Agbonlahor marked his return form his month loan at Watford with a brace after failing to find the net at Vicarage Road. Craig Gardner followed up his double for the Academy side with another well taken goal.

Gavin McCann made a welcome return to action with a full 90 minutes and Mark Delaney also lasted the duration in his bid for first team football.

It took eight minutes for Agbonlahor to open the scoring, latching onto a neat through ball from Jamie Ward.

Ward then set up McCann who clipped the cross bar with a fierce volley.

Ward continued to play well in the centre of the park, creating many chances throughout the first half. Taylor, in the Villa goal, was rarely troubled, although Delaney forced him to slice a clearance after over hitting a backpass.

The second half opened slowly, although the ref failed to spot Agbonlahor being tripped inside the box.

It took ten minutes of the second half for Villa to double their advantage, with Ward's successor Craig Gardner hitting a superb 25 yard shot beyond Leeds' triallist goalkeeper Smith.

Ten minutes later it was three nil, as Agbonlahor ran onto a long through ball and finished from a tight angle.

Villa continued to press for a further goal, but the contest was over and three more points were bagged for the title contenders.

Villa: Taylor, de la Cruz, Green, Delaney, O'Halloran, Djemba-Djemba, Ward, McCann, Kabeya, Paul, Agbonlahor. Subs: Olejnik, Williams, Gardner, Bridges.