CONTROVERSIAL referee Philip Don finally ended Villa's away misery.

Villa's front men had struggled more than eight hours for an away League goal when Tony Daley jinked towards Saints midfielder Barry Horne on the edge of the box in the 78th minute.

The speedy winger beat Horne and tumbled into the penalty area.

And after referee Don had pointed to the spot, David Platt converted for his 13th goal of the season to match Matt Le Tissier's earlier header for Saints.

Villa boss Jo Venglos was happy with only his second away point and backed referee Don, who last week dismissed Arsenal's Tony Adams for a professional foul.

Saints surged forward in the second half with Le Tissier's mazy runs ripping holes through the Villa ranks.

And it looked certain Villa would slump to their seventh away League defeat of the season until the irrepressible Daley earned them that disputed penalty.

Said Venglos: "In my opinion Tony Daley was fouled inside the box. It was the speed of Daley that caused the penalty, so it wasn't an intentional foul."

Despite video evidence suggesting the foul was outside the box, referee Don said: "It was a clear penalty though Daley did not have a scoring opportunity."

But Saints boss Chris Nichol fumed: "That was never a penalty. The result was an injustice. It was a moral victory for Southampton.

"The referee was very hasty in making his mind up. But it was not the referee's fault that we drew. We missed the chances."

Saints should have put the game beyond Villa, before the referee intervened. But it was Villa golden boy Platt who could have given his side a flying start.

lan Ormondroyd won the ball in the air to release Tony Cascarino on the right. The cross was perfect for Platt, but he miscued badly from ten yards. Villa were then pegged back as Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, Case and Paul Rideout all tested Nigel Spink.

But the big keeper had no chance in the 42nd minute when Adams' cross caught the Villa defence napping, and Le Tissier ghosted in to head home.