Charlton's marvellous season reached new heights as they stepped up their push for Europe by setting a new club record of five Premiership wins on the spin.

Aston Villa were the latest victims, going down 3-0 in south-east London to join West Ham, West Brom, Sunderland and Everton as the losers against the Addicks over the last month.

Alan Curbishley's men are up to sixth after goals from Jason Euell, Jonatan Johansson and a Jlloyd Samuel own-goal.

The first half was desperately dull for the 26,257 capacity crowd packed into The Valley on a chilly early spring day.

But Curbishley's men picked up the pace just before the break and were rewarded seven minutes after the interval when Euell turned Alan Wright to dispatch a 12-yard strike beyond Peter Enckelman.

The Scandinavian shot-stopper had earlier been on top of his game to keep out several Charlton strikes.

Graham Taylor's were desperately unlucky not to equalise on the hour. Scott Parker made goalline clearances from Darius Vassell and Peter Crouch.

And Crouch, making a rare appearance due to Dion Dublin's suspension, was the Villa villain with 11 minutes left when he tamely side-footed straight at Kiely from 14 yards.

Villa's misery was complete when Johansson tapped home with two minutes left and Samuel scooped the ball into his own net in injury time.

Alpay had made a shock return to the Villa backline after apologising to Taylor after a four-month dispute over a pay rise and playing in reserve games. It was his first start since the clash with Southampton back in October.

Charlton chief executive Peter Varney demonstrated the affection with which Villa's ex-Addicks midfielder Mark Kinsella is still held in down in south-east London by making a presentation to him before kick-off.

Crouch stretched out one of his long legs to poke Kinsella's cross a yard wide in the seventh minute.

The quality of play in this match had gone dramatically downhill, with a desperate lack of momentum as the half-hour point arrived. There was also a complete lack of atmosphere.

Kevin Lisbie was Curbishley's most dangerous player and finally gave the crowd something to shout about with a surging run seven minutes before the interval.

He turned Alpay and Olof Mellberg inside-out, but after creating the best opening of the half he dragged his shot across the face of goal from eight yards.

Euell produced a stunning volley on the stroke of half-time which Enckelman palmed over - and the Villa No 1 then produced a fine parry from Lisbie's stinging drive.

Charlton started the second half in the same vein that they finished the first and were rewarded with the opening goal in the 52nd minute.

Claus Jensen surged down the left and pulled the ball back to Parker.

He chipped it to Euell, who turned on the penalty spot, fended off Alan Wright's challenge and slotted into the bottom right corner for his ninth Premiership goal of the season.

But only two goalline clearances by the Addicks kept their lead intact in a frantic 61st minute.

First Parker blocked Vassell's close-range header and poked the ball away. Taylor's men returned it straight into the danger zone and Luke Young teamed up with Parker to scramble the ball behind for a corner.

Villa were hitting back strongly and substitute Mustapha Hadji was next to threaten, heading wide from Gareth Barry's looping cross.

Crouch wasted a golden chance to equalise with 11 minutes left. Young's fine sliding tackle denied Kinsella a shooting opportunity but inadvertently teed up the Crouch. The giant frontman hit a tame side-foot shot straight at Dean Kiely.

And Charlton made him pay for his profligacy in the 88th minute.

Parker skinned Alpay on the left and pulled the ball back for Johansson to tap home from five yards.

Villa's misery was complete in injury-time when Samuel scored an own-goal to make it 3-0.

Mathias Svensson headed Jensen's corner goalwards and deflected off Johansson. Samuel stretched out a leg but could only help the ball into his net.

Teams

Charlton Kiely, Young, Fortune, El Khalej, Powell, Kishishev, Parker (Bart-Williams 89), Euell, Jensen, Bartlett (Svensson 88), Lisbie (Johansson 83).

Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Turner.

Booked: Bartlett, Kishishev.

Goals: Euell 51, Johansson 87, 90.

Aston Villa Enckelman, Mellberg, Alpay, Johnsen, De la Cruz (Hadji 60), Kinsella, Gudjonsson, Barry, Wright (Samuel 60), Crouch, Vassell (Allback 65).

Subs Not Used: Postma, Hendrie.

Booked: Kinsella, Crouch.

Att: 26,257

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).