively to Villa. Gidman, allowed the freedom of the right touchline, cascaded crosses into the Derby goalmouth and Deehan and Gray challenged for them with a feverish appetite.

It was a Gidman centre in the 54th minute which led to Villa’s first home goal since February 24.

Gray beat McFarland to it. Moseley clawed the shot away and although Gray and McDonald both challenged for the rebound it was the latter who got the decisive touch.

Not even the introduction of substitute Roger Davies could inject any urgency into a now lifeless Derby.

In the 75th minute, McDonald sliced a gaping hole in the visitors’ defence and found Deehan, who shot hurriedly over the bar.

Seven minutes from the end Deehan was robbed of the goal which not even Derby would have begrudged him when he cannoned a header from yet another Gidman cross on to the crossbar.