Media reaction to Villa defeat

Here is a rundown of how the major newspapers saw our defeat at Villa Park.

Fulham have now led three times this season before conceding points to late goals, pointed out Chris Moore in the Mail on Sunday, and to add insult to injury they were denied a very probable penalty when Craig Gardner handled Diomansy Kamara's shot on the half-hour mark.

It was certainly a major talking point, agreed Ian Edwards in The People, who also noted that Lawrie Sanchez is now "so fed up with getting the wrong end of crucial decisions" that he is planning to raise the issue with referees' supremo Keith Hackett.

The London club had started well, said Anna Kessel of The Observer. "Fulham had looked convincing in attack, despite missing Brian McBride and Hameur Bouazza, and took an early lead with a Clint Dempsey goal," she reported. Kamara "slipped the Villa defence" with a ball to Dempsey who "seeing Scott Carson off his line", hammered home.

This was a dream start for the visitors, said Brian Power in the News of The World, as Dempsey's "cool sixth minute strike" had Fulham "dreaming of a first top flight win since Nancy Sinatra was No1. with These Boots Are Made For Walking in 1966".

Unfortunately, it wasn't to last.

Harry Pratt, writing in the Sunday Express, said Villa were "unquestionably" a different proposition after the break and "dominated the second 45 minutes".

The Independent on Sunday's James Corrigan saw Ashley Young's "piece of magic in the 51st minute" as a major turning point. "The winger stole in on the byline and somehow beat the angle to find the inside of Kasey Keller's far post," he reported.

Fulham then suffered a run of problems, which began when they were forced into a defensive substitution as (Zat) Knight limped out of the action (to be replaced by Ian Pearce), said Football365. "Then the visitors were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining as (Chris) Baird picked up a second yellow card for a challenge on Young just outside the box".

The home side then sank the dagger in late-on, said the Sunday Times, when substitute Shaun Maloney, "a bit part player since signing from Celtic last season" took centre stage "to win three valuable points for (Martin) O'Neill, with the winning goal in the 91st minute".