Pictures and analysis of Stoke 1 Aston Villa 3

The Britannia Stadium emptied as Villa filled their boots and renewed their hope.

Out of the bottom three and outstanding on Saturday, Villa's late show forced another twist in one of the biggest survival scrap for decades.

Four wins in seven games have lifted Villa out of the Premier League drop zone and plunged Stoke towards a full-blown relegation battle.

Christian Benteke's injury-time strike sealed a game already won by Matt Lowton's wonder goal three minutes earlier.

His strike could have been a two-yard tap-in as anything was needed to stop Stoke earning an undeserved point.

Goals from defence have been few and far between this term, but Lowton picked the perfect time to score his second of the season.

His 30-yard rocket was a goal so good, beaten keeper Asmir Begovic congratulated him afterwards.

Such was Villa's dominance, the perverse disappointment was that they needed such a stunning late show to wrap up a crucial win – their first at Stoke for 29 years.

Vibrant Villa were first to everything against slapdash Stoke, who are now just a point ahead of them having collected just five points since the turn of the year.

In contrast, Villa have nine points from their last four games as the revival continues. They have come up big when it counts and won the points when it matters.

With six games left, Villa are the ones with the momentum as others fail to escape from their shackles of struggle.

Stoke's direct approach failed, their battling efforts non-existent, and it raises the question: if they cannot exploit their traditional qualities, what hope have they got?

When the teams drew 0-0 in December, Stoke were ninth with Villa 16th, eight points behind. How times change.

And there are several teams – Stoke, Norwich, Sunderland – all suffering wretched runs in the most open drop battle for years.

Boss Paul Lambert's insistence his side are wise to the pressure, having been scrapping all season, rang true on Saturday as Stoke crumbled.

The recalled Fabian Delph and the increasingly impressive Ashley Westwood wrestled control of the game.

After last weekend's Liverpool loss, the fear was the claret and blue midfield would struggle against Stoke's physicality. But rarely this season have they been allowed to dominate so much.

Jordan Bowery – handed just his second Premier League start – offered real protection for the midfield and an added threat up top.

Gabby Agbonlahor equalled Dwight Yorke's Premier League record of 60 goals for the club as he and Andi Weimann continued to lift the workload off Benteke.

It could have been different had Villa not escaped a huge handball appeal against Nathan Baker when Jon Walters' cross struck his outstretched arm in the area after just 90 seconds.

Stoke chief Tony Pulis, now under serious pressure, raged afterwards his side deserved two penalties but his words only masked his team's ineptitude. Villa dominated, going ahead when Bowery and Lowton swapped passes for the latter to cross and Agbonlahor prodded in after Geoff Cameron failed to clear.

It was awful from Stoke and they simply got worse as Villa took charge.

Bowery curled just wide after Asmir Begovic's poor clearance, before the keeper redeemed himself with a fingertip save to turn Andi Weimann's effort onto the post.

Pedestrian Stoke continued to flounder in the second half and only Begovic's smart save from Bowery stopped Villa doubling their lead two minutes after the break.

Despite Villa's customary second-half gaffe failing to materialise – although there were doubts hapless Stoke would even be able to cash in – the hosts did level 11 minutes from time.

Charlie Adam helped on Walters' cross for ex-Wolves winger Michael Kightly to slam in from 10 yards.

It was undeserved, but Villa began to rock as Ron Vlaar survived a handball shout and Cameron Jerome blazed a free-kick over.

But it was a false dawn, and Villa regained the lead with a strike of pure brilliance from Lowton.

Adam hooked Charles N'Zogbia's corner skywards and when the ball fell to the right-back 30 yards out, he took it on his chest and unleashed a wonderful dipping volley that screamed over Begovic.

Benteke sealed it in stoppage time when he burst clear and rolled in to cue a mass exodus from the home fans.

No-one could blame them but, in contrast, Villa's Premier League departure now looks much more distant.

By Nick Mashiter