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However, the defender, recalled to the side following the transfer of Rufus Brevett to West Ham, was modest about his first strike in a white shirt.
"It was a shot, but I had no idea where it would end up," he said.
Even though it was the winning goal Fulham should have romped home by four or five after Villa took an early lead.
In their first attack the never-say-die Stefan Moore set up Dion Dublin who touched the ball to Gareth Barry and he side-footed home from seven yards.
Almost immediately Dublin could have made it two when he brilliantly struck a volley only to see Luis Boa Morte clear the ball off the line.
The Portuguese star, who is the most fouled player in the Premiership, raced up to the other end and cut into the box only to be clipped by Joey Gudjonsson from behind.
It was a costly trip as Steed Malbranque scored for the fourth game in a row when he dispatched the spot kick into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
It was Boa Morte again who supplied a centre in the 23rd minute that Steve Marlet headed tamely into the keepers hands.
However the threat from the Villa left was persistent and crosses were met by first Louis Saha and then Martin Djetou to narrowly miss the frame.
There were only inches to spare when Petr Enckelman raced off his line to pluck the ball off the toes of Saha in the 49th minute but then Villa woke up.
In the 55th minute Rob Edwards centred and Darius Vassell had his shot blocked only to see Dublin denied by Maik Taylor from point-blank range.
After that, Villa were again on the back foot and a series of shots from Malbranque, Saha and Sean Davis underlined Fulham's worthy win.