Martin Laursen's late header have Aston Villa a 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur that sent them sixth in the table.

The Dane struck five minutes from time, shortly after Jermain Defoe had cancelled out Olof Mellberg's first-half opener.

Both Villa goals were headed in from corners as Tottenham twice succumbed to a familiar weakness.

The two teams fit the profile of a sleeping giant, but this match served to underline how Villa have stolen a march on the Londoners.

While Martin O'Neill's side are fast, direct and well-drilled, Juande Ramos has inherited a team whose flair is accompanied by a worrying fragility.

Even after drawing level Tottenham never looked safe, and it was no surprise to see substitute Jamie O'Hara comprehensively beaten in the air by Laursen.

The defender had earlier missed a virtual open goal, while Luke Moore squandered an excellent chance on 69 minutes - errors that had looked as if they would cost Villa.

Neither side created many chances from open play, but Villa enjoyed the added weapon of an aerial barrage from free-kicks and corners.

With Spurs so shaky at the back and the home side chock full of excellent headers of the ball, the tactic promised to reap lavish rewards.

However, Tottenham initially remained resolute in the face of countless set pieces whipped in with pace by Ashley Young and Gareth Barry.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Agbonlahor caused problems with his pace and direct running, creating space to shoot just wide on seven minutes and then nearly outrunning Didier Zokora on the break, but just failing to get his shot away.

Agbonlahor - tipped to feature in Fabio Capello's first England squad - caused particular problems for Michael Dawson, who was booked for repeatedly fouling his man.

It should have been one-nil to Villa on 24 minutes, when a low Stiliyan Petrov cross was deflected into the path of Laursen, but the Dane somehow blazed his shot over from eight yards.

Spurs finally cracked five minutes from half-time, following a needless foul on Young by Kevin Prince Boateng. Young supplied the ammunition for Mellberg, who got away too easily from Dawson and glanced into the net from six yards.

The visitors were briefly sparked into life, registering their only meaningful goal attempt of the half in injury time, as Dimitar Berbatov's low shot forced a smart save from Scott Carson.

The second half followed a similar pattern for half an hour, with Villa on top but unable to wrap up the points.

Moore had a fantastic opportunity to make it two when Stiliyan Petrov crossed low from the right, but the stand-in striker - replacing John Carew - scuffed his effort wide.

Defoe was making a rare start and had done little until presented with his chance on 79 minutes. Berbatov headed through to the diminutive frontman, who buried an acrobatic volley from 12 yards.

Having withdrawn centre-back Younes Kaboul for O'Hara, Spurs were left short of defensive options when Villa won a corner late on.

But the decision to make the young O'Hara mark Laursen was calamitous, and he was left grounded while the defender leapt to power his header past Paul Robinson.

Alex Chick / Eurosport