ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa 2 Fulham 0: THE PAIN that accompanied Aston Villa's exit from the Europa League will linger for a while longer, but when Martin O'Neill recalls elimination at the hands of Rapid Vienna in the months to come, he might take some comfort from the three victories that arrived in the same week. Yesterday's was the last of the trio and it included the rare sight of Gabriel Agbonlahor scoring at Villa Park.

It was the first time Agbonlahor has managed to do so this year, with his loss of form prompting the supporters to turn at one stage, most notably when the Holte End sarcastically applauded as he was substituted against Tottenham Hotspur in March.

How fitting then, that the striker should arrow a wonderful 22-yard left-footed shot inside Mark Schwarzer’s near post at the same end of the stadium to secure Villa three points against a listless Fulham.

Fulham failed to produce a single shot on goal and if this is what playing on the continent in midweek does to your team – Roy Hodgson’s side endured a five-hour 2,250-mile trip back from Russia on Thursday night after their defeat to Amkar Perm – O’Neill could be forgiven for thinking Villa are better off without European football this season. This match was won at a canter, with the dreadful defending that precipitated Villa’s opening goal inside the first three minutes emblematic of Fulham’s lack of conviction.

“It was a ludicrous succession of affairs,” said Hodgson reflecting on how Fulham invited pressure as they tried to keep possession on the edge of their penalty area before Schwarzer sliced Aaron Hughes’s back-pass behind for a corner. From the set-piece that followed Carlos Cuellar flicked on Ashley Young’s delivery at the near post and John Pantsil, under pressure from Agbonlahor, headed into his own net.

So vapid were Fulham thereafter that Villa ought to have scored a third goal, never mind a second, long before Agbonlahor struck just before the hour.

Steve Sidwell should have forced Schwarzer into a save when space opened up on the edge of the area and Ciaran Clark, who could not have wished for a more comfortable afternoon to make his debut in central defence in place of the injured Curtis Davies, sent a free header over before Agbonlahor thumped home only his third goal in 27 appearances.

O’Neill is expected to make a €5.7 million for West Ham United’s James Collins today as well as try to tie up the loose ends of Richard Dunne’s €6.8 million transfer from Manchester City.

Guardian Service