Saints hold Villa for a point

John Gregory travelled thousands of miles and paid millions of pounds to sign Juan Pablo Angel - but the kid from Aston Villa's doorstep who cost nothing may prove a better long-term prospect.

Darius Vassell might have scored four times only to draw a blank as his team slipped up in the quest for late European qualification with a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton in post-Hoddle depression.

Yet, the pace, power and bubbling enthusiasm of the 20-year-old Brummie was sufficient to earn him the man-of-the-match award and an accolade from Villa coach Steve Harrison as 'a bright hope for the future'.

Harrison said: 'The gaffer and I had no complaints about Darius' performance. He's quick, got two great feet and has terrific potential. He just needs more games and experience to capitalise on his talent.' Gregory said: 'Darius has that burst of killer speed which sets all sorts of rabbits loose in defenders' minds.' He certainly had Southampton's rearguard on tenterhooks, breathing sighs of relief that his accuracy did not quite match his application.

Frankly, it was one of those days all round. Villa's Dion Dublin and Saints striker James Beattie also had good openings to seal a match that simmered gently without ever quite coming to the boil. Beattie, who couldn't stop scoring at one stage this season - 10 goals in 10 games that had him being tipped for England - was clean through in the 68th minute only to volley at David James.

Southampton's caretaker manager Stuart Gray credited the Villa keeper for a great save rather than criticise Beattie for a miss. Maybe his opinion was softened with his relief that Southampton finally, and deservedly, ended a spell of three successive defeats. Glenn Hoddle's departure certainly affected general morale at The Dell, unsettling players whose confidence had soared under his coaching influence.

But Gray said: 'We stopped the rot and Villa Park is never an easy place to get a point.' Inevitably he was asked whether it might be enough to land him the job on a permanent basis.'You'll have to ask the chairman... but three defeats and a draw? I'm not looking beyond the next game,' he said.