O'Neill Bad at Walkie-talkies, Good at Substitutions

Aston Villa fans must hope Martin O'Neill does not suffer the same difficulties communicating with football agents this week as he did when trying to get messages through to his coaching staff here. Having been banished to the stands for the second half, O'Neill tried everything from using sign language and lip-reading to operating mobile phones and walkie-talkies before a steward helped the Villa manager press the right buttons in more ways than one.

With O'Neill unable to get to grips with the walkie-talkie, the steward who had attempted to provide instructions was summoned to sit alongside the Villa manager in the press box and take over controls. Presumably this was not what he signed up for when he agreed to some part-time Saturday afternoon work. Not that the steward was complaining, with his new status as O'Neill's right-hand man presenting the opportunity to execute an inspired late substitution.

Villa were enduring stalemate when the steward, listening attentively to the walkie-talkie, picked up that Wilfred Bouma was "struggling". O'Neill was duly informed, prompting the manager to call for Shaun Maloney to be introduced and Gareth Barry shifted to left-back. Recognizing the importance of his new role, the steward sought clarification from O'Neill before telling the Villa bench. Up went the substitutes' board and on came Maloney to pilfer an injury-time winner.

"Trying to communicate was pretty difficult," admitted O'Neill, with a touch of understatement. Indeed, Villa's manager had found it much easier to exchange words with Steve Bennett. Having marched onto the field at half-time to make clear his frustration that the referee had failed to allow enough additional time, the Villa manager had his knuckles rapped. "I should not be remonstrating in a public manner when attention is drawn to him," conceded O'Neill apologetically.

Lawrie Sanchez, aghast that Bennett had missed Craig Gardner's hand-ball in the six-yard box, chose a more private place for his conversation with the referee. Already leading through Clint Dempsey's fifth-minute goal, Sanchez was entitled to feel aggrieved Fulham's penalty claim was rejected. "I said to the referee, 'You guys can't keep getting it wrong. You missed another major decision and it will be shown on the TV,'" moaned Fulham's manager, adding: "[Bennett] ignored me."

Sanchez claimed that Keith Hackett, the head of referees, also gave him the silent treatment after he had complained Fulham were wrongly denied a late equaliser against Middlesbrough. "I spoke to Keith last week and made some observations. He said he would look at it and phone me back but he didn't. Then I see last week he spent all the time talking to Rafa [Benítez, Liverpool's manager]. Perhaps the small clubs aren't as important as the big clubs."

Sanchez's chagrin was understandable. Fulham have been in front three times this season only to lose 2-1 on each occasion, with the defeats against Arsenal and Villa including injury-time concessions. The visitors' frustration was compounded further by the sight of Diomansy Kamara's curling shot cannoning off the upright moments after the interval. Three minutes later Villa were level as Ashley Young saw his low crossed turned in by Zat Knight.

Chris Baird's dismissal, when the full-back collected his second yellow card for body-checking Young, offered Villa further encouragement but it was not until Maloney pounced that O'Neill could celebrate a first win of the season. It could be Maloney's last contribution for Villa, with the forward expected to return to Celtic.

Man of the match Ashley Young (Aston Villa)