Premier League: Wigan 1 Aston Villa 2

Goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young gave Aston Villa a narrow 2-1 victory at fellow strugglers Wigan on Tuesday.

After an even first half, two goals in the space of 11 minutes after the break allowed Villa to take a stranglehold on the English Premier League encounter, which they held on to despite James McCarthy’s late consolation.

Villa’s 24-million-pound man Darren Bent was quickly into the game, taking delivery of a lovely through ball from Carlos Cuellar with instant control, although his finish was weak and straight at Ali Al Habsi.

Midfielder Stewart Downing then tested the Wigan goalkeeper, who was up to the shot, with Bent also finding the goalkeeper with the rebound.

Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia had two decent chances for Wigan and – despite failing to work Brad Friedel in the Villa goal – teed up striker Hugo Rodallega, who should have done better from the edge of the area.

The Colombian then squandered a great chance mid-way through the half, firing over after superb build-up play from McCarthy.

The rest of the half petered out, but Villa flew out of the blocks after the interval and found the opening goal inside four minutes.

Young had already seen an effort tipped over by Al Habsi when his corner was met by the head of Cuellar. But while Al Habsi made a magnificent save to deny the Spaniard, the ball looped up on the goal line and was nodded in by Agbonlahor.

Wigan’s response was immediate, with McCarthy’s cross headed inches over his own crossbar by Villa defender James Collins.

But Villa stamped their authority on the game on the hour mark when Young was needlessly tripped inside the box by Hendry Thomas and the forward picked himself up to smash the penalty down the middle of the goal and past Al Habsi.

Young missed a good chance to make it 3-0 before McCarthy pulled a goal back on 79 minutes with a shot that deflected in off Collins. But Wigan could not muster another to claim a share of the points.