McGrath in command as Aston Villa go joint top

ASTON VILLA joined Liverpool at the top of the First Division with a workmanlike display against bottom club Charlton. And Irish international Paul McGrath gave a commanding performance at the heart of the Villa defence as the Londoners never came within a sniff of getting back into the game.

Villa took charge as early as the third minute. Livewire winger Tony Daley won a corner on the right, and when Gordon Cowans' kick landed in a crowded Charlton penalty area Derek Mountfield bundled the ball home for his seventh goal of the season.

McGrath, with little to do early on, went down with a knee injury on the quarter hour but was able to resume after treatment. With Kent Neilson he forged a rock solid partnership at the heart of the Villa defence and, while Charlton fought back as the first half wore on, they could find no way through.

Their frustration showed when midfielder Andy Jones was booked for a wild tackle on Daley. Andy Peake and Paul Mortimer almost put through their own goal, with a sliced clearance and a header respectively, as Villa were content to soak up home pressure without needing to come forward.

As the game moved into the second period McGrath found time to get forward for Villa in between winning the numerous high balls Charlton pumped into their danger area. And after 56 minutes he found the Charlton net with a towering header, only for referee Martin Bodenham to rule it out for offside.

But Villa had to wait just one minute more to confirm their superiority. Daley went on yet another quicksilver run through the Charlton rearguard, and his cross took a wicked deflection off Joe McLaughlin, that gave Charlton 'keeper Bob Bolder no chance.

From then on Villa were able to coast to victory against a Charlton side that looks as though its time in the First Division is up at last.

Villa 'keeper Nigel Spink had his first real save to make after 80 minutes from Paul Williams, but it was always going to be Villa's day.

To add to Charlton's misery their centre-half Tommy Caton was booked for a foul on Daley after 73 minutes.

Villa manager Graham Taylor said: "We had a job to do. It was a good solid performance. It wasn't pretty, but we got a result.”