VILLA will undoubtedly crack open a bottle or two of the best champagne if they go on to win the Zenith Data Systems Cup at Wembley next Spring.

Last night, they settled for a fish and chip supper on the way home from Humberside after stumbling over their first hurdle in the newly-titled but unloved competition.

A celebration on any grander scale would have been totally inappropriate for Graham Taylor's men slipped away from Boothferry Park with feelings of relief and embarrassment, rather than delight.

Any victory is welcome, of course, and Villa certainly have the winning habit just now.

But the team who have made the First Division elite sit up and take notice were far from impressive against a Hull outfit languishing at the bottom end of Division Two.

When 12-goal David Platt stabbed home his injury time winner after a frantic goalmouth scramble, he did us all a favour.

Not only did he clinch a place in the next round -- the draw takes place tomorrow, if anyone is interested -- but avoided the need for 30 minutes extra-time and a possible penalty shoot-out.

The prospect of a further helping of this unappetising fare would have been too much to swallow, even for Hull's supporters in the sparse 2,888 attendance.

As Taylor pointed out: "It was almost like a practice match in the first half.

"We had too much of the ball, and didn't know what to do with it.

"After we scored our first goal, the whole thing degenerated, and I thought we might lose it when they equalised."

With Gordon Cowans revelling in space rarely afforded him in the First Division, Villa strolled through the opening period.

The midfield general saw a clever lob bounce against the bar and another fine shot tipped over by the goalkeeper - and even though Peter Swan struck the bar with a header at the other end, there was no question about the superior side at that stage.

But after Derek Mountfield had rounded off a flowing Cowans-lan Olney-Paul McGrath move on 64 minutes, it all started to go wrong.

Villa, suddenly looking just a little too relaxed, were pegged back when Leigh Jenkinson squeezed home an angled shot and the otherwise dependable Mountfield very nearly headed an own goal.

Thankfully, Platt's last-gasp effort erased the need for any additional suffering.