Villa won it at the death in a game of few chances at West Ham.

Jonathan Hogg opened the scoring for the visitors with a well-worked goal on 69 but West Ham equalised four minutes later through a Kyel Reid thunderbolt.

But Shane Lowry was the hero when he poked home with two minutes remaining.

Danny Earls had the first chance of the game on 7, but his low shot from 30 yards was easily saved by former Walsall goalkeeper James Walker.

Tony Stokes had West Ham's first effort of the half on 9, his shot bypassed Eric Lund but went harmlessly wide.

Yago Bellon showed great skill on the left on 24 and floated in a good ball to the far post. Skipper Zoltan Stieber lashed his shot over the bar from a tight angle.

Stieber and Lund were involved soon after as they released Mikaelsson down the wing. His cross-cum-shot came to nothing in the end with Yago Bellon desperately trying to get to the ball.

Stieber had a great chance to score on 29 as Yago Bellon fed him after a mistake from Walker in the Hammers goal but the Hungarian midfielder hit his shot wide.

Mikaelsson had the best chance of the half on 41 as he unleashed a fierce drive which beat the keeper, ricocheted off the inside of the post, hit the keeper again and shot away to safety.

Herd hit a corker from 25 yards out and despite dipping and swerving, the ball flew wide of Walker's post on 57.

MacDonald made a triple switch on 59, Delfouneso, Albrighton and James Collins replacing Mikaelsson, Yago Bellon and Lund

Delfouneso showed trickery down the centre and passed to Albrighton who flashed a shot which Walker gathered at the second time of asking on 60.

Stieber delivered a pin-point corner on 65 but Collins, with a free header, flighted the ball over the bar.

Jonathan Hogg opened the scoring for Villa with an expert finish after good build-up play from Danny Earls on 69. Earls beat a couple of players before chipping one for Hogg to make it 1-0 to Villa.

West Ham hit back four minutes later, when left winger Kyel Reid hammered home a blistering shot from long range.

Reid turned provider on 76, pulling a ball back for Stanislav whose shot hit the post and was cleared by the Villa defence.

John Pantsil, up from the back, headed inches wide on 83 as he looked to give the Hammers the lead.

Albrighton nearly won it for Villa on 87 when his cross beat Walker but hit the bar. Lowry won it at the death when a Stieber cross was headed down for the Australian to finish expertly.

Villa: Bevan; Lund, Earls, Lowry, O'Halloran; D Bellon, Y Bellon, Hogg, Herd; Stieber, Mikaelsson. Subs: Clark, Boyle, Bannan, Albrighton (for Y Bellon), Delfouneso (for Mikaelsson), J Collins (for Lund).