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Karl Kodat, the Austrian international who scored an 11 minute hat-trick in the first leg a fortnight ago, made sure last night that Aston Villa’s first European adventure did not extend past the first round of the UEFA Cup.

He hit a 17th-minute goal for Antwerp to give them a 5-1 aggregate win and send Villa out of the Cup, depressed and well beaten but doubtless with knowledge that will be useful should they enter any of the European competitions again.

When Kodat scored, Villa’s task stretched from needing to win at least 3-0 to needing at least a 5-1 victory to go through.

Hopeless it seemed and so it was. Of course, Villa’s hopes were buried in Antwerp. They bought back a 4-1 score line, which left little room for doubt. Even so, Villa believed they could do it, and, in a way, they could claim to be unlucky because they never got any of the breaks.

The truth is, however, that at no stage of the game did they deserve to win the tie. It was a familiar story. The virtues of the English game speed and power against those of the Continentals subtlety, control and composure.

It might have helped had Villa had Keith Leonard available, or Andy Gray. or played Sammy Morgan. Then the crosses might have been put to use. But Leonard was injured, Gray unavailable and Morgan did not make his entrance until the 53rd minute. Expecting the genial Irishman to alter the situation as drastically as it needed to be was asking too much.

Villa never stopped trying but they were ragged at the end. John Gidman and Morgan were booked by referee Maennig of East Germany, for needless second-half fouls. It was probably frustration but still unnecessary violence. Antwerp had Jozef de Raeve shown the yellow card as well for an unprovoked assault on Gidman in the first quarter of an hour.

Villa had the crowd noise they wanted but gave their fans so little to shout about that the tumult died and the small band of Antwerp supporters often made themselves heard. They almost had a goal to cheer, and hoot, as early as the second minute as Antwerp quickly made it clear that at the start, at least, they were not interested in unadulterated defence. And, when Chris Nicholl headed the ball straight to Fleming Lun instead of letting the ball run to Jake Findley, it seemed Antwerp would get the killer goal before Villa’s fans had a chance to properly draw breath.

Blocked

But Lund’s shot was blocked by Findley, who gathered the ball before the elusive winger could get a second chance.

We should have realised this was an omen. Antwerp proved to be far more accurate than Villa. They did not run about so much, they preferred to push the ball to each other quietly and effectively. Jean Trappeniers spent his time fielding long shots with the ease of the experienced international he is. Then came the goal that was to make all the difference.

Lund slipped the ball through to Kodat at an angle on the right. The Villa marking was embarrassingly non-existent and Kodat was alone when he slipped the ball wide of Findlay and into the net.

There were plenty of attacks from Villa but no chances until Gidman’s shot from 25 yards after 40 minutes, which forced Trappeniers to make an impressive flying save. It was Villa’s first really threatening moment.

More pressure

John Robson went off and Morgan went on and, although the pressure became fiercer and Antwerp were forced almost totally on the defensive, the ball continued to be cleared from the penalty area without too much difficulty.

Ray Graydon hit a snap shot wide and Morgan headed over the bar but the best chance was made by Chico Hamilton, who dodged inside two men but swerved his shot wide.

Gidman was cautioned for chasing and then chopping own de Raeve in the 62nd minute as Villa’s efforts became more and more furious.

Frank Carrodus shot wide and Graydon fired over but the last memory was of Morgan. In what might be his last match for Villa, aiming a kick at a grounded Antwerp player. Rightly, he was booked.