“Your nightmare returns” proclaimed the banner held aloft by the Rapid Vienna supporters beforehand and so it proved as Aston Villa were knocked out of Europe by the Austrian side for the second successive season on a night of crushing disappointment for the Midlands club.

The match was within their grasp when Emile Heskey put them 2-1 up on the night but, just like last year, Villa pressed the self-destruct button and allowed Rapid back into the game.

Two goals in the space of three minutes, from Mario Sonnleitner and the substitute Rene Gartler, left Villa reeling as Randy Lerner, the Villa chairman, looked on with the expression of a worried man. Kevin MacDonald would be the club’s ideal choice to succeed Martin O’Neill but this latest setback, coming on the back of the humiliating 6-0 defeat at St James’ Park on Sunday, suggests the job might be one step too far for the reserve-team manager.

There was an understandable air of apprehension inside Villa Park beforehand. These are uncertain times for Villa supporters and the sight of Rapid back in these parts deepened the sense of anxiety among those who braved the miserable weather. An early goal was needed to calm Villa nerves and Agbonlahor duly provided it as the striker marked his first appearance of the season with a poacher’s strike midway through the opening half.

If the breakthrough was welcome, the sight of Agbonlahor heading down the tunnel less than 20 minutes later was anything but as the forward limped out of the action. Agbonlahor was on the receiving end of a late challenge from Andreas Dober, the Rapid right-back, earlier in the evening, and although he continued, he never seemed comfortable. After receiving more treatment, he was forced to depart.

By that point Villa were in control, although their lead remained slender despite numerous chances. James Collins, also playing his first football of the campaign, came close to scoring twice in the space of two minutes. The central defender was unfortunate that his deft touch at the near post was blocked by Markus Katzer, but the header from the edge of the six-yard box moments earlier should have been buried.

MacDonald had been prepared to give youth a chance in each of his opening three matches but that policy changed here. The combination of the defeat at Newcastle and the imperative of getting through to the next phase of this competition prompted the Villa caretaker to select a side replete with experience, even allowing for the absence of Richard Dunne, Stephen Warnock, Stewart Downing, John Carew and Luke Young.

Ashley Young was once again given licence to roam at the tip of a midfield diamond and it was no surprise that the England international created the goal. Stilian Petrov’s fine pass picked him out on the right flank, and a low cross was speared across the six-yard box, imploring Agbonlahor to convert. The striker made no mistake, ramming the ball beyond the stranded Raimund Hedl with his left boot.

Rapid rarely troubled Brad Guzan in the first half but that all changed seven minutes after the restart when Villa conceded the softest of equalisers. Habib Beye was the chief culprit, dwelling on the ball and inviting Veli Kavlak to pick his pocket. Kavlak promptly skipped past Beye before delivering a fine centre that Atdhe Nuhiu, whose aerial ability caused Villa no end of problems in Vienna last week, emphatically headed home.

The complexion of the game suddenly changed as Villa lost their rhythm and Rapid gained in confidence. Villa’s cause was hardly helped when the Dutch referee, Eric Braamhaar, inexplicably denied Villa what appeared to be a penalty in the 69th minute. Young was bearing down on the Rapid goal when Katzer cut across him, bundling the forward to the ground.

Three minutes later Braamhaar did point to the spot, after Sonnleitner dragged down Heskey. Petrov’s kick was saved, however, and Heskey somehow turned the rebound over. The forward atoned for that miss moments later when he deflected in Beye’s left-footed volley but the home celebrations were ephemeral. Sonnleitner made the most of the freedom he was afforded in the Villa area two minutes later as he headed home and Gartler added insult to injury with a third nine minutes from time.

Europa LeagueAston VillaRapid ViennaStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk

Iain Dowie likes to urge his players to read self improvement books – Chicken Soup for the Soul remains a favourite – but, very soon, the only manual Hull’s squad may require is a guide to Championship grounds.

