English FA Premiership/Aston Villa 1 Everton 1:The relief was tangible among Aston Villa supporters as Gabriel Agbonlahor eased their growing relegation fears with a precious goal seven minutes from time. It was hardly a memorable shot and was laced with a touch of good fortune, although manager Martin O'Neill will feel that the luck was merited and overdue.
The Villa manager had cut a desperate figure on the touchline for much of this contest but he was able to celebrate raucously after Agbonlahor struck.
The England Under-21 international failed to cleanly control Olof Mellberg's long ball, but his poor first touch ran through to John Carew. Tim Howard saved at the Villa striker's feet, but the loose ball dropped to Agbonlahor for the winger to crash it home.
Villa's record remains poor - two wins in 19 Premiership matches - but there are now five points between O'Neill's side and the relegation zone. For Everton, dominant early on, there was only disappointment.
Charlton's victory over Wigan on Saturday had increased the pressure on the home side to end their dismal run. That poor form actually started after they won 1-0 at Everton in November to climb as high as third. Villa have dropped like a stone since, with the optimism that followed O'Neill's arrival in the summer slowly eroding.
It did not take long for further doubts to creep in, either, with Joleon Lescott heading Everton into a deserved lead after only 15 minutes.
Trepidation swept through Villa Park. The home side had started nervously, their brittle confidence ruthlessly exposed by an Everton team who appeared assured in possession.
The same could not be said for Villa whose movement had been poor and when Lescott stole in he prompted pangs of concern among the home supporters.
ASTON VILLA: Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Cahill, Bouma, Agbonlahor, Petrov, McCann (Berger 46), Barry, Carew, Young (Maloney 41). Subs Not Used: Taylor, Davis, Hughes. Booked: McCann, Mellberg, Agbonlahor. Goals: Agbonlahor 83.
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Osman, Carsley, Neville, Arteta, Johnson, Vaughan. Subs Not Used: Wright, Naysmith, Beattie, Nuno Valente, Anichebe. Booked: Vaughan, Arteta, Lescott. Goals: Lescott 15.
Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).
