Darren Bent draws Villa level with a brilliantly timed header
Stoke City halted a dismal run of seven successive away defeats, denying Aston Villa and edging towards Premier League survival in a scrappy game.
The Potters took the lead through a towering Kenywne Jones header following a trademark Rory Delap throw-in.
But an out-of-sorts Villa levelled when the in-form Darren Bent expertly headed home Kyle Walker’s cross.
Villa had the better of things after the interval but struggled to create clear chances and the visitors held on.
The result means Stoke are now five points clear of the drop zone, while Villa are seven points above the bottom three.
Stoke, who have not lost any of the 12 league games this season in which they have gone ahead, seemed likely to take more than a point after an impressive first period.
The home side edged a gentle opening 10 minutes, probing and teasing the away defence but offering no goal threat.
Stoke looked compact, organised and comfortable and their power and discipline soon laid the platform for a serious spell of pressure: six corners and the first goal.
Villa keeper Brad Friedel was forced to pull off brilliant acrobatic stops to keep out Robert Huth’s rasping strike following a Delap throw-in, and a point-blank Jones header.
But the American could do nothing to prevent Jones from heading the Potters ahead when the striker out-jumped Richard Dunne and sent his effort into the far post from another fizzing Delap throw-in.
Visiting boss Tony Pulis was barking instructions to his players at every opportunity and urging them to capitalise on their dominance.
The Potters may have an FA Cup final date to think about but Pulis looked like a man desperate to ensure their Premier League survival before their Wembley date in May.
Certainly Stoke had the look of a team playing for the places against a Villa side who, despite their promising first five minutes, were unable to get either of their wingers, Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, on the ball.
Stand-in-boss Gary McAllister, in charge following manager Gerard Houllier’s midweek health scare would probably have been happy enough to be only one down after a tepid first half in which his side barely threatened.
Luke Young sent a low effort well wide after cutting in from left-back and Huth did superbly to stop Bent getting a shot away after a surging run from Stiliyan Petrov.
But that was as good as it got until a moment of inspiration from Bent drew Villa level two minutes before the break.
Stoke’s ploy of dropping deep and relying on Huth and skipper Ryan Shawcross to deal with Emile Heskey and nullify Bent’s pace seemed to be working a treat.
But the visitors dropped off once too often and the excellent Walker was given bags of time and Bent got in front of Shawcross to send a pinpoint header in off the post from just inside the 18-yard box.
That goal – Bent’s fifth in six games – revitalised Villa after the break and they dominated possession and territory as Stoke seemed to tire.
Young posed an increasing threat but the hosts did not have enough guile and could just not fashion any telling opportunities in the face of some dogged defending and clever delaying tactics.
There were a series of half-openings and plenty of decent approach play but no end product.
At the other end Jonathan Walters did almost nip in behind the home defence and substitute Ricardo Fuller – who was later carried off on a stretcher – had a goal correctly wiped out for offside.
The hosts seemed the more likely to find a winner but the sides had to settle for a point each.