On a night when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was carried from the pitch unconscious, Dowie’s team saw their grip on the Premier League loosened by opponents with Europe on their minds. Depending on West Ham’s result at home to Wigan, it is now conceivable that, should they fail to beat Sunderland here on Saturday, Hull could be effectively relegated.

A fine goal from Gabriel Agbonlahor followed by a James Milner penalty proved sufficient to keep Villa’s faint hopes of Champions League qualification alive in a game where Martin O’Neill’s almost certainly Europa League bound side were rarely fully extended.

With the fear of relegation intensifying in east Yorkshire, the time for regret and recrimination has arrived. Accordingly Adam Pearson, Hull’s chairman, had some harsh words for his predecessor, Paul Duffen, in the match programme. “In my personal opinion the decisions made by Mr Duffen in the summer of 2008 and, even more so, in 2009 were extremely short-sighted and lacking in business sense and specific football knowledge,” wrote Pearson. “He seems to have had no understanding of the industry, Hull City AFC or the city of Hull itself.”

So far so damning but the criticism became even more coruscating: “Grounding core beliefs were lost somewhere between summer 2008 and autumn 2009,” added the current chairman. “The safety valve of pragmatic realism was cut off and the club under Mr Duffen spent money it didn’t have … in my personal view it is poor business sense and a lack of moral responsibility. Just under £6m spent on agent fees in two years is morally abhorrent. A wage bill of just under £40m when the club turnover is £50m in the Premier League. The maths don’t add up.”

Hull were soon in deficit on the pitch. A trio of hapless attempted clearances by Dowie’s players, the last from Paul McShane, sent the ball ricocheting, bagatelle style, around the box. Finally, having cannoned off John Carew, it fell to Agbonlahor wide on the left and, from a tight angle, he expertly directed a right-foot shot over Matt Duke and into the top corner.

Agbonlahor’s 16th goal of the season prompted some concerted rejigging on Dowie’s part, Hull’s manager switching his formation from an originally cagy 4-3-2-1 to a less risk-averse 4-1-3-2 as he sought an equaliser.

As the tension rose, home tempers began fraying and Stephen Warnock accused Craig Fagan of elbowing him as they challenged for a high ball. Incandescent, Ashley Young steamed towards Fagan before McShane dived in to protect his team-mate.

When the dust finally settled, Dowie’s men seemed re-invigorated and after George Boateng, now Hull’s midfield anchor, won possession impressively, Brad Friedel was required to save well with his legs from Vennegoor of Hesselink. The rebound fell to Kevin Kilbane but, much to his chagrin, the defender then saw two strikes thwarted by first Friedel and then James Collins.

In the technical area Dowie cursed but at least his revamp appeared to be effecting an improvement. And especially as Jimmy Bullard was now properly able to use his passing ability to shape the play from a deeper position.

The game was delayed for seven minutes at the outset of the second half as Vennegoor of Hesselink received treatment on the pitch for a serious-looking injury suffered in a clash of heads with Richard Dunne, which knocked teh Dutchman out. When the striker, still to regain consciousness, was eventually carried off on a stretcher Jozy Altidore came on in his stead.

Shortly after play resumed Villa, remembering they were still pursuing European horizons, threatened to score a second when McShane’s shocking backpass sent Carew racing clear on goal only to be denied by Duke. Hull’s keeper, normally second choice to the benched Boaz Myhill, then did well to tip an Agbonlahor shot over the bar.

Sensing the Championship beckoning Bullard tried, desperately, to drive Hull forward but, too often, found himself second guessed by Milner and Stilian Petrov. Undeterred Fagan became even more manic than ever, deservedly earning a booking for a brutal bodycheck on Young.

Villa won a penalty when Boateng tripped Milner in the area and a midfielder much coveted in Manchester stepped forward to convert it in style.

Premier LeagueHull CityAston VillaLouise Taylorguardian.co.uk