Television replays clearly showed that it was Villa defender Alpay who held back Brett Ormerod inside the area in the first minute of the second half after he had misjudged the ball into the box.

But Bennett instead gave Enckelman his marching orders after he had inadvertently collided with the Southampton striker after the Alpay offence.

How Enckelman must despise Monday night football for it was on the same evening of the last month that he allowed a throw-in from Olof Mellberg to slip under his foot and gift Birmingham City a goal in the derby clash at St Andrews.

This time he was an innocent victim of Bennett's error - and there was to be no instant hero status for his replacement Stefan Postma as Beattie tucked away the penalty.

But in the cold light of day it was another mistake by Alpay which proved costly as he had plenty of time to clear the ball before it fell to Ormerod.

Once again Graham Taylor's side were left to rue their lack of finishing power in front of goal with Darius Vassell and Gareth Barry squandering golden first half chances.

To their credit they did not let their heads drop after the Enckelman dismissal although the statistics show their problem in a nutshell - just six goals in 10 games this season.

It led to frustrated chants of `we want Taylor out' in the final five minutes from the Holte End - the first signs of public anger directed at the ex-England manager since his return in February.

Saints were a constant threat on the counter-attack with Anders Svensson and Fabrice Fernandes particularly impressive while Beattie had mountains of space in the second half to exploit once Villa had handed them a numerical advantage.

Vassell had impressed as a substitute in England's 2-2 draw with Macedonia but he squandered an early opportunity to put Villa ahead.

Lee Hendrie and Dion Dublin created the opening and Vassell was left with only Antti Niemi to beat but he toe-poked his close range effort over the bar.

Southampton counter-attacked quickly through Fabrice Fernandes and Anders Svensson and the latter made a good break before having his shot beaten away by Enckelman in the home goal.

Enckelman then clung onto a low shot on the turn from the in-form Ormerod, who had scored five goals in his previous two games, but Barry will feel he should have put the home side ahead after 20 minutes.

Dublin got up well at the far post to head a deep cross from Ulises de la Cruz back into his path and he appeared to have done the hard work after cutting back inside to leave himself a clear sight of goal but, from eight yards out, he sent his shot past the post.

Enckelman's fingers were then stung by a 35-yard pile-driver from Fernandes which he would have been grateful was straight at him.

It was the turn of Niemi to earn his spurs when he pushed a shot on the turn from Barry, which went through the legs of Michael Svensson, around the post.

Villa then enjoyed a spell of pressure but it was Enckelman who was tested a minute before the interval when he clung onto a glancing header from Anders Svensson after he had got on the end of a Wayne Bridge cross.

Then came the dramatic start to the second half which saw Enckelman wrongly red-carded and Beattie beating substitute keeper Stefan Postma from the spot.

Taylor then went to a 3-4-2 formation and Villa showed plenty of spirit with Vassell trying everything to get his side back on level terms.

He had one effort tipped over by Niemi and then dragged another shot across the face of goal but the Saints, and Beattie in particular, found acres of space on the counter-attack.

One cross from Beattie found Ormerod completely unmarked but from six yards out he sent his header over the bar.

Villa came close to salvaging a point when Alpay just failed to make contact with a Barry centre but the final whistle was greeted with more dissatisfaction from the 25, 817 crowd.

Despite playing a man short for the entire second half, Taylor refused to blame Enckelman's dismissal for defeat: 'We have to stand by the ref's decisions. It was a straight ball over the top of Steve Staunton and then it got a high bounce over Alpay, and from that time on their was a mix-up and the ref saw it as a pull back by Peter Enckelman.