ASTON VILLA are rapidly emerging as an outstanding outside bet for both the English league championship and FA Cup.

They stormed to an eleventh successive home victory with a ruthless fourth round cup demolition of second division Port Vale who had excelled in the previous round by winning a replay at Derby County.

David Platt, the England striker, was again an inspiration for Villa, scoring their all important opening goal after six minutes and figuring prominently in several of the flowing passing movements which followed.

The match was over as a contest as early as the 25th minute when Birch hammered the ball into the Vale net for Villa's second after Ormondroyd had headed down one of countless dangerous free kicks by Cowans.

Vale had not caused a threat at that stage and it was not until seven minutes from time that they got their first effort on target when Cross headed tamely at Spink.

Vale were fortunate to be only two goals down at the interval, Platt heading against an upright, but Villa's third goal arrived seven minutes into the second half when lan Olney finished off a delightful movement involving Platt and Birch.

Substitute Gray scored the fourth with a superb free kick over a defensive wall. He repeated that feat, putting the ball into the opposite corner of Grew's net, for the sixth goal five minutes form the end.

In between Birch had scored his second and Villa's fifth, following up a good run into the penalty area by substitute Heath.

John Rudge, Vale's manager, said his team would learn much from the chastening experience:

“The disappointing thing is we did not do ourselves justice," he said. "We know we can play much better than that but unfortunately he didn't do it today. Having said that I wouldn't write Villa off for the double not on the evidence of that display."