Aston Villa 2

Bradford City 0

It is no consolation for Bradford City to know that this performance was 100 per cent better than the negative display at Villa Park in the corresponding fixture 12 months ago.

Unfortunately for the Bantams the result was the same and, as Villa manager John Gregory reminded media representatives after the match, results are what modern football is all about.

Although City played some constructive football which has been an impressive feature of their season so far and created chances, just like last year, they still came away from Villa Park empty handed.

It's been a tough start for City with matches against Liverpool and Manchester United away and Chelsea and Arsenal at home telling their own story.

But they have also had to play early season pacesetters Leicester City and Villa, who finished high in the Premiership last season as well as reaching the FA Cup final.

It will not surprise the national pundits that City find themselves in the relegation zone, third from the bottom of the table after the toughest start of any team in the Premiership.

City have gone into their second Premiership season with a stronger squad than last year. Six summer signings with extensive experience of the top flight have made them better prepared than they were 12 months ago and these new players have already made a significant impact on the quality of City's football with the emphasis on keeping possession

Manager Chris Hutchings and his players know, however, that this much improved approach work must be translated into results.

Now, after surviving their demanding first month of the season they must look ahead to picking up points against teams like Southampton, who visit Valley Parade next Saturday.

Unfortunately, the pattern of last season where City did well at home but struggled away has already started to develop.

While they have taken five points from their first three matches in an impressive start to their home programme, they are without a point or a goal from their three away games.

City's best hope of some reward from the Villa match lay in a solid start. Unfortunately, they found themselves a goal down after only four minutes, unmarked England defender Gareth Southgate lashing the ball into the net after taking a through pass from Lee Hendrie when City failed to clear a corner.

It was a bad start and City could have gone further behind but Matt Clarke blocked a shot from Villa's £3m summer signing from Spurs David Ginola, while Ian Nolan cleared a header from Alpay and Alan Wright saw his angled shot deflected for a corner.

City's fightback was led by Benito Carbone, returning to Villa Park for the first time since he rejected their offer of a new contract during the summer.

The Italian striker was booed every time he touched the ball, but he ignored the crowd's insults with a hard working and enterprising display.

He tested David James with a 20 yard shot and then saw his free kick curl just wide of the far post after Ashley Ward had been brought down on the edge of the box by Southgate.

The turning point for City came eight minutes after half time. Carbone left Alpay trailing as he skipped to the by-line before laying the ball into the path of Ward. It was a great chance but, unfortunately for City, the striker fired wide.

Villa took advantage of this let-off, stepping up the pressure as Gregory brought on Ian Taylor for Hendrie while Ginola, who lacks match practice, was replaced by Julian Joachim and it was Joachim who played his part in the crucial second goal 15 minutes from the end.

He was judged to have been brought down by David Wetherall as he tried to brush past the City defender just inside the box.

City protested strongly when referee Rob Styles awarded a penalty, but he ignored their protests and Dion Dublin put the result beyond doubt when he scored from the spot.

Hutchings said: "I would like to see that on TV. It looked like six of one and half a dozen of the other. I spoke to the referee and he said it looked like shirt pulling.''