Villa a step nearer safety

Despite an unexpected cameo appearance in the Anthony Hopkins film Hannibal, Julian Joachim was, thankfully, eating only his words here.

At the start of the season the striker, frustrated at the lack of a starting place and new contract, publicly vowed never to play for Aston Villa again while John Gregory was in charge.

But Joachim's appetite for goals has returned with a vengeance. Five in his last six games, including Saturday's two, not only helped ease Villa's relegation worries but probably saved the job of the man whom he promised never to work with again.

In Hannibal, Joachim somehow appeared on a TV screen in the background to a scene from the cannibalistic sequel. But he is not taking up acting.

Come curtain-up against Ipswich he did not fluff his lines. It was Joachim's willingness to run at defenders which carried Villa's main attacking threat all afternoon, a verve rewarded on 52 minutes when he pulled back Ipswich's early goal, wriggling past three challenges, shrugging off John McGreal's flimsy tackle and scoring via the post.

Then, with 20 minutes left, Paul Merson's brilliant ball sent him clear for a cooly converted winner.

Aston Villa: James, Southgate, Staunton, Alpay, Hendrie, Taylor, Stone, Ginola (Barry 88), Merson, Dublin, Joachim. Subs Not Used: Angel, Vassell, Samuel, Enckelman. Booked: Ginola. Goals: Joachim 53, 71. Ipswich: Richard Wright, Clapham (Magilton 52), Wilnis, McGreal, Hreidarsson, Makin, Jermaine Wright (Burchill 85), Holland, Reuser, Armstrong, Scowcroft. Subs Not Used: Brown, Logan, Branagan. Booked: Hreidarsson. Goals: Armstrong 30. Referee: R Styles (Waterlooville).