Villa on the march - O’Neill eyes Euro prize

The smoothest of finishes from Ashley Young and substitute Marlon Harewood did not begin to emphasise the gulf in class between the sides.

The only criticism of Villa was they were not ruthless enough as they could have finished off Reading in the first half. But Gareth Barry was guilty of a rare penalty miss after four successful kicks this season, and Reading upped their tempo in a second-half effort that was finally rewarded by Nicky Shorey's consolation goal from a free-kick in added-time.

Villa are now level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, and manager Martin O'Neill said: "We're in contention but there are four or five sides separated by virtually nothing.

"It's so close that you are talking about a Champions League spot while, on the other hand, we might not even qualify for Europe. But it doesn't stop this being a decent season for us and we've got to press on.

"That should give us a big lift after we spurned the opportunity at Fulham and played poorly, but I was delighted with us today.

"We were always threatening and capable of scoring. But at 1-0, anything can still happen.

"Then Marlon came up trumps again, as he has on three out of four occasions coming off the bench."

Nine of Reading's starting line-up yesterday came up from the Championship with the club two seasons ago, and manager Steve Coppell said:

"Maybe I've been too loyal to players and I will change things for the next game.

"The ones who are playing are just not performing, but something has to break the cycle we're in.

"There's just no optimism in the dressing room because of the result. But we still feel there is more to come.

"This could be the most significant season for all of them. It's only in a bad situation that the real personalities of people come through."

Villa were simply too good for Reading, from the rampaging John Carew alongside the rapier-like Gabriel Agbonlahor up front through midfield, where Nigel Reo-Coker works so hard, to the defensive colossus that is Martin Laursen.

Carew looked unstoppable in the second half and it is a mystery why Villa did not score more goals. O'Neill said: 'When he plays like that, he's as good as there is."

Villa should have converted their dominance into a 31stminute lead when Reading's Kalifa Cisse was judged to have handled after the ball hit his arm from Craig Gardner's shot.

But Barry, who had not missed a penalty since last Easter, sliced his kick high and wide. He said: "It was a bit of a shank and I kicked the ground before connecting. I'm just glad it didn't cost us.

"I've missed a couple before so I can't wait to stick the next one in. At least I've sent the keeper the wrong way!"

Villa did take the lead in the 45th minute when Cisse was badly caught out as he tried to challenge Agbonlahor. The Villa striker raced clear and pulled the ball back for Young, who took his time before whipping a shot high into the net.

O'Neill said: "Ashley has just been class. I thought he took the goal brilliantly."

Reading hurled themselves into the fray as they tried to get something back in the second half but Villa looked comfortable, although it took them until the 83rd minute to finish off the contest. Young started the move and Harewood galloped down the left to receive the ball and curl it nonchalantly past Marcus Hahnemann into the net.

Villa did drop their guard, and Shorey sent a free-kick in off the left post, surprising keeper Scott Carson, to break a sequence of five scoreless games for Reading.

O'Neill had a disagreement with Reading midfielder James Harper in the first half and said later: 'I got in his way. He was OK, and if I had been a player I'd have done the same thing."

It was as close as Reading got to making an argument of the game all afternoon.