Happy days ... Aston Villa improved their survival hopes with a win at Reading. Source: Andrew Matthews / AAP
Aston Villa crawled out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone after coming from behind to beat Reading 2-1, while bottom club QPR gave themselves further hope with a 3-1 defeat of Sunderland.
Villa had won just one of their previous 11 league games and went into the abbreviated round of matches in the bottom three, but they took the game to relegation rivals Reading from kick-off at the Madejski Stadium.
Christian Benteke hit the bar with an early header, while Andreas Weimann dragged a shot wide from a Benteke pass.
However, Reading took the lead against the run of play in the 32nd minute through one of the most comical own goals of the season.
There was little danger in Jobi McAnuff's low cross from the left but Villa defender Nathan Baker horribly sliced his attempted clearance and sent the ball spinning into his own net.
Fortunately for Baker, Villa equalised immediately, with Weimann teeing up Benteke to beat Stuart Taylor via a deflection off Stephen Kelly.
Gabriel Agbonlahor completed the turnaround in the 45th minute, smashing a left-foot shot into the roof of the net after Barry Bannan had hit the post.
Reading remain second from bottom, while Villa move out of the bottom three at the expense of Wigan Athletic, who stunned Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
QPR stay bottom, four points from safety, despite overcoming Sunderland to record consecutive wins for the first time this season.
Steven Fletcher put Sunderland ahead after 20 minutes at Loftus Road, dispatching Adam Johnson's drilled cross after a counter-attack led by Stephane Sessegnon.
However, Loic Remy's calm finish drew QPR level in the 30th minute and Andros Townsend put the hosts in front 20 minutes from time with a glorious half-volley from 22 yards that dipped into the top-left corner.
Both QPR goals had come from January transfer window arrivals and another new signing, Jermaine Jenas, got on the score-sheet in the 90th minute to secure victory.
QPR finished the day level on points and goal difference with Reading, who remain above their relegation rivals on goals scored.
Manager Harry Redknapp was understandably delighted with the win.
"It was a good performance to come from 1-0 down," he said.
"I felt we didn't deserve to be one down as we started well with a good tempo, we passed the ball well - better than I have seen us play since I came here, in an attacking sense.
"But to go one down against the run of play but to come back and equalise, I felt it was an excellent first half.
"In the second half they started well and for the first 10 to 15 minutes they were the better team, but we came back into it and got the goals at the right time."
West Bromwich Albion came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Swansea City, allowing Steve Clarke's side to leapfrog their opponents into seventh place.
Former West Brom striker Luke Moore headed Swansea in front in the 33rd minute, but the hosts replied through Romelu Lukaku's 13th league goal of the season five minutes before half-time.
On-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku saw a tame penalty saved by Michel Vorm early in the second half, but an unfortunate own goal gave West Brom victory in the 61st minute.
Gareth McAuley's header was headed off the line by Swansea full-back Angel Rangel but the ball hit the Spaniard's team-mate Jonathan de Guzman and bounced into the visitors' goal.
WBA manager Steve Clarke thought West Bromwich Albion's victory over Swansea City was "important" in setting up a push for Europe in the closing stages of the season.
"For the confidence of our players and the enthusiasm of the group to attack the last nine games, it was important we got three points at home," he said.
"It is nine victories at home this year. There are not too many other teams in the league who have won nine games at home."
Meanwhile, at a sleet-strewn Carrow Road, Artur Boruc saved an injury-time penalty from Grant Holt to earn Southampton a goalless draw away to Norwich City.
The home side were handed the chance to win the game in stoppage time when Luke Shaw was adjudged to have fouled Holt inside the box.
It was Norwich's first penalty of the season and Holt took responsibility from the spot only to see Boruc produce a fine save to keep out his effort and deny Norwich all three points.
Norwich boss Chris Hughton rued the miss.
"It was the first penalty we have had all season. We were fortunate enough to win our last home game in the last few minutes and it would have been nice to do it today, but I think there were two fairly even teams today," he said.
"There were minimal chances, they had a very good chance in the second half and I think Robert Snodgrass had the best chance of the game and we should have had a penalty towards the end of the first half."
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét