A Christian Benteke brace has helped Aston Villa secure a vital 3-2 win against Everton in their Premier League clash at Villa Park.
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The hosts were quickest out of the starting blocks and came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when Benteke leaped highest to get to Jack Grealish's inswinging corner, but his effort flew wide.
Villa only had to wait a further four minutes before they successfully broke the deadlock, with their livewire Belgian striker nodding home Fabian Delph's cross after getting behind John Stones and Phil Jagielka.
Everton continued to struggle against Tim Sherwood's charges as Tim Howard was forced to get down low to keep out a stinging Charles N'Zogbia free kick from 30 yards.
The game slowed down in the midway stages of the first half, though Villa could have doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark when Ron Vlaar sent a free header wide of the post.
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Nevertheless, the hosts were able to add a second goal on the stroke of half time as the prolific and unmarked Benteke stabbed the ball into the roof of the net from Grealish's pinpoint corner.
Everton were bright from the off in the second half as Romelu Lukaku picked the ball up deep and beat two defenders before dragging his shot just wide from 25 yards.
The Toffees then had the chance to get back into the game from the penalty spot just before the hour, courtesy of Vlaar's foul on Steven Naismith in the box.
Lukaku stepped up and scuffed the penalty past Shay Given to give his side a chance of getting something from the game.
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It did not take long for Villa to restore their two-goal advantage, however, as Leandro Bacuna played Tom Cleverley in with an angled through ball, and the Manchester United loanee charged forward and drove the ball home.
Everton were not in any mood to give up and they had a penalty shout in the 84th minute when Seamus Coleman went down under a challenge from N'Zogbia in the area, though the appeals were waved away.
Jagielka was then responsible for a nervy final few minutes for Villa when James McCarthy headed against the bar, before the England international nodded home the rebound, but the hosts were able to hang on for all three points.
The result puts Villa two points clear of the Premier League drop zone in 14th place, three places below Everton.
Giuseppe Labellarte
