Football: Villa pierce Palace wall

Aston Villa . . . .3

Crystal Palace. . .0

THIS was a game Aston Villa badly needed to win if they were to live up to their pre-season billing as potential championship challengers. But though they did, and despite the scoreline, they looked less than convincing.

The Villa manager, Ron Atkinson, never a man of few words, took the microphone on the pitch before the game to assure the supporters that, in spite of press reports to the contrary, Villa were one big happy family, and that efforts to buy Liverpool's Dean Saunders would be pursued.

Facing a disjointed Crystal Palace side still without a win in the Premier League, Villa did nothing right in an odd first half except score two magnificent goals, their passing and positioning often being badly awry. Yet their only fluent move, involving five players, ended with Dwight Yorke back- heeling in from Steve Froggatt's cross after 18 minutes.

By half-way through the first period Palace had missed three sound chances, two of them falling to their new pounds 1m signing from Millwall, Chris Armstrong. The visitors were consistently able to pass behind the Villa defenders, who were thankful to have Nigel Spink in fine form behind them.

After a lull, Steve Staunton chested down a headed clearance and volleyed in from 25 yards just before the break.

In the second half, Palace attacked quickly with Geoff Thomas's header flicked over by Spink, but as a breakthrough failed to come, Villa took control. Palace made a double substitution and it paid off - for Villa - as Chris Coleman, under pressure from Ray Houghton, over-hit a back-pass, which rebounded off the bar into the path of Froggatt who thumped the ball home, so securing a welcome first home win of the season.

Aston Villa: N Spink; E Barrett, S Staunton, S Teale, P McGrath, K Richardson, R Houghton, G Parker, D Yorke (F McAvennie, 73 min), D Atkinson, S Froggatt. Subs not used: U Ehiogu, L Sealey (gk). Manager: R Atkinson.

Crystal Palace: N Martyn; J Humphrey (C Coleman, 62 min), L Sinnott, G Southgate, E Young, S Osborn (S Massey, 62 min), C Armstrong, G Thomas, I Bright, J Salako, E McGoldrick. Sub not used: P Heald (gk). Manager: S Coppell.

Referee: K Redfern (Whitley Bay).

Goals: Yorke (1-0, 18 min); Staunton (2-1, 43 min); Froggatt (3-0, 72 min).