*Kachloul’s first sends Villa third*

Aston Villa took full advantage of their game in hand on the Premiership pacemakers last night with a victory that elevates them to third in the table, their highest position for almost three years.

The margin of victory, courtesy of Hassan Kachloul’s first goal since moving to the midlands from Southampton, belied a one-sided contest. Charlton looked anything but a side that had previously conceded just three goals on their travels and here they were spared a heavier defeat only by some fine goalkeeping from Dean Kiely and wayward Villa finishing.

While there was no sell-out crowd to greet their club’s ascent, the home supporters were quickly put in a good mood as Villa wasted little time in dismantling Charlton’s 3-5-2 formation.

The sources of Athletic’s discomfort were invariably Lee Hendrie and Kachloul. Hendrie has been impressive in central midfield this season but he is also at home on the far left of the midfield quartet and, on this form, Sven-Goran Eriksson could surely do worse than give him a chance in England’s problem position.

Hendrie’s probing resulted in Villa’s first moment of menace when his back-heel set free Kachloul. The Moroccan international skipped past Mark Fish before delivering a low cross that Steve Brown intercepted before Darius Vassell could get a touch on it.

Inevitably it was Hendrie who forced the first save of the match, his right-foot shot from distance resulting in the diving Dean Kiely catching the ball with two hands.

The midfielder, however, was not involved when Villa converted their early dominance with a goal in the ninth minute. It followed an in-swinging corner taken by the left-footed Steve Staunton that resulted in Mark Kinsella blocking Vassell’s header on the goal line.

But the rebound fell compliantly to Kachloul who responded by lashing home his first goal for Villa from six yards.

Staunton, with the aid of a deflection, came close to scoring himself two minutes later when his 30-yard free-kick almost wrongfooted Kiely. Vassell, despite being vertically challenged against Charlton’s three centre backs, provided more menace with his head when a diving effort following Mark Delaney’s right-wing cross flashed just wide of Kiely’s right-hand post.

With the home goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel idle as his team-mates dominated, Villa came close to increasing their lead by less conventional means: the industrious Vassell charged down a Kiely clearance and the Charlton goalkeeper must have been relieved to watch the rebound dribble past the outside of the post.

Kiely was almost caught napping again five minutes be fore the interval when, spotting the goalkeeper off his line, Delaney tried an audacious lob from 40 yards and almost succeeded. Back-pedalling frantically, Kiely managed to clutch the ball before it went in.

Charlton, who had failed to trouble Schmeichel with a shot on target in the first period, made a change up front for the second, Alan Curbishley replacing Shaun Bartlett with the former Wimbledon striker Jason Euell.

But the opening to the half replicated almost the entire first 45 minutes as Villa went in search of a decisive second goal. And they came close to getting one following a delightful move in which the ability of Hendrie to produce the unexpected proved pivotal.

The midfielder unhinged the defence with a dummy that released Dion Dublin in space; Hendrie then ran into position to accept the return and surely would have scored had pass been accurate. Instead it found Vassell who, closed down by the entrancing Kiely, scooped the ball over the crossbar.

Hendrie had a chance of his own in the 55th minute when, set up by Kachloul’s diagonal pass, he fired over Kiely’s goal.

The Charlton keeper needed to get involved in the 65th minute, however, when he prevented Villa increasing their lead by producing a one handed save to divert a fierce shot from Dublin to safety.