Aston Villa kept their European bid on track as goals from Ashley Young and Marlon Harewood sealed a 2-1 win at relegation-threatened Reading.Skipper Gareth Barry missed a first-half penalty but Villa moved level on points with Everton and Liverpool thanks to goals in either half.
Nicky Shorey's injury-time free-kick was a mere consolation for the hosts whose hopes of avoiding the drop are severely dented by the defeat.
Reading began brightly and James Harper had a 20-yard drive gathered at the second attempt by Scott Carson in the opening 60 seconds.
Villa settled and John Carew nearly took full advantage of a mix-up in the home defence in the fifth minute but his shot on the bounce was narrowly wide of Marcus Hahnemann's goal.
Kalifa Cisse helped Reading scramble the ball away from their six-yard box after Gabriel Agbonlahor had left Ibrahima Sonko for dead on the Villa right before Martin O'Neill's men were gifted the opportunity to grab the lead by referee Martin Atkinson just after the half-hour mark.
Reading failed to clear a Villa corner and Shaun Maloney's shot from outside the box ricocheted against the arm of Cisse. Atkinson pointed immediately to the spot, somewhat harshly, but the hosts will feel justice was done when Gareth Barry blasted his spot-kick horribly high and wide.
Despite wasting the opportunity to go in front, the visitors finished the half in the ascendency and Hahnemann had to be alert to keep out Martin Laursen's 43rd-minute header.
Villa were not to be denied however, and they were in front on the stroke of half-time. Cisse failed to cut out a long pass down the Villa right, allowing Agbonlahor to carry the ball towards the Reading goal. The 21-year-old got his head up to pick out Ashley Young, who composed himself before firing high into Hahnemann's net.
Shorey saw his drive from the edge of the box fumbled by the diving Carson before Villa scrambled the ball clear as the home side went in search of a leveller but Villa could have extended their lead five minutes later when Carew cut the ball back to Agbonlahor who blasted over.
Dave Kitson was inches away from an equaliser midway through the second half, just failing to connect with Shorey's dangerous delivery before Hahnemann rescued the Royals, blocking Young's angled drive with 11 minutes remaining.
Hahnemann was left with no chance however with six minutes left as Harewood sealed victory for Villa. Young carried the ball from his own half as the Villans countered before sliding the ball into substitute Harewood, who finished wonderfully across the American keeper into the far top corner.
Shorey's 25-yard free-kick which squeezed in between Carson and the post gave Reading a slight glimmer of hope but Villa held on for the win which keeps the Royals in the bottom three of the Premier League.
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