Villa heap more misery on Royals

Goals from Ashley Young and substitute Marlon Harewood were enough to take the points against a side who have now lost a club record eight successive league fixtures and appear incapable of saving themselves.

Reading chairman John Madejski had called for the fans to turn the stadium into a "cauldron of optimism" but it quickly became apparent Villa would simply not allow any release from the paralysis that has gripped the home side's season.

Villa could have triumphed by a much larger margin, especially as Gareth Barry missed a first-half penalty. Kalifa Cisse was harshly adjudged to have used a hand in blocking Craig Gardner's 32nd-minute shot as Barry, having previously despatched four penalties this term, lazily sliced his spot-kick high and wide of the target.

Reading's centre-back pairing of Ibrahima Sonko and Cisse could not have complained had they both been replaced at half-time, so nervous and error-ridden was their play.

Villa eventually gained the lead they deserved on the stroke of half-time as Gabriel Agbonlahor squared the ball to Young, who had all the time and space in the box to make sure his shot was high enough to beat goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and Graeme Murty, the man on the line.

Harewood was a constant threat after coming on as a second-half substitute and the former West Ham man wrapped the game up for the visitors with a fine finish in the 83rd minute after a rampage upfield from Young had left Reading totally exposed.

Nicky Shorey's 90th-minute free-kick consolation - Reading's first goal in 540 minutes of play - had no bearing on the game.