O'NEILL RUES MISSED OPPORTUNITY

O'Neill - side lost to QPR.

Martin O'Neill concedes that Aston Villa missed an opportunity after exiting the Carling Cup at the hands of QPR, but insists his team selection gave the competition the respect it deserves.

The Championship side will go into the fourth round in Villa's place after defender Damion Stewart crashed home a second-half header to score the only goal of the match.

O'Neill had hoped to push towards a Wembley final, and a shot at silverware, and believes he picked a team capable of steering the club through.

There were a total of six changes from the side which defeated West Brom in the Premier League last time out, but senior stars like Ashley Young, John Carew, Stiliyan Petrov and Gareth Barry - named as skipper for the first time since he lost the job over his ill-fated dalliance with Liverpool - were all on duty.

And others, including £7.8million summer recruit Carlos Cuellar, Zat Knight and Isaiah Osbourne, were hoping to prove their first-team credentials.

Only Young, in another eye-catching display on the left wing, played close to his best, while Cuellar, Osbourne and Marlon Harewood - who missed at least two inviting chances - cannot have improved their prospects.

But O'Neill refused to round on his players.

"I'd be the first to criticise if we had got badly beat, but I felt we did enough to win the game," he said.

"Yes we got beaten, but not because we fielded a weakened side. We treated this competition with the respect it deserves.

"We've suffered a setback but could I say it was because of a lack of effort? Categorically no.

"But it's desperately disappointing in a competition we had hoped to progress in, if not attempt to win."

Cuellar was a disappointment in his first home start, betraying a nervy first touch and failing to challenge Stewart for the goal, but O'Neill insisted he was not disappointed with the Spaniard.

"For the goal, he slipped as the ball came into the penalty area and gave their player a free header, but overall, absolutely not. Carlos had a wonderful time with Rangers, played in a UEFA Cup final and was a mainstay of the side that got there."

O'Neill had one of the smallest senior squads in the top flight last season and had hoped his work in the transfer market had left his squad better able to cope with the demands of competing on four fronts.

"We have tried to gather a squad here that is able to cope with that and cope with the fact that we've had four games in eight days. Here it wasn't tiredness that set us back, it was the fact that we couldn't score and they took the chance presented to them."

Iain Dowie was delighted to see his side, one of the strongly backed favourites for promotion to the Premier League next year, account for a side he believes could be playing Champions League football by then.

"It was a really powerful team they put out. Martin has invested heavily and he is one of the best managers I've ever come up against," said Dowie.

"I'm very proud the boys have come out on top. They found a way with their heart and their spirit.

"I don't think there are too many bigger clubs in the country and it doesn't get too much better than playing here.

"I know how big a club this is. Don't be surprised if Martin keeps them where they are in fourth."