Villa go top-six

Aston Villa 2 Portsmouth 1

Aston Villa secured a place in the top six of the Premiership for the first time this season after Darius Vassell scored a late and fortuitous winner against Harry Redknapp’s side.

Vassell knew little about the goal which rebounded in off his stomach from close range after Villa skipper Olof Mellberg’s initial effort had been blocked by Boris Zivkovic.

But that will not matter to the England striker who will feel he is due a slice of Lady Luck after his recent barren run.

Villa have now taken 13 points from their last five matches to turn around their fortunes after being in the bottom three only three weeks ago.

David O’Leary’s side had looked full of confidence in the first half despite Sunday’s FA Cup reversal by Manchester United.

Pompey’s Pavel Srnicek was the busier of the two keepers as Juan Pablo Angel continued his rich vein of form with his 14th goal of the campaign.

After the break it was a different story as the Pompey front duo of Jason Roberts and Yakubu started to get behind the Villa rearguard.

Villa looked sprightly in the early stages despite their exertions just 48 hours earlier against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Young midfielder Peter Whittingham made a powerful break forward for Villa and Srnicek went down to his left to hold onto his low 20-yard drive.

Then Angel, who has declared his commitment to Villa after being linked with a move to Arsenal, brought the match to life after 21 minutes with the breakthrough.

Jlloyd Samuel took a quick throw-in and Garry Barry pumped a first-time cross to the far side of the Portsmouth penalty area.

Angel rose majestically at the far post, climbing above defender Arjan De Zeeuw, to power a header past Srnicek into the far corner of the net.

Hendrie came close to doubling Villa’s tally after controlling a low cross from Samuel and his rising effort clipped the post.

Then Srnicek was relieved to see a deflected shot from Gavin McCann roll wide of his goal as he was left stranded.

Villa keeper Sorensen was called into meaningful action for the first time to tip over a dipping effort from Martin Taylor who was involved in a running battle with Vassell.

Villa were soon back on the offensive and Srnicek failed to hold a low Barry drive only to react quickly enough to deflect Angel’s follow-up effort for a corner.

In the last minute of the first half Sorensen did well to turn Alexei Smertin’s stinging low shot for a corner.

Pompey needed only four minutes of the second half to draw level after Hendrie handled needlessly on the edge of his own penalty area.

Patrik Berger sent in an in-swinging free-kick and Yakubu got free of Olof Mellberg to head home from close range for his sixth goal of the campaign. It was Pompey’s first away league goal in 743 minutes.

Villa tried to respond immediately and Angel was only a yard wide with a powerful low drive from just outside the Portsmouth area.

An error by Dion Dublin almost cost Villa a second goal. He misdirected his header back towards Sorensen and Yakubu intercepted.

But he went for glory with Jason Roberts coming up in support and his shot flew just over the crossbar.

A mistake by Dublin almost cost Villa a second goal after he misdirected his header back towards Sorensen as Yakubu intercepted. But the Nigerian for glory, with Jason Roberts galloping up in support, and his shot flew over the crossbar.

Portsmouth were now getting in behind the Villa defence and causing problems as they sensed the chance of a first away win of the season.

Angel stabbed a first-time effort over the bar from a Samuel cross but it was Harry Redknapp’s side who now looked more threatening.

Good play by Vassell set up the invitation for Whittingham to test Srnicek from 20 yards out and he would have been disappointed not to have hit the target.

Yakubu was full of confidence after his goal and was not that far off target with a spectacular overhead kick.

O’Leary decided to freshen up the midfield and after 66 minutes he brought on Thomas Hitzlsperger for Whittingham.

Taylor was not far away from giving Portsmouth the lead with a low drive which skidded across the goal area while Dublin would have been disappointed to direct a header straight at Srnicek from a Hitzlsperger corner. But then came Vassell’s late winner.