Xerez won the basement battle against Villarreal to finally register their first victory of the season.

Last season's Segunda Division champions have looked hopelessly out of their depth in the first few weeks of the new season but this win moves them off the bottom with Villarreal replacing them at the foot.

Xerez's struggles may have been expected but the same cannot be said for Villarreal, whose woeful form has already put new boss Ernesto Valverde under pressure.

Valverde, who replaced Real Madrid-bound Manuel Pellegrini in the summer, took over a side which finished one place and two points outside the Champions League places last season but have now managed just three draws from their seven games.

It started well for the visiting side with Robert Pires putting them ahead in the 18th minute. Xerez hit back through Mario Bermejo just before half-time with Antonito grabbing the winner with 10 minutes to go.

Villarreal's miserable afternoon was capped by the late dismissal of defender Gonzalo Rodriguez.

Xerez did not look like a side bereft of confidence in the early stages as they twice forced visiting keeper Diego Lopez into action inside the first six minutes.

First Bermejo tried his luck from 12 yards and then Carlos Calvo fired in an effort from a similar distance with Lopez saving them both.

It took Villarreal 15 minutes to create a chance of note, Javi Venta's cross turned goalwards by Joseba Llorente with the shot eventually smuggled clear by home goalkeeper Brito Renan.

It was to prove the start of a long spell of pressure from the Yellow Submarine which also included the opening goal after 18 minutes.

Llorente was the provider with a slipped pass from the right side of the six-yard box and Pires converted with ease.

Valverde's side were now dominating and Santi Cazorla brought a save out of Renan with a 35-yard shot while, a minute later, Renan was again called into action when Llorente drilled in an effort from inside the penalty area.

Xerez withstood the storm and eventually regained a foothold in the match.

Emilio Viqueira saw a free-kick come back off the wall and Calvo lashed a shot over the bar from 18 yards.

The pressure eventually told three minutes before the break as Xerez netted just their second goal of the season.

Abel Gomez whipped in an inswinging corner from the left and Bermejo rose highest to nod past Lopez from six yards.

Villarreal almost restored their advantage before the break but Pires could only place his shot weakly into Renan's arms when well placed.

The visitors remained on the front foot following the restart with Rodriguez firing over from a Pires corner.

The hitherto anonymous Giuseppe Rossi also missed the target after 49 minutes before Renan excelled himself with a brilliant save to keep out Marcos Senna's 35-yard drive.

Llorente, a threat throughout, saw a shot tipped over by Renan, who then kept out another Rossi effort.

Villarreal came even closer to a second goal with 15 minutes to go with substitute Nilmar firing against the post with Renan beaten.

Having spent the entire second half on the defensive, Xerez finally emerged once more as an attacking force.

And after Emiliano Armenteros shot just wide, they went ahead with 10 minutes to go.

Antonito found space 20 yards out and cracked in a right-footed effort which flew past Lopez to send the home fans into raptures.

Villarreal's chances of finding an equaliser diminished with five minutes to go when Rodriguez saw red for a mistimed tackle on Gomez.

The 10 men still managed to create one last chance with summer signing Nilmar shooting over as Villarreal claimed the dubious honour of being the only winless team in the top flight.