Aston Villa 1 - 0 Reading: Benteke steps in for Bent and seals win for Villa

ASTON Villa manager Paul Lambert again excluded record signing Darren Bent but saw his replacement, Christian Benteke, score a late winner in the bottom-of-the-table clash with Reading at Villa Park.

The Belgium international ended a four-game run without a goal when he headed home an Ashley Westwood corner with ten minutes remaining. Villa’s third win of the season moved them out of the Barclays Premier League bottom three in front of their lowest home league gate – 28,692 – for six years.

The game was not a classic but Villa deserved the three points after enjoying the bulk of possession and looking the more threatening.

Bent was left out of Lambert’s matchday plans for the second successive game with rookie striker Jordan Bowery again preferred on the substitutes’ bench.

Villa denied former Tottenham striker Bent had left the ground after being omitted and he watched the game from an executive box.

The game appeared to be heading for a stalemate but with ten minutes left Benteke settled the issue. Lambert’s £7million summer signing from Genk climbed above the Royals defence and his downward header flew past Adam Federici.