This was a game that will not live too long in the memory and one that seemed to be meandering to an inevitable stalemate until Benteke struck of 80 minutes to give us the win. But the three points we gained may prove very important come the end of the season.

A display approaching that we had produced in our last two home games against Manchester United and Arsenal would have produced a win with something to spare last night. But our performance did not come close to the level we had delivered in those previous games and we have to appreciate that it will be the results that we get in 6 pointers like this one that will secure our place in the top flight this season quicker than any we might get against the odds in our more high profile games against the top four.

But win it we did and to have done anything less would have made life even more difficult than it will be now in the weeks before the transfer window opens and in the months that follow it closing when we along with those clubs who are keeping us company in the bottom six have concluded any transfer business.

It was a dismal game and one that will have neutrals concluding that both clubs will face a relegation battle this season that they might not win. I was alarmed by the fact that there was so little to choose between the two teams last night and by our inability to apply any real pressure until the last twenty minutes of the game. But I trust this young team under Paul Lambert’s leadership can get better and with some additions in the transfer window we can pull clear of the threat of relegation before this season gets into the last month or at least before the final day of this season. What decided this game was a young striker who we signed in the last window. What we need to do is to unearth a couple more at a similar fee that can make as big an impression as he has done. We also need to get points on the board from our next two games. Six would leave us on 19 points and possibly half way to safety. Three would leave us with the equivalent of a point from each of our games this season and for me that is the minimum target for these next two games and for the rest of the season.

My player ratings from a game that once again took us out of the bottom three are:

Brad Guzan – 7 – Came for a cross on the edge of the box on 64 minutes without getting to it but kept out a Roberts shot with his leg 2 minutes later and had another good game and another clean sheet.

Matthew Lowton - 7 – Another encouraging defensive performance.

Nathan Baker – 6 – Looked understandably rusty on occasions early on but he settled down well enough and got up well to head down a Bannan corner on 32 minutes that bounced over the bar.

Ciaran Clark – 7 – Looked good again last night and might have opened the scoring on the hour when he headed a Bannan corner across the face of the goal and past the far post.

Enda Stevens - 6 – Replaced due to injury on 24 minutes.

Ashley Westwood – 7 – Ran the middle again he makes himself available and it is rare and a surprise if he does not make good use of the ball.

Brett Holman - 6 – Hit a shot from the edge of the box on 55 minutes that brushed the side netting but Federici had it covered. Substituted on 67 minutes after another hard working display and earned this start with his last substitute appearance.

Barry Bannan - 5 – Some way below the performance level he hit at the weekend and too many balls went astray. He lost the ball on the edge of the box on 10 minutes and must have been as relieved as we were when the ball flashed just wide of the post from a touch from the resultant cross.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 6 – Kept busy and put in a shift but less of a threat than he might have been expected to have been to a defence who would surely have been worried by his pace.

Andreas Weimann – 5 – Can and has done much better than this. He kept working but should have done better on 7 minutes when his cross was placed behind Holman when a goal scoring opportunity looked on. He was then found inside the box by Benteke who squared the ball to him on 27 minutes only for him to blast his shot well over the bar. Had a shot deflected wide on 51 minutes after Westwood had found him.

Christian Benteke - 8 – MOTM – Got up well to head home a corner and to win us the game with just 10 minutes remaining. Had earlier steadied himself on 17 minutes and hit an on target shot but one which did not trouble keeper Federici who saved it at the foot of his post. Lacked service but worked well with what he did get.

Substitutes:

Eric Lichaj – 6 - Replaced Enda on 24 minutes and did well enough.

Stephen Ireland - 7 - Replaced Holman on 67 minutes. Got a header from the edge of the box on target on 75 minutes but it was never going to trouble the keeper. Gave us dome missing spark when he came on.

Marc Albrighton – 4 - Replaced Weimann on 68 minutes. Made no positive impression and hit a wild and embarrassingly bad cross on 79 minutes with players in the box waiting. Marc has been so much better than this.

Up the Villa and Stay Strong Captain!

John Lewis

Source: Player Match Ratings: A golden goal!