A second-half Steve Sidwell goal, as he faced up to his previous club for the first time, was enough to separate the two teams that had been tied at the top of the reserve league.

In a match strewn with nine yellow cards, a disappointing night was completed by the late sending-off of Carl Magnay as Chelsea lost points and failed to find the net for the first time this season.

Brendