Pictures and analysis of Reading 1 Aston Villa 2

Aston Villa may have won an important battle but the war is a long way from over.

Paul Lambert claimed his youthful squaddies realised they were "in war" before this Premier League relegation six-pointer with Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

And the Villa chief's call to arms yielded three valuable points from his troops. However, the spoils of victory over the Royals can only be enjoyed briefly by the claret and blue army.

Lose to Harry Redknapp's ever-improving QPR at Villa Park on Saturday and Villa could find that the vital ground they have made up is quickly regained by their rivals for the drop.

It is crucial that, in the remaining nine games of the season, the fighting spirit shown by Villa's cadets in recent performance is sustained – particularly in light of the fact that Villa have failed to secure back-to-back top-flight victories under Lambert. For the time being this win, like the five others in the league this season, stands in splendid isolation.

Indeed, not since the final two games of the 2011 campaign under caretaker boss Gary McAllister have they chalked up consecutive victories.

If Queens Park Rangers can be vanquished, and that statistic put right, then supporters will be able to rest easier.

Lambert had made three changes from the side that lost to Manchester City with Yacouba Sylla handed a full debut in place of the suspended Fabian Delph.

Captain Ron Vlaar was restored to the starting line-up after he recovered from a calf injury while Barry Bannan returned in midfield with Joe Bennett and Charles N'Zogbia both dropped to the bench.

Reading put the Villa goal under pressure in the early stages and Adam Le Fondre brought a smart diving save out of Brad Guzan when he got his head on the end of Hal Robson-Kanu's deep cross.

Villa started to find their passing rhythm in an open game and Nathan Baker whipped in a teasing cross for Benteke in the 12th minute which he headed against the crossbar from six yards.

A shooting opportunity opened up for the lively Robson-Kanu nine minutes later and he whistled a low effort past Guzan's post from distance although the Villa keeper never looked concerned.

Agbonlahor broke clear down the left flank on the counter-attack moments later but his cross into the penalty area had too much power on it, much to the chagrin of Andreas Weimann and Benteke.

The Belgium striker continued to cause problems in the final third with his strength and created an opening when he bulldozed his way through the Reading defence only for Weimann to strike the ball wide from a good position.

However, it was Reading who broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute with the kind of slapstick own goal from Baker that left Villa looking more like Dad's Army than the crack unit Lambert demanded before kick-off.

Baker knocked the ball into his own net off his standing foot as he tried to clear at the back post after Jobi McAnuff's cross had been flicked by the heel of Hope Akpan.

However, Villa did not panic and hit back a minute later when Ashley Westwood's clever ball found Weimann on the right edge of the 18-yard box and he cut the ball back superbly for Benteke who saw his shot – via a Stephen Kelly deflection – find the net.

The claret and blues were buoyed and took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Weimann's cross into the box was cleared straight up in air the by Kelly and Matthew Lowton headed the ball back to Bannan, who stabbed it against the post.

Former Villa goalkeeper Stuart Taylor then fumbled the ball clear but straight into the path of Agbonlahor who wrapped his laces around it and smashed it into the roof of the net.

Noel Hunt had the ball in the net for Reading 10 minutes after the restart when he got on the end of McAnuff's low cross only for the assistant referee to flag for offside.

Reading continued to press for an equaliser and Robson-Kanu brought down a high ball from Kelly in the 65th minute only to direct his finish wide of the post.

Guzan showed tremendous anticipation to deny Reading moments later when he was in the right place to gather substitute Nick Blackman's header at the back post.

Villa were content to soak up the pressure and hit Reading on the counter-attack and Agbonlahor sent a curling shot wide in the 77th minute while N'Zogbia lifted the ball over the bar from just inside the area.

Reading bombarded the visitors in the remainder of the contest but, despite their habit of leaking goals, on this occasion the Villa defence stood firm. The relief was tangible, if only temporal.

By Timothy Abraham