BAPTISMS of fire do not come much hotter then this. Both Gerry Francis of Spurs and Jim Barron of Aston Villa were taking charge for the first time and must surely have got more grey hairs after this game.

Villa started the game a lot more brightly and opened the scoring when a corner kick was taken short and swung over by Earl Barrett, whose near post cross was forcefully forced in by Dalian Atkinson.

Spurs were shocked and after 20 minutes they were 2-0 down.

Fenton beat Mabbutt easily and drilled his shot Saunders in from 12 yards and six minutes later the same player made it three when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and side-footed it coolly past Walker.

Spurs were left fighting for their lives and it was down to Sheringham, who poked in a far post cross just before the break, to give them hope.

Six minutes after the restart Spurs pulled another back, Jurgen Klinsman scoring from the spot after Sheringham's shirt was tugged in the box and then he levelled the scores in the 72nd minute.

But with the Spurs fans roaring their delight and expecting more, Dean Saunders ruined the party in injury time, cracking a superb shot in from just outside the area.