Aston Villa 3 (Carew 22, 87, Laursen 54)
Reading 1 (Harper 90)

Reading were well beaten at Villa Park today as our away days blues continued.

Villa were always on top, but we had a great chance at 0-0 when Kevin Doyle went in on goal, only to blaze over.

Almost immediately, John Carew headed home from an Ashley Young free kick, and there was more than a hint of offside about the goal.

Villa were well on top, but we had another very good chance not long before half time when Dave Kitson dragged wide.

We never got to grips with Villa's set pieces, and Martin Laursen made it 2-0 with a header from a corner on 54. Moments later, he was very close to doubling the lead.

We then had a five-minute spell of sustained pressure, and only some desperate blocks and a brilliant Scott Carson save kept us out.

Villa were cutting us apart in the latter stages, and it was no surprise when Carew made it 3-0.

James Harper scored in injury time, but it was scant consolation.

Villa's frontline is full of pace, vigour and strength, and although we played with five at the back, they were too good on the day.

It was another tough away day for our travelling fans, and although Villa clearly deserved to win, we had a couple of chances to nick something from the game.

Reading (5-4-1): Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey, De La Cruz (Convey 73), Gunnarsson, Ingimarsson; Cisse, Harper, Hunt, Doyle (Long 89); Kitson (Lita 76)
Subs: Federici, Pearce
Booked: De La Cruz (foul 26), Hahnemann (foul 48)

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Carson; Gardner, Bouma, Davies, Laursen; Barry (c), Reo-Coker, Petrov, Young (Maloney 90); Agbonlahor (Harewood 90), Carew (Salifou 90)
Subs: Taylor, Knight

Ref: U Rennie

Attendance: 38,288

First half
Villa had the first effort on goal, Marcus Hahnemann reacting well to palm Stiliyan Petrov's rasper from 20 yards.

On 22, Gabriel Agbonlahor wanted a penalty, but there was nothing in it. Immediately, we went up the other end. Kevin Doyle did brilliantly, and fashioned a chance for himself by lobbing the ball past the last defender. He was in on goal, but took it early and shot over, a great chance gone.

Two minutes later, Villa punished us by taking the lead. Ashley Young took a cracking free kick from wide on the left, and John Carew was unmarked, heading home from five yards. There was more than a hint of offside about the goal, but the flag stayed down and it was given.

On 35, Villa again wanted a penalty, and Agbonlahor had a decent claim when Ulises De La Cruz seemed to clip him. The Ecuadorian had already been booked, and was on a knife edge whenever Agbonlahor ran at him.

Martin O'Neill's men were well on top, but Reading again created a very good chance.

Brilliant play from Doyle and Stephen Hunt allowed Nicky Shorey to find Dave Kitson in a good position. The frontman went for goal, and with men over, it ended up being neither cross not shot, another good chance gone.

Villa had been the better side, and looked dangerous whenever they went forward. But at the same time, we had two great chances.

Second half
Steve Coppell switched things around at half time, putting Kalifa Cisse to centre half and moving Brynjar Gunnarsson to midfield.

Three minutes after the restart, Agbonlahor again showed his threat, forcing Hahnemann well to race well out of his area. The keeper went to ground with a sliding challenge, and was nowhere near the ball. He was shown a yellow card, and it was the least he could expect.

On 54, Villa made it 2-0. Young won a corner on the left, and although Graeme Murty was screaming for a goal kick, the last touch did seem to come off our skipper. Young took it himself, and Martin Laursen outjumped both Kitson and Ivar Ingimarsson to head home.

Soon after, Laursen was desperately close to another goal from a set piece, but headed just off target.

Around the hour mark, Reading had their best spell, and only some last ditch blocks and wonderful goalkeeping kept us out.

First Kitson looped an effort that Scott Carson had to palm out from under the bar, and Ingimarsson tried to lash it home but it was blocked.

Then a good Shorey cross caused more problems, and a truly brilliant save from Carson denied Gunnarsson.

As the pressure continued, Kitson nearly got on the end of a cross, and Hunt had half-hearted claims for a penalty.

Once that five minute spell was over, normal service was resumed and Villa took charge.

Gareth Barry headed over from another good cross, and again Laursen shrugged off his man to head just wide from a corner.

Carew wanted another goal, and a good reaction save from Hahnemann kept him out after he easily turned Cisse.

Reading were defending desperately, and Villa were getting forward at will.

A third goal game when Young got past Murty, slipped in Agbonlahor, and Carew tidied up easily for the final nail in the coffin.

We had a consolation in injury time, nice play from sub Shane Long allowing James Harper to race clear, and he finished very nicely under Carson.

Reading were second best for the vast majority of the game, and Villa certainly deserved to win.

They are a vibrant side, incredibly dangerous from set pieces, and we just had no answer on this particular day.