CITY THROW AWAY TWO GOAL LEAD

BRIAN Horton was a very disappointed man after watching his Manchester City side lose a two goal lead against Aston Villa at Maine Road.

But Villa boss Brian Little said: “It was pleasing to come back from 2-0 down. After our second goal, if anyone was going to win it was going to be us."

Villa's Ireland captain Andy Townsend, went off after 78 minutes with a dead leg, which makes the midfielder doubtful for tomorrow's home game against Leeds.

When Villa went 2-0 down to Uwe Rosler's second goal in the 52nd minute. Little's side looked out for the count.

But within seven minutes Villa were level thanks to an own goal by lan Brightwell and a Dean Saunders effort.

City had taken the lead in the 14th minute Steve Lomas's shot from 25 yards came off Villa's Andy Townsend and as Steve Staunton hesitated on the clearance Rosler nipped in to shoot home from 12 yards.

City made it 2-0 against the run of play in the 52nd minute when Peter Beagrie's free kick was met perfectly by Rosler with a bullet header into the net from six yards.

But Villa hit back with a goal two minutes later when Staunton's corner was touched on by Saunders at the near post. and the ball went into his own net off City central defender lan Bnghtwell.

And they equalised after 59 minutes when Dwight Yorke's cross from the left found lan Taylor racing into the City box.

His ferocious shot was blocked by City goalkeeper Andy Dibble, but Saunders followed up to fire in the rebound.

Dibble made brilliant saves from Yorke, Saunders and Taylor, while City left back Terry Phelan cleared an Andy Townsend effort off his own line.