John Hartson came off the bench to grab a last-gasp equaliser which gives the Crazy Gang renewed hope of beating the drop.

The Wimbledon hitman, sent off at Bradford six days earlier, struck in the second minute of stoppage time, heading home a left-wing corner to the delight of Selhurst Park.

Dion Dublin's second-half strike had looked set to condemn the Dons to their ninth successive defeat and leave Wimbledon in deep relegation trouble.

The Dons go to Southampton next weekend, still desperately in need of their first away win since the opening day of the season, but Hartson's ninth goal of the season gives them a chance of survival.

A first-half own goal from Ugo Ehiogu had given caretaker boss Terry Burton hope that their dismal run of results was near an end.

But Lee Hendrie equalised nine minutes after the break and Dublin's goal in the 74th minute seemed destined to settle a pulsating game until Hartson appeared.

Sun-soaked Selhurst Park was a surreal sight as Wimbledon fans crammed into the home stands.

Only 8,000 had bothered to turn up and watch the Dons lose to Sheffield Wednesday last month, but supporters answered the club's call to add their voice to the relegation battle.

The team emerged to a rapturous ticker-tape welcome and Burton was cheered to the dug-out where he received the dubious honour of a bear-hug from coach Mick Harford.

Burton, five days into his reign as successor to the sacked Egil Olsen, could not have hoped for a kinder greeting from Aston Villa.

After a nervy start from Wimbledon, they were suddenly gifted a 15th-minute lead when Ehiogu turned a vicious Michael Hughes cross past his own keeper.

Hughes, one of the high-profile Dons players at loggerheads with Olsen's tactics, played with a freedom and fluency which made him a fans favourite after moving from West Ham.

The Northern Ireland international dictated Wimbledon's best football, roaming from his left-wing berth, until his game came to a premature end, two minutes before the break, under a shuddering challenge from Mark Delaney.

Villa's Welsh wing-back will argue he got the ball but referee Mark Halsey booked him as Hughes was stretchered from the pitch.

Burton had already lost skipper and newly-crowned club player of the year Kenny Cunningham after 29 minutes but the midfielder's injury robbed him of his most creative player.

Hughes' most telling contribution was the swerving right-wing cross which caused so much confusion in the Villa goalmouth that Ehiogu could only turn it into the net under pressure from Marcus Gayle. It gave the Dons a lift and they grew in confidence.

Gareth Barry blocked a Gayle shot, destined for the bottom corner and Neal Ardley was only inches wide with a fizzing drive from 20 yards.

The FA Cup finalists, however, proved their minds were not entirely on the date at the Twin Towers in two weeks' time.

Dublin planted a header over from Benito Carbone's cross and then squandered a golden chance to equalise in first-half stoppage time.

Ben Thatcher misjudged a long ball into the Wimbledon area, giving the big striker a glimpse of goal, but he dragged a snap-shot wide of Neil Sullivan's goal.

The Scotland keeper had earlier produced a top-class save to tip a ferocious left-foot screamer around the post from Alan Thompson and watched helplessly as Lee Hendrie crashed a 20-yarder wide.

After the break, Ehiogu wasted a chance to make amends for his earlier blunder when Paul Merson found him completely unmarked in front of goal.

The big defender took the ball on his chest with his back to goal and swivelled, only to blaze his right-foot volley wildly over the bar.

It was a complacency warning ignored by Wimbledon's back-four who gave Hendrie the room to nod home from close range after Mark Delaney had headed a left-wing cross back into the danger area.

The Dons were urged forward by fans aware off Bradford's problems at Filbert Street but Villa caught them out with a route-one goal from the Crazy Gang's old training manual.

Dublin seized on the long-ball hoisted down the centre of the pitch and thumped his 15th goal of the season past Sullivan.

Burton sent for Hartson and he made up for last weekend's bad behaviour with a crucial goal.

Teams:

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham (Jupp 29), Blackwell, Hreidarsson, Thatcher, Ardley, Euell, Andersen, Hughes (Francis 45), Gayle, Cort (Hartson 76).

Subs Not Used: Kimble, Heald.

Goals: Ehiogu 15 og, Hartson 90.

Aston Villa: James, Southgate, Ehiogu, Barry, Delaney, Merson, Thompson, Hendrie, Wright (Samuel 66), Dublin (Joachim 81), Carbone.

Subs Not Used: Standing, McGrath., Enckelman.

Booked: Delaney, Dublin.

Goals: Hendrie 54, Dublin 74.

Att: 19,188

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).