Steve Sidwell's double earned Reading their fourth successive win in the Barclays Premiership to keep them on course for a European spot.

The midfielder struck his third and fourth goals of the campaign to maintain the Royals' unbeaten start to 2007 and strengthen their place in the top six.

Villa had enough chances to have salvaged a point but they were denied by a mixture of poor finishing and a solid display from Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Steve Coppell may have banished talk of qualifying for Europe but it is now a realistic proposition for Reading who combine a ceaseless work-rate and energy with causing opponents a real threat with their fire-power.

Apart from his goals, Sidwell was an inspirational figure throughout for the home side.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is in the middle of a rebuilding process and mid-table is the best he can hope for this season. But he would have been pleased with another promising display from striker John Carew.

Ashley Young should have done better early on when picked out by a cross from Gareth Barry but he failed to make full contact on his header which flew past the post.

Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen held onto a deflected shot from James Harper before Reading broke the deadlock after 16 minutes through Sidwell's third goal of the season.

The visitors failed to spot Sidwell's run from the edge of the box and he beat Sorensen with a near-post header from Stephen Hunt's corner although it took a slight deflection off Phil Bardsley.

Reading were finding so much space down the right flank and another cross from Little picked out Leroy Lita whose powerful header was parried out by Sorensen.

The home side were now in the ascendancy and Lita was frustrated not to have at least got his header on target from a Hunt centre although he may have been put off by Long who also attacked the ball.

Another incisive home move ended with a last ditch tackle from Gary Cahill to deny Sidwell after a deft flick into the danger area by Lita.

Villa suddenly came to life and Hahnemann was forced to make two important saves in the space of 60 seconds.

First he tipped over a powerful left-footed effort from Maloney which was destined for the top corner of the net and then blocked a Carew shot with his legs.

Carew then had a close-range header blocked by Andre Bikey from an inswinging Barry corner. Gabriel Agbonlahor's first touch let him down when he raced onto a Young pass and his eventual shot was well off target.

Sidwell had the ball in the net for the second time early in the second period from a Lita cross but he was adjudged to have fouled Sorensen.

But Villa came more into proceedings and Young would have been disappointed not to have at least hit the target from 12 yards out as Reading appealed in vain for offside.

Villa came close to levelling after 54 minutes when a low drive from Young took a deflection of Carew and completely wrong-footed Hahnemann and struck a post.

Agbonlahor seized the rebound but Hahnemann reacted quickly to block the shot from the England Under-21 international.

Young became the first player to be yellow carded after 56 minutes after a late challenge on Reading skipper Graeme Murty and then Harper was booked for tackling Young from behind.

Sorensen did well to deny Lita at close range but in injury-time Sidwell exchanged passes with substitute Dave Kitson before netting his second goal.

Teams:

Reading Hahnemann, Murty, Bikey, Ingimarsson, Shorey,Little (Oster 77), Harper, Sidwell, Hunt, Lita,Long (Kitson 62).

Subs Not Used: Federici, De la Cruz, Duberry.

Booked: Harper, Bikey.

Goals: Sidwell 16, 90.

Aston Villa Sorensen, Bardsley, Mellberg, Cahill, Barry,Agbonlahor (Berger 75), McCann, Petrov, Maloney, Carew,Young (Davis 88).

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Laursen, Ridgewell.

Booked: Young.

Att: 24,122

Ref: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).