DALIAN Atkinson returned to Hillsborough to haunt his old team-mates with two spectacular goals. And his breathtaking strikes, one in each half, put a smile on the face of his manager Ron Atkinson, still despised by many Wednesday fans after leaving the club for the Villa job.

Wednesday made an explosive start to the match, carving out two early chances, and pinning Villa back in their own half for the first 15 minutes.

But Atkinson shook the Sheffield side in the 19th minute, cracking in his 12th goal of the season. Dean Saunders cut the ball into the goalmouth, Paul Warhurst cleared, but only to the Villa striker, whose half-volley smashed into the roof of the net.

Atkinson almost snatched a second minutes later from a Saunders corner with John Sheridan clearing his looping header off the line.

Wednesday pulled level in the 26th minute with a clever build-up and simple execution, Mark Bright side-footing in a Chris Waddle cross which had eluded Mark Bosnich.

It was left to Atkinson to produce the killer goal in the 67th minute, spinning to hammer a fierce shot past the astonished Woods from 15 yards.