Burley has to suffer nightmare again

Chelsea 1 Aston Villa

This was a game with little other purpose than to exorcise the ghosts of FA Cup semi-final defeat. As it was Villa were salved by the experience, while Chelsea were left still wearing that haunted look. For them, it was the stuff of recurring nightmare. As at Villa Park last Sunday Glenn Hoddle's team began brightly, took a deserved lead, and then conceded two creaky counter-strikes. To add to the sense of deja vu, Villa's winner - like Manchester United's - sprang from a poor back-pass by the hapless Craig Burley.

Chelsea were a goal up after just six minutes thanks to the irrepressible John Spencer's low shot from the edge of the penalty area. Then, just before the half hour, Spencer's run into the box ended under a clumsy challenge from Paul McGrath. Dennis Wise, however, smacked his penalty too close to Mark Bosnich and the save was made.

With both sides deploying wing-backs, space on the flanks was scarce, and some of Chelsea's best attacks came from Mike Duberry's powerful runs from deep. On an early foray upfield, however, Duberry lunged into Steve Staunton. The challenge brought him a booking and soon after led to Staunton's replacement by Tommy Johnson.

Johnson, out of the side for almost two months through injury,gives the team more pace and urgency going forward. And with Villa playing on the break, as they were on Saturday, he offers a third forward target for any ball played quickly from defence.

Nevertheless, for all his lively running it was fortune rather than Johnson that played the largest hand in Villa's two goals. The equaliser - just before half-time - was a gift to Savo Milosevic after Alan Wright's shot had ballooned off a defensive challenge, wrong-footing Kevin Hitchcock. The winner - on the hour - was down to Burley's slack control which allowed Milosevic in to present Dwight Yorke with a routine strike.

Goals: Spencer (6) 1-0; Milosevic (39) 1-1; Yorke (59) 1-2.

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Hitchcock; Myers, Lee, Duberry; Minto, Burley (Spackman, 67), Wise (Peacock, 67), Petrescu; Gullit, Spencer; Furlong. Substitute not used: Kharin (gk).

Aston Villa (3-5-2): Bosnich; Staunton (Johnson, 23), McGrath, Ehiogu; Wright, Townsend, Draper, Taylor, Charles; Yorke, Milosevic. Substitutes not used: Oakes, Hendrie.

Bookings: Chelsea: Duberry.

Referee: G Poll (Herts)

Man of the match: Spencer.

Attendance: 23,530.