BIRMINGHAM won everything in the battle of the century at Villa Park yesterday - the goals count, the bookings count and the fouls count.

Blues 2-0 winners through second-half goals by Tony Rees and Ian Handysides were a credit to manager Garry Pendrey in every way except their behaviour in the final half-hour

But Aston Villa weren't much if any better, as what had been a tough encounter became a decidedly nasty one.

It is doubtful if the St Andrew's crowd among the 30,870 will care a jot for their team performed in the famous no-nonsense manner of their manager and added more than enough attacking spice to settle a Villa side blunt rusty razor.

While Blues struck twice with cutting efficiency in seven minutes just inside the second half, Villa barely pieced together an attack to trouble goalkeeper Tony Godden or the rugged defence in front of him.

Graham Taylor’s side had marginally the more play but this meant nothing whatsoever for they were all snakes and no ladders.

The two illuminated an afternoon of brooding humidity The first came after Sims had headed Wigley's corner to Williams whose immediate return ball swept in with joyous certainty by Tony Rees who in two league this season had thereby equalled his entire tally of three last season.

If this was good the next fit for any of the previous 99 encounters between the old city rivals. Whitton unable to move forward effectively turned the ball back to Handysides who spotting a yard of space inside Nigel Spink’s left hand post side-footed the ball from 23 yards precisely a gold medal shooter.

Blues’ first attacking statement was made by Whitton and Steve Wigley but Kennedy stuck his toe into the turf when the ball waited invitingly to be struck at goal.

Then Handysides, who with Des Bremner commanded the middle of the field almost put Spink’s feeble punch to capital use, only Martin Keown's header saving Villa after15 minutes.

Two-fisted Mark Walters interspersed some poor understanding with couple of pieces of outstanding skill - one of which forced Gooden to make his one and only save of the match a two-fisted punch sending the ball spinning to the other side of the ground.

Only Paul Birch of Villa's midfield compared with the business-like manner of Blues, but after more lively play of his had been wasted it was Blues again through Whitton who had Villa straining.

The real football ended on the hour, a succession of ill-tempered fouls were emphasised by bookings for Julian Dicks, Steve Whitton and Vince Overson of Birmingham and Walters and Neale Cooper of Villa.

Several times angry players surrounded referee Hill making points about one or another’s conduct and the official became so confused that he failed to punish an Overson kick at Walters and Steve Hunt's flash at Overson as fully as he should have done.

In the end the foul count reached 52, 29 of them by Birmingham.

It was an unsavoury end to game that will be memorable only where they were Blue.