ANYONE looking for proof that Darius Vassell had actually made contact when he left Steve Banks nursing a headache at Villa Park only needed to check out the bruises he was still carrying this week.

The Wanderers' keeper took a heck of a whack and admitted he only came to his senses fully after half-time, when his first task was to face a penalty.

But the marks around his left eye were just superficial. "The real problem was a bit of whiplash," Banks explained. "I've had a bad neck ever since.

"I was really dazed but there was no way I was going off less than halfway into my Premiership debut. Who knows when I'll get another chance?"