Aston Villa 2 Charlton Athletic 0

CHARLTON slipped to 19th place in the Premiership table after a 2-0 defeat at unbeaten Aston Villa on Saturday.

Villa took 35th-minute lead when skipper Gareth Barry crossed superbly from the left for youngster Gabriel Agbonlahor to volley powerfully home from close range.

And it was another of Villa's youngsters, Luke Moore, who made it 2-0 on the hour mark, finishing well after a superb through ball by Juan Pablo Angel.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had come close to giving the Addicks a fourth-minute lead after he capitalised on an Olof Mellberg mistake, but his fierce drive was well tipped wide by Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen.

Charlton have now failed to win on the road in their last 16 matches as they continue to struggle under new boss Iain Dowie.

Charlton: Carson, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Rommedahl, Faye, Holland (Ambrose 66), Hughes, Hasselbaink (M Bent 66), D Bent.
Subs not used: Myhre, Kishishev, Sankofa.