Reading 1 Aston Villa 1

Curtis Davies gave Villa manager Martin O'Neill a boost by making his comeback from a fivemonth injury lay-off - eight weeks early.

Davies was expected to be sidelined for the first two months of the season after rupturing his Achilles in March.

The £10million summer buy from West Brom came through 62 minutes as a Gareth Barry-less Villa stuttered to a draw at relegated Reading.

Davies will now be available for Villa's Euro qualifier with Icelandic side Hafnarfjordur a week on Wednesday.

O'Neill said: "Curtis was a real surprise because we thought it would be October time before we saw him in the first team.

"He is still short of match fitness but today's game really brought him on."

O'Neill was forced to leave Barry as an unused substitute after admitting his captain is on his way to Liverpool.

Keeper Brad Friedel marked his debut after a £2.5m move from Blackburn by saving Stephen Hunt's 12thminute penalty.

But he was powerless to stop Jem Karacan putting Reading ahead after 36 minutes with a tap-in after James Harper hit the post.

Substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor spared Villa's blushes by bumbling home Mark Albrighton's cross 11 minutes from time.