DWIGHT YORKE again came up trumps with a two-goat blast in a windswept Midlands derby at Villa Park last night to lift Aston Villa into fifth place in the English FA Premiership.

Villa manager Brian Little had to rely once again on Yorke to produce the goods with two typically opportunist finishes, which boosted his tally for the campaign to 17.

Only the pacy Darren Huckerby looked capable of inspiring Coventry to end their unwanted record of never having won at Villa, Park. They managed only one shot on target and even their goal came courtesy of Villa defender Steve Staunton.

Villa enjoyed the majority of the possession in a first half containing little in the way of goalmouth action before Yorke's opener. Ian Taylor had the ball in the net after 27 minutes, but the flag had been up for several, seconds for offside against Savo Milosevic.

Draper got in two low efforts which were comfortably saved by Coventry goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic - and that was the sum of the on-target efforts in the opening 42 minutes.

Then, two minutes before the interval, the tedium was relieved with a goal made and created by Yorke. He won a free kick after being fouled by Paul Telfer and was then on hand to head the resulting centre from skipper Townsend past Ogrizovic via the inside of a post.

Coventry produced their first accurate effort in the 52nd minute a tame, looping header, which was comfortably taken by Bosnich.

But they had a better opportunity to draw level in the 59th minute, when Noel Whelan skated past Villa full-back Fernando Nelson. However, Huckerby failed to connect properly with the resulting cross and the ball trickled harmlessly through to Bosnich.

Milosevic burst into life in the 65th minute, when Ogrizovic turned away a 25-yard effort. But it was Yorke who put Villa further ahead in the 75th minute, when he latched on to a Ugo Ehiogu cross, turned away from Richard Shaw and planted a low drive into the corner of the net.

That looked to have sealed the game, but Coventry were given hope three minutes later when Staunton headed the ball over the advancing Bosnich into his own goal while under pressure from Huckerby.