Alan Mclnally, Aston Villa's latest big favourite, just failed to notch up a Boxing Day hat-trick against Queen's Park at Villa Park yesterday.

But the powerful Scot went desperately close to remember.

Manager Graham Taylor acknowledged that without his swashbuckling striker Villa might not have won. "He was the difference," he said.

And Trevor Francis said of Mclnally after suffering his first managerial setback: "Mclnally is in a hot spell at the moment."

The First Division's leading goalscorer held centre stage for most of a gripping first half although Mark Falco hit the bar and shot narrowly wide with another effort as he endeavoured to lead Rangers' fightback.

But player-manager Francis eventually produced the trick with a typical goal from Dean Coney's cross after watching his men falling down around him like nine-pins to provide Villa with an anxious last 15 minutes.

Said Taylor "There have been occasions when we would have collapsed when Rangers scored. But we defended well and survived."

Despite Villa's back-to-wall heroics near the end it still took a brave save from goalkeeper Nigel Spink to prevent Francis from scoring his second before the newest player manager received the yellow card for treading on Allan Evans after a silly skirmish with the Villa skipper ten minutes from time.