Football: Dublin treble keeps Villa at the summit

Southampton 1 Aston Villa 4

HAVING A team photo taken on the pitch after Aston Villa had made a little bit of history by starting the season unbeaten in 13 matches was not, John Gregory insisted, inviting a hostage to fortune.

"I just wanted to capture the moment for myself to tuck away and look back on," he said.

Dion Dublin, trumping two goals on his debut last week with a hat-trick, might quite like a copy as well, but it will be a surprise if there are not further celebrations before next May for this increasingly impressive Villa side.

Not that winning at Southampton these days is sufficient cause in itself either for turning cartwheels or commissioning commemorative photographs. At the top of the tunnel at the Premiership's smallest ground is a sign reading: "You are entering The Dell," which is about as frightening a warning at present as "This Is Anfield." It can only be a matter of time before some team or other - probably Wimbledon - scribbles "So What?" underneath.

At half-time, with Villa deservedly leading 1-0, the former Southampton left-back and coach, Dennis Rofe, now a radio pundit and pitch announcer, did a stirring job in lifting the crowd out of their depression.

"Come on, lots of work to do, we can get something out of this," he exhorted. Dave Jones, the manager, was presumably preaching the same gospel in the dressing-room and with James Beattie on as an extra attacker for the inadequate Claus Lundekvam, the effect was dramatic - for 10 minutes.

Matthew Le Tissier scored a lovely goal, picking Beattie's header and biding his time until just enough space appeared for a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of Michael Oakes' net. Where there's Mat, there's hope, though whether even he can keep this team up is open to considerable doubt.

Two minutes after his equaliser, Ugo Ehiogu inadvertently diverted Stuart Ripley's cross against his own bar and, ever so briefly, the afternoon appeared to be taking an entirely unexpected turn. Dublin steered it back on course almost immediately, matching Le Tissier's precision with a measured low shot of his own just inside a post, from Lee Hendrie's pass.

The rest was straightforward. Le Tissier, troubled by a hamstring strain, hobbled away; Paul Merson swept in Stan Collymore's centre; and Dublin, having spurned one chance for his hat-trick, accepted another with a cheeky flick.

Now for Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, the next three visitors to Villa Park. "Everyone's saying we haven't played anyone yet, but they haven't played us either," said Gregory, which is a fair point. None of them will relish facing a front four comprising Dublin and Collymore with Hendrie and Merson immediately behind them and the wing-backs sweeping forward as well.

Before that, Glenn Hoddle could do worse than take advantage of the leaders' confidence and cohesion by using Dublin, Hendrie, Merson and Gareth Southgate against the Czech Republic at Wembley on Wednesday. Villa's cameraman should make a point of being there.

Goals: Dublin (3) 0-1; Le Tissier (53) 1-1; Dublin (56) 1-2; Merson (77) 1-3; Dublin (85) 1-4.

Southampton: (4-4-1-1): Jones; Hiley, Monkou, Lundekvam (Beattie, 45), Benali; Ripley, Oakley, Palmer, Dodd; Le Tissier (Williams, 76), Ostenstad. Substitutes not used: Dryden, Kachloul, Moss (gk).

Aston Villa (3-5-2): Oakes; Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry; Watson, Hendrie, Taylor, Merson (Joachim, 83), Wright; Dublin, Collymore (Draper, 79). Substitutes not used: Thompson, Grayson, Rachel (gk). Referee: N. Barry (Scunthorpe).

Bookings: Southampton: Le Tissier. Villa: Collymore.

Man of the match: Dublin.

Attendance: 15,242.