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Aston Villa's Christian Benteke celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game in front of the fans. Neal Simpson/EMPICS Sport
Review

Benteke header earns Villa narrow victory over Reading

Tonight’s win sees Paul Lambert’s men move ahead of Southampton into 17th.

A CHRISTIAN BENTEKE header helped Aston Villa secure maximum points against Reading in the Premier League on Tuesday.

The 1-0 result also lifted Villa out of the relegation zone in the process as they leapfrog Southampton into 17th.

In a game full of endeavour but bereft of real quality, it was an Aston Villa set-piece that ultimately consigned Reading to another few days in the relegation zone, as Benteke powered home from an Ashley Westwood corner.

Manager Paul Lambert made two changes from the side that earned a point against Arsenal, bringing in Nathan Baker for injured captain Ron Vlaar as Brett Holman also came in at the expense of Karim El Ahmadi. For the fifth game in succession, Darren Bent failed to make the bench.

Reading, meanwhile, made two defensive changes from the side that lost against Wigan with Shaun Cummings and Adrian Mariappa replacing Chris Gunter and Kaspars Gorkss.

A lively opening meant it was just nine minutes before the first clear-cut chance fell the away side’s way – a Jobi McAnuff cross producing a Hal Robson-Kanu toe-poke that forced Brad Guzan into an excellent point-black save.

An even better chance fell Benteke’s way 10 minutes later as a Jay Tabb cross found him in the area, only for the Belgian’s sidefooted effort to be saved by Adam Federici.

It was Benteke’s turn to play provider next as he squared a cross to Andreas Weimann who, six yards out, could only blaze way over with the strike.

Half-chances continued to fall both sides’ way in the second half with Holman first firing wide for the home team, before both Adam Le Fondre and Ciaran Clark failed to capitalise from free headers for their respective sides.

The end-to-end football continued as Guzan produced another decent save to deny a Jason Roberts effort with 65 minutes gone.

Both sides continued to battle without much reward and it was the 80th minute before the stalemate was finally broken.

Following a Westwood corner, Benteke powerfully rose above Morrison and thumped his header emphatically home from eight yards out.

Reading were unable to mount a comeback of any substance, the only real chance falling to substitute Noel Hunt, who could only head into Guzan’s grateful arms.

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