FURIOUS Coventry City manager Phil Neal launched a blistering attack on referee Keith Hackett after seeing his side denied two penalties at Highfield Road.

The two incidents occurred in the space of 90 seconds the first after 75 minutes when Peter Ndlovu looked to have been brought down by Neil Cox and the second when Shaun Teale clearly handled the ball.

"We are top of the Fair Play League and I tell my players never to question referee's decisions," said Neal. "But after something like that it makes you wonder if it is to your advantage.

"We try to make the referee's job easier but you just wonder if you should go out and cause mayhem instead."

Hackett said: "For the first one I thought the player was already going down, while the second one hinged on whether there was any intent. I didn't feel it was intentional. I thought he was trying to regain his balance."

Villa manager Ron Atkinson, whose side seem to attract penalty dramas at the moment, commented: "Referees are the most maligned men in the game.

"You have just seen a very sensible display of refereeing. He cut out all time wasting and he didn't give the penalties because he knew Mark Bosnich would save them anyway."

On a more serious note Atkinson admitted: “I would not have been surprised if either of them had been given."

Tony Daley's first goal of the season in the 15th minute was enough to earn victory for Villa.

There was more heartache for City in the 81st minute when David Rennie's shot was blocked by Tony Daley and then Garry Parker cleared Sean Flynn's effort from the rebound off the line.

Bosnich then produced a brilliant save to deny Rennie before Villa raced to the other end where Parker should have settled it but sliced badly wide.