New chairman Randy Lerner saw Villa cruise to three richly deserved points against struggling Charlton.

Goals from Gabby Agbonlahor and Luke Moore were the least Villa deserved as they bossed this encounter.

Martin O'Neill's men stretched the unbeaten run to seven and should have had more goals.

Agbonlahor draged a low shot past the post as he cut in from the right on two.

Two minutes later Bent pounced on hesitancy in the Villa defence, but saw his low shot palmed wide by Sorensen.

Bent headed over the bar on 11 as he met a Rommedahl centre from the right.

Hughes was unable to find Angel with a curling centre a minute later. Agbonlahor then sent a looping header straight at keeper Carson.

McCann fired high and wide from distance on 17 as Villa started to press for an opener.

Moore sent a low left-foot drive straight at Carson a minute later as his pace took him past Young.

Hasselbaink then fired high into the Holte End as he turned on the edge of the Villa box.

Barry saw his low free-kick comfortably gathered by Carson, definitely the busier keeper, on 23.

Fortune's header denied Angel on 31, as the striker looked to meet a Hughes centre.

Villa penalty appeals fell on deaf ears two minutes later as Angel claimed Fortune handled in the box.

Agbonlahor grabbed his first senior Villa Park goal in some style on 35, volleying into the roof of the net as he met a left-wing cross from Barry.

Rommedahl sent a tame effort straight at Sorensen on 40. Seconds later Petrov fired over from the edge of the box at the other end.

Petrov sent a low right-foot drive flashing just past the post in stoppage-time.

Davis sent a low angled drive straight at Carson just seconds after the restart.

Sorensen then denied Hasselbaink as the striker produced a stunning drive from the edge of the box on 46.

The explosive start to the second-half continued as Davis fired into the Hote End from Petrov's lay-off two minutes later.

Rommedahl fired wide of the upright from 25 yards on 50.

Moore doubled Villa's lead on 62, racing onto a measured through ball from Angel and firing past Carson.

Moore headed wide as he rose to meet Barry's dangerous cross from the left on 68.

Agbonlahor almost doubled his tally as he raced past Hreidarsson three minutes later, but fired straight at Carson.

With time running out for the visitors, Sorensen confidently gathered an angled drive from Rommedahl on 79.

Moore sent a low drive from the edge of the box wide a minute later.

Bent headed just over the bar in stoppage time as Rommedahl broke down the Charlton right.

VILLA: Sorensen, Hughes, Barry, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Davis, Petrov, McCann, Moore, Agbonlahor, Angel. Subs: Taylor, Laursen, Baros (for Moore 82), Whittingham, Berger.

Charlton: Carson, Young, Hreidarsson, Faye (booked 90), Holland, D.Bent, El Karkouri, Hasselbaink, Rommedahl, Hughes, Fortune. Subs: Myhre, Kishishev, M.Bent (for Holland 66), Ambrose (for Hasselbaink 66), Sankofa.