Villa refuse to let point go

Aston Villa maintained their run of late-season form with a comeback last night from 2-0 and 3-2 down to deny Charlton a victory that they were holding to gallantly with 10 men for almost an hour.

Five minutes from time within seconds of Paul Merson hitting the bar, Mark Kinsella broke away and put Charlton ahead. Then, in the last minute, Lee Henrdie squeezed in a second equaliser.

With a quarter-of-an-hour left Darius Vassell, one of two halftime substitutes, careered down the right, beating two men, cut in and beat the heroic Sasa Ilic at the near post for the equaliser. David Ginola, the other substitute, had scored Villa's first goal.

Villa came here unbeaten in seven and sniffing Europe after Ginola, a late substitute, turned Saturday's game for them against Everton. It wasn't enough, though, to earn the Frenchman a start.

The only change was Steve Staunton for the injured Gareth Southgate. It did little to bolster the defence though he could hardly be blamed for Charlton's lead on the quarter hour.

George Boateng lost possession in the centre circle, Shaun Bartlett and Jonatan Johansson exchanged passes and, as Bartlett closed for the tap in, Boateng did it for him.

Alan Curbishley had warned his players they had the five remaining games to nail down their positions for next season - and it worked.

It was looking good for Charlton until 10 minutes before halftime when Richard Rufus, up in attack, lunged late on Mark Delaney and was sent off. It was Graham Poll's ninth red card of the season.

Before Charlton could regroup, Paul Merson struck Sasa Ilics's left hand post and Ian Taylor put the rebound over a gaping goal. Before the interval, though, Charlton had gone two up. As tempers began to fray, Staunton held back Robinson and Claus Jenson converted the penalty.

Not surprisingly Ginola was on for the second half in a double substitution and in 12 minutes he had swept in Hendrie's pass to reduce the lead.

By the 65th minute Ilic had brought off two stunning saves, point-blank from Dublin's header and high to his left to Merson's drive and Charlton were hanging on by a thread.

Charlton: Ilic, Fish, Rufus, Todd, Konchesky (Salako 70), Parker (Newton 70), Kinsella, Jensen, Johansson (Brown 82), Robinson, Bartlett. Subs Not Used: Svensson, Caig. Sent Off: Rufus (36). Booked: Konchesky, Kinsella, Robinson. Goals: Boateng 16 og, Jensen 45 pen, Kinsella 89.

Aston Villa: James, Delaney, Alpay, Staunton, Wright, Stone (Ginola 46), Taylor, Boateng (Vassell 45), Hendrie, Dublin, Merson. Subs Not Used: Joachim, Samuel, Enckelman. Booked: Alpay, Dublin. Goals: Ginola 59, Vassell 75, Hendrie 90.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).