Darius Vassell turned in an end-of-season treat at Stamford Bridge to confirm the faith of England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is well placed.

The Aston Villa striker, named in England's squad for Korea and Japan in midweek, displayed the searing pace and delightful trickery which has so impressed Eriksson as Villa notched only their third win since February.

Vassell and beanpole striker Peter Crouch scored the Villa goals as Chelsea struggled to shrug off the disappointment of their FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal last weekend.

Eidur Gudjohnsen did manage to convert a second-half penalty kick for Chelsea after Mark Delaney had brought down Sam Dalla Bona.

But it was scant consolation for a Chelsea side which has seen another season of promise peter out in miserable frustration.

At least manager Claudio Ranieri, who has lowered the age at Stamford Bridge and begun to build a team with fresh impetus, has the reward of European football next season in the shape of the UEFA Cup, while Villa boss Graham Taylor can point to steadying improvement in the past few weeks after a somewhat traumatic start to his second tilt at management bat Villa Park.

In truth, however, this was a match for large part with 'meaningless end-of-season encounter' written all over it - Ranieri using the opportunity to blood precocious teenagers Carlton Cole and Robert Huth.

It was Vassell, however, who stole the headlines, his England call having clearly given him the incentive for a performance which suggests he just might sit happily alongside Michael Owen from the start in Japan.

So often this season, as always it seems, Chelsea have flattered to deceive. And again they swept forwards at times with burgeoning promise, sweeping moves of invention but without delivering the end product.

The first-half, in particular, showed Chelsea in their most frustrating hue. Gianfranco Zola and Jesper Gronkjaer had venomous shots saved brilliantly by Peter Enckelman and Mario Melchiot was clean on the Villa goalkeeper only to see his scuffed shot saved by the keeper's legs.

But really it should have been a half to herald the coming of another striker in the shape of Carlton Cole, the 18-year-old making his full home debut and of whom great things are expected down the Fulham Road.

Cole, a big, physical west-London boy with impressive poise and balance, had been given his chance because of the injury to Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink and he could have easily had a hat-trick in the first 45 minutes with alittle more composure.

That will no doubt come as he matures.

As it happens the opening goal came in the 21st minute from a pretty familiar Graham Taylor route.

Persistent work by Vassell won a corner which was taken by former England man Steve Stone, who floated the ball high into the Chelsea penalty area.

Up leapt Crouch, making a good old-fashioned nuisance of himself, to head the ball down and past Cudicini into the Chelsea net - and no-one could deny that the Villa were not good value for that lead.

In a search for extra penetration Ranieri made a three-way substitution at half-time bringing on Eidur Gudjohnsen for Gronkjaer, Sam Dalla Bona forBoudewijn Zenden and 17-year-old Robert Huth to make his debut in place of Graeme le Saux.

No matter, Villa soon made it two, Steve Stone sending in a swirling cross in the 64th minute and Vassell steaming in at the far post to strike a left-foot volley past Cudicini with some style.

In the 70th minute Chelsea got back in the game courtesy of a penalty.

Villa fullback Delaney appeared to pull back Dalla Bona as the Chelsea midfielder attempted to wriggle through a crowded area.

Referee Bennett pointed to the spot and Gudjohnsen stepped up to smash a left-foot shot past Enckelman. It was more than Chelsea deserved and it would have been a travesty if they had equalised.

As it was Taylor threw on Dion Dublin for the last six minutes and he soon made his presence felt, rising to prod home a close-range header with just two minutes remaining.

Somewhat incongruously the Chelsea team at the end set off on a lap of honour, which was as inappropriate as it was ill-timed.

It did at least thank their fans for standing by them in another season of frustration.

For Vassell, however, the season is not over. There may be much greater times to come.

Teams:

Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Le Saux (Gudjohnsen 45), Gronkjaer (Huth 45), Petit, Lampard, Zenden (Dalla Bona 45), Zola, Cole.

Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic.

Goals: Gudjohnsen 70 pen.

Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Staunton, Mellberg, Wright, Stone, Boateng, Hitzlsperger (Hendrie 53), Barry, Vassell (Dublin 84), Crouch (Angel 88).

Subs Not Used: Hadji, Henderson.

Booked: Hitzlsperger.

Goals: Crouch 21, Vassell 63, Dublin 88.

Att: 40,709

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).