Aston Villa 3 QPR 2: Paul Lambert delighted to edge six-pointer

Paul Lambert heaped praise on Aston Villa for an excellent performance after the Birmingham side edged to victory over relegation rivals Queens Park Rangers at Villa Park.

The west London side deservedly took a 23rd-minute lead when Jermaine Jenas finished from close range after Villa keeper Brad Guzan failed to parry Bobby Zamora’s shot to safety.

However, Villa equalised on the stroke of half-time as Gabriel Agbonlahor headed past Júlio Cesar before Austrian midfielder Andreas Weimann put the home side ahead in the 59th minute.

Andros Townsend, who scored his first QPR goal last weekend, brought the Hoops back level just 14 minutes later with a deflected low shot which crept past Guzan.

But fittingly, Christian Benteke had the final word in the six-pointer with the giant Belgian capitalising on shoddy QPR defending to stroke his finish past a stranded Cesar with nine minutes remaining.

“Some of the football we played was excellent, it was some game that,” Lambert told BBC Sport.

“I thought we could create and the goal before half-time was terrific. It was credit to QPR as they came at us really strongly. I was delighted to see it through.

“Last week’s win was huge, and the atmosphere today was electric.”

Aston Villa’s victory moves the Birmingham side six points clear of 17th-placed Wigan Athletic, who have played two games less than Lambert’s men.