The tortuous route for UEFA Cup qualification sought by Aston Villa took them down a cul-de-sac on a night of ordinary football and extraordinary refereeing.

Villa's aspirations of entertaining serious European competition next season were ended by two goals from the South African international Benni McCarthy and their own inability to convert possession into goals.

But the occasion will be remembered more for the haphazard performance of the Swiss referee Dieter Schoch than anything else. Both teams had players controversially sent off (Ian Taylor and Alan Thompson going for Villa and Juan Velasco for Celta), the home side were awarded two penalties and the referee blew for time early only to restart play with a bounce-up.

At times it was farcical. At other times it was pure comedy. But John Gregory will not be laughing this morning.

Gregory was again forced to field a depleted side. Dion Dublin, Ugo Ehiogu, Luc Nilis and Mark Delaney were all sidelined.

However, transfer-listed skipper Gareth Southgate returned to the side following a groin injury, even though he knew he would be ineligible for European competition should he move to another club.

McCarthy exploited some loose marking to drill Gustavo Lopez's through-ball beyond David James after 10 minutes, and for long spells of an uncomfortable opening period Villa could find no answers to the Spanish inquisition.

The referee made seven bookings in the first half, inexplicably sent off Celta's Velasco after 24 minutes and threatened to expel their coach, Victor Fernandez, from his dugout for his protests.

Schoch then spotted an elbow on Southgate to award Villa a dubious penalty, only for Paul Merson to see his effort saved by Jose Pinto.

Then, in first-half stoppage time, Steve Stone got a kick in the solar plexus from Juanfran and Villa were awarded their second penalty in 90 seconds.

This time Gareth Barry converted the kick to enhance Villa hopes of mounting what had seemed like an improbable comeback.

Stone was forced to go off with a nasty head wound and was replaced by Alan Thompson.

Valeri Karpin should have extended Vigo's lead a minute after the break only to send a free header wide of the post.

Within three minutes of the restart, however, Villa's numerical advantage was wiped out when Taylor received his second yellow card after Schoch had ruled that the midfielder had dived.

Then, in the 58th minute, Celta emerged from a sustained spell of Villa pressure to re-establish their lead. Lopez took a corner from the left and McCarthy rose unchallenged to head his second of the night.

Aston Villa: James; Samuel (Hendrie 33 min), Southgate, Barry; Stone (Thompson 45), Merson, Taylor, Boateng, Wright; Walker, Joachim (Cooke, 75).

Celta Vigo: Pinto; Velasco, Caceres, Sergio, Juanfran; Lopez (Jesuli, 74), Doriva, Giovanella, Karpin, Tomas (Djorovic 30; Coira, 51); McCarthy.

Referee: D Schoch (Switzerland)