Aston Villa Move Into Third Place in the EPL

place in the Premier League after James Milner's deflected late goal sank West Ham.

An open first half saw Ashley Young hit the post for Villa after running on to a poor Scott Parker back-pass but West Ham dominated after the break.

Carlton Cole headed an easy chance over and was denied twice from close range by Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

The visitors looked short of ideas until Milner's 78th-minute cross looped off Lucas Neill and into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Hammers, who had looked by far the most likely to break the deadlock but instead saw their miserable home form continue.

Villa, meanwhile, move above Manchester United and are now only four points behind leaders Liverpool, although they have played more games than all of their title rivals.

Martin O'Neill's men arrived at Upton Park having enjoyed the luxury of resting senior players in the midweek Uefa Cup defeat in Hamburg, their progress already sealed in that competition.

But, while the visitors may have been refreshed, it still took them time to get into the swing of things and it was the Hammers who began much the brighter.

Craig Bellamy had already seen one snap-shot saved by Friedel when he met Herita Ilunga's long ball and fired in an angled effort that the goalkeeper did brilliantly to push away.

Neill should also have done far better when Calum Davenport headed a Mark Noble free-kick into his path, swinging at the ball as it flew invitingly across the six-yard box and seeing his mis-hit volley fly wide.

An inability to find the net is the root of the Hammers' problems this season - they began the game just a point and a place above the relegation zone after scoring only four goals in their previous 10 league games.

And they were handed an early warning about their wastefulness here as Villa began to wake from their slumbers.

Villa's first chance saw Steve Sidwell fire just wide from Ashley Young's quickly-taken free-kick.

Sidwell missed the target again with another shot soon afterwards but only by a fraction after Gabriel Agbonlahor capitalised on a heavy touch by Neill and escaped down the left before sending in a low cross.

side were under pressure and they did not help their cause when Parker attempted to play the ball back to Green but instead only found Ashley Young, who rounded Rob Green but then hit the outside of the post.

The visitors also had a case for a penalty when Neill tangled with Gareth Barry as the ball flew over their heads inside the area and Green had to keep out shots by Milner and Barry before the break.

At that stage things looked ominous for West Ham but, strangely, Villa lost their way completely at the start of the second half.

Ashley Young and Agbonlahor, so prominent earlier on, disappeared from view and it was the Hammers who should have taken the lead when Cole met Neill's cross at the far post but failed to keep his header down with the goal gaping.

Only a last-ditch Luke Young tackle denied Cole again seconds later when he tried to meet Bellamy's cross at the near post but he still forced Friedel into a save after picking up the loose ball.

And Friedel was forced into yet another stop when Cole managed to find space to get his shot away from an even tighter angle in a similar position.

Villa had barely threatened since the interval but they still collected all three points thanks to a massive stroke of luck.

Milner was trying to cross the ball from the left-hand side of the penalty area but instead it hit Neill and left Green helpless as it dropped under the crossbar and over the line.

Villa Climb To 4th on Premier League Table

Villa Climb To 4th on Premier League Table with a 4-2 win against Bolton.

Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young inspired Aston Villa to a victory which took them above Arsenal into fourth.

Bolton took the lead through Johan Elmander's cute near-post backheel.

But Agbonlahor controlled a long ball before slotting in the equaliser and Villa went ahead when Kevin Davies headed into his own net.

Agbonlahor nodded in a brilliant Young cross and then set up his England team-mate for a deflected finish, before Davies headed a consolation for Bolton.

The hosts could even have had a fifth had referee Lee Probert spotted what looked an obvious penalty claim in the first half but that might have been too much for the Villa Park faithful, who had not seen a league goal since 9 November.

Following successive home stalemates against Manchester United and Fulham, the hosts would have welcomed the goal drought lasting longer than the 18 minutes it took for Bolton to snatch the lead.

With their first attack of note, Davies picked up a loose ball on the right and crossed for Elmander to beat Brad Friedel with a clever backheel, the Swede's fifth league goal of the season.

The hosts had every right to be shell-shocked, having had much the better of the opening quarter of an hour.

The electric pace of Young and Agbonlahor had a lumbering Bolton defence in all sorts of trouble - but they were struggling to beat the linesman's offside flag.

Bolton display disappoints Megson

Bolton almost added to their lead, Gretar Steinsson heading against the bar, before Agbonlahor finally did stay onside to head the ball away from his marker and finish expertly with his left foot.

That was the cue for the hosts to take complete control, Agbonlahor terrorising the defence with his pace and movement, and they took a deserved lead five minutes from time when Davies headed into his own net under pressure from Martin Laursen.

They will still be wondering how they were not further ahead at the interval. Probert inexplicably waved away Villa's penalty claims when Gary Cahill had used his arm to clear a corner.

Villa continued to control the game in the second half, but the excitement level dropped markedly - that is, until Young produced a touch of magic on the left wing, twisting and turning to make the space before whipping in a fabulous inswinging cross that Agbonlahor only had to glance home.

Bolton were forced to chase the game, and that only played into the hands of their counter-attacking opposition.

O'Neill admits 'absolute joy' about Villa duo

Agbonlahor picked up the ball on the left, and found Young inside the penalty box, the winger's fierce shot hitting Steinsson before beating keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Bolton, who came into the match on a run of three successive away wins under manager-of-the-month Gary Megson, kept working and were rewarded when Davies headed in at the far post from Steinsson's right-wing cross in the 86th minute.

That made it 10 away goals in four games, but a comeback was too much to hope for.

Indeed, Villa spurned two more clear chances, both by Steve Sidwell, first failing to tap in Marlon Harwood's dangerous ball across goal and then seeing his shot blocked.

Aston Villa Grind Out Win at Goodison Park

Two injury-time goals produced a remarkable finish at Goodison Park as Aston Villa eventually claimed a 3-2 win over Everton to retake fifth spot in the Premier League.

Two minutes into injury-time, Everton believed that Joleon Lescott's second goal of the game had given them a crucial point.

• O'Neill thrilled by 'world class' Young

But with the home fans' celebrations still in full swing, Ashley Young broke away to grab the winner 60 seconds later.

Villa had led after just 34 seconds through Steve Sidwell, only for Lescott's first to bring Everton level before the break.

Phil Jagielka's shocking backpass presented Young with his first goal after 54 minutes and his late, late second left the Merseysiders with just one home league win this season.

Everton were beset by injuries and boss David Moyes had little alternative but to lead the line with 20-year-old Victor Anichebe, with Ayegbeni Yakubu, Louis Saha and James Vaughan all out.

Sadly for Vaughan, his comeback from cartilage problems will be delayed because the Colorado doctor set to perform the operation, Richard Steadman, has broken his arm.

So the youngster has headed home and Everton will look for an alternative specialist, making it even more likely that Moyes will be forced into the January transfer market.

For now he has to use his limited resources - Anichebe being the only change from the starting line-up in last weekend's win at Tottenham.

But Moyes was forced into naming three more youngsters on the bench, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Dan Gosling and John Paul Kissock coming in, with veteran Andy van der Meyde also getting a rare place among the substitutes.

After making a glut of changes for their midweek UEFA Cup tie, Villa reverted to the same side that drew with Fulham last time out in the Premier League.

Villa were trying to avoid a run of three consecutive goalless league draws, and they settled that issue after just 34 seconds.

They had set about Everton with a ferocious tempo, and the hosts were caught cold when Mikel Arteta lost possession. The ball was transferred between Ashley Young, James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor before arriving at Sidwell's feet.

And from 25 yards the midfielder lashed a rising shot past Tim Howard.

Everton were initially all at sea, trying to decide whether Steven Pienaar should play closer to Anichebe.

Villa were quicker all over the pitch and could have had another when Martin Laursen's header from Ashley Young's corner was deflected over the bar.

Another break down the left saw Agbonlahor pull the ball back to an unmarked Stiliyan Petrov, but he delayed his shot from a good position to allow Tim Cahill to get in a desperate saving tackle.

After 25 minutes Everton finally fashioned their first chances when Leon Osman's header put Cahill in on the left, and his drive was blocked by Brad Friedel.

A minute later when Arteta's corner curled into the box for Marouane Fellaini, but his header was saved by Friedel to his left.

That flurry gave Everton much-needed confidence and after 30 minutes they were level.

Arteta's free-kick was flicked on by Osman for Lescott to turn the ball in from a couple of yards.

Everton, now firmly in the game, pressed Villa back and three minutes from the break it took a goal-line header from Carlos Cuellar to keep our another Fellaini effort.

Two minutes into the second period, Fellaini saw a further header touched onto the bar from Arteta's corner by Friedel.

But then a shocking error from Jagielka, arguably Everton's most reliable defender this term, gifted Villa the lead again after 54 minutes.

The Everton defender played a backpass without looking, and Ashley Young raced onto the ball to lift his shot past a hopelessly exposed Howard.

Everton's response to that body-blow was muted, Villa seemingly content to defend and hit on the break.

Ashley Young broke away after 77 minutes, the ball having cannoned to him after a tackle on Arteta in midfield, which had the crowd pleading for a free-kick.

But referee Martin Atkinson, who had let far too much go in a physical game, allowed the play to continue. But when Ashley Young got into the box he lost possession and the chance was lost.

With six minutes to go, Everton turned to Van der Meyde for his first appearance since April 2007.

Two minutes later Leighton Baines replaced Anichebe, with Jagielka going up front.

It was a grandstand finish from Everton, with Cahill and then Lescott going close with headers.

But two minutes into injury-time, Everton hauled themselves level.

Jagielka headed the ball back into the box, Cahill touched it on and Lescott was there to hook it home.

But Villa were not finished. They broke from the kick-off and from Agbonlahor's flick Young raced away to guide his low shot past Howard in superb fashion.