Villa recover from Euro exit with Fulham win

Aston Villa bounced back from their midweek Europa League exit by cruising to a 2-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday.

Martin O’Neill’s team were eliminated from Europe’s second tier competition by Rapid Vienna on away goals, but they showed no signs of a hangover at Villa Park.

They took the lead through John Pantsil’s early own goal and Gabriel Agbonlahor smashed in a superb second after the break to build on last week’s surprise 3-1 win at Liverpool.

Unlike Villa, Fulham did make it into the group stages of the Europa League, but Roy Hodgson’s team looked short of energy after a long journey home from playing Russia’s Amkar Perm.

O’Neill handed a debut to central defender Ciaran Clark in place of the injured Curtis Davies, but Stephen Warnock had to be content with a place among the substitutes after his move from Blackburn.

Villa needed only three minutes to break the deadlock but they were given a helping hand by their former defender Aaron Hughes and Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer.

Hughes sent a careless back pass towards Schwarzer who could only slice the ball out of play for a corner.

Ashley Young’s corner was flicked on by Carlos Cuellar and Pantsil headed the ball into his own net at the near post under pressure from Agbonlahor.

Without first choice strikers Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora as well as influential midfielder Danny Murphy, Fulham found it impossible to recover from that early setback.

Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell sent a curling effort just over after Agbonlahor had turned a dangerous ball from Nicky Shorey into his path.

Clark missed a good chance to mark his debut with a goal after 24 minutes. The England Under-19 international was unmarked when he got on the end of a Young corner but sent his header over the bar.

Schwarzer needed a fitness test before the start of the second half and the Australian seemed to have a problem with his left thigh.

The Cottagers threatened an equaliser when Clint Dempsey was only just too high with a 25 yard free-kick.

But Agbonlahor’s first goal of the campaign put Villa in complete control after 59 minutes.

James Milner played the ball inside to the England striker who advanced unchecked before beating Schwarzer with a fierce 20 yard drive that secured Villa’s first back to back league wins since January.