3-1

VILLA made a glorious return to Europe on an historic occasion last night but not before learning that it is a whole new ball game.

The pre-match hype, the balloon lift-off and the Union Jack banner waving could have ended in embarrassing disappointment at Villa Park.

Former Czech World Cup manager Jozef Venglos had warned before the start that it would not be easy for Villa against his old countrymen from Banik Ostrava in their first-leg UEFA Cup tie.

And his warning was not misplaced as Villa conceded an early goal, the last thing they wanted, before they came back with a spirited' second-half revival.

World Cup hero David Platt cancelled out a 31st minute opening goal from Radomir Chylek.

Then Derek Mountfield and substitute lan Olney ensured that the second leg in Ostrava should be a formality on October 3.

Banik, after showing their superb one-touch style in the opening 45 minutes, fell away badly when Villa threw off their European L-plates with Gordon Cowans pulling all the strings for them.

Cowans had a quite superb game laying on Platt's first goal and keeping the Czech's at bay whenever they threatened to come back on the break.

And it was from his 78th minute free-kick that Olney climbed high to score Villa's vital third goal.

Platt had turned the tables earlier getting into a marvellous position for Chris Price to provide the opening for Mountield's 58th-minute goal.

The return of English club sides to Europe after the five-year ban following the Heysel disaster made it a nervous night.

But Villa eventually showed that there is little wrong with the English game, displaying pace and power when it was so desperately needed.

Ironically, an unfortunate injury to Tony Cascarino gave them the lead. The Eire World Cup striker damaged his right knee providing Olney with his chance to head a great third goal from Cowans's cleverly clipped free kick.

The World Cup in Italy this summer showed that Europe wanted to see our clubs back in European combat and Villa did the country proud.

The pressure was on them all the time and the players responded with a stylish display.

Paul McGrath, Kent Nielsen and Mountfield were the inspirations at the back.

Cowans and Platt were the stars in midfield while Olney gave a wholehearted show when he came on for Cascarino.

Villa boss Venglos was clearly uneasy about their first-half showing and the half-time substitution of lan Ormondroyd for Kevin Gage gave the side a further dimension.

It was a master move and Villa can now look forward to moving through to the second round.

It would take an absolute disaster for them to now lose to the miners from Banik in the return.

Mountfield, who provided the impetus for a late surge with the goal which put Villa in front, said:

"There's no way we will roll over."

A Cup Winners' Cup winner with Everton in 1985, Mountfield knows all about the tactics European teams are likely to employ In an effort to haul back a deficit.

He said: "It's only half-time at the moment and we must not start getting carried away.

"But there is no way we are going to roll over in the second leg. “

We will be ready for Banik and we know what to expect from clubs when they are at home in Europe.

"They will try to take advantage of a partisan crowd, niggle away at us and get on to the referee.

"But we will be prepared. It was a very tough game and they had us going a bit early on.

"We showed good determination to come back and have put ourselves in a good position. There's no reason why we can't go through."

Mountfield admitted his goal was crucial as it fired Villa back into the game just at the right time. He said:

"It managed to give us the breathing space we needed. I was getting forward quite a lot and just found myself in the right place to stick it home"