2-1

*Taylor heads for victory*

David Ginola’s 20-minute cameo appearance lifted an end-of-season encounter seemingly destined for anonymity and earned Villa a victory that was looking beyond them.

Despite enjoying an embarrassing advantage in the possession department, it was only when the Frenchman appeared as a substitute that Villa truly looked like converting that into goals.

The decisive moment came in the 81st minute, when Ginola checked back on Steve Watson, used a body feint to put Scot Gemmill out of the equation and crossed with his right foot for Ian Taylor to head home the winner from six yards.

That was just one of a number of memorable contributions from Ginola in his abbreviated stint. Has a Premiership footballer in recent memory made the comparatively difficult look so easy?

There was little early evidence that Everton were capable of extracting anything from the game, especially as it took 16 minutes for them even to have the ball in the home area, via a run and cross from former Villa defender Steve Watson.

It was another ex-Villa player who scored a spectacular, if unexpected, Everton equaliser. David Unsworth’s Villa ‘career’ amounted to one reserve game and less than a month in the summer of 1998 as he briefly docked in the Midlands en route to a return to his first club, Everton, from West Ham.

Citing homesickness for his bizarre choice of career path, Unsworth received a predictably hostile reception from the Villa fans yesterday, even more so when his 21st-minute volley flew past David James.

The goal took the wind out of a lively Villa opening that produced a goal for Dion Dublin after 72 seconds. With the balance restored by Unsworth’s equaliser, however, Everton played with more poise and confidence even though the better chances still came the home team’s way.

Lee Hendrie’s glancing header from Wright’s free-kick flew over and Mark Pembridge’s 25-yard volley bounced kindly into the arms of James before the interval.

Shortly after, Merson’s audacious 30-yard volley found Paul Gerrard out of his goal but cleared the bar before wing-back Wright set about a one-man onslaught on the Everton goal.

First, Gerrard had to stretch to cover his 53rd-minute strike from just outside the box, two minutes later his spectacular 30-yard volley struck the right-hand upright with the keeper beaten, then Wright’s free-kick found Dion Dublin whose far-post header was touched over by the suddenly busy Gerrard.