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ASTON VILLA ambushed by two Derby County goals in three minutes continued their slide into the depths of Division One.

Dean Saunders caused them yesterday’s slump and the irony was not lost on Villa manager Graham Taylor who tried to buy the £1 million striker from Oxford.

Yet it seemed that this would be Saunders’ first barren league match for Derby once he had failed in the 71st minute to add to his tally of four from three games.

Mel Sage’s cross had split Villa’s defence wide open but Saunders uncharacteristically mis-cued the ball which bobbed out of danger.

Three minutes later he proved himself to be a finisher in the Al Capone mode, however. Leaping high to Ted McMinn’s precise centre he directed 10-yard header out of the reach of Nigel Spink.

Villa caved in at Southampton week ago and did so again when Paul Blades’s 77th minute hopeful upfield punt chased by skipper Allan Evans and Derby striker Goddard.

Evans hardly got a touch in attempting to clear the danger and Goddard skipped between the defender and advancing Spink score with ease.

It was typical of a match of huge endeavour and minimal creative product that Villa managed only one opening after this, a swivel by David Platt and a rising shot that Peter Shilton smothered by cleverly narrowing the angle.

Indeed the 39-year-old England keeper’s positional sense kept his side in touch by half-time.

Chris Price had latched onto Geraint Williams loose pass to send Toney Daley scampering five yards clear of the Derby defence.

Shilton remained a good deal cooler than Daley, expertly throwing himself into line of the young winger’s uncertainly-produced shot to send the ball spinning to safety.

The hectic opening minutes failed to summon anything more than a poor Trevor Hebberd volley and it wasn’t until Saunders delivered looping right-foot shot that landed close to Spink’s bar that Derby even suggested the enterprise of their four-goal draw with Manchester United last week.

Meanwhile former West Brom defender Michael Forsyth had been booked for tripping Daley. Villa struggled to find any rhythm and the 39th minute move - by far the best of the match that featured four players - was an oasis in desert of good football.

Kevin Gage supplied a wrong-footing pass at the climax but Platt volleyed wide Shilton looked to the back of his net.

Villa’s defence was similarly spread-eagled just before half-time Williams sweeping right foot shot wide of Spink’s post.

The Mountfield goal provided the first notable moment of the second half, Martin Keown heading on Gordon Cowans’s free kick for the former Everton centre half to head beyond Shilton alter 54 minutes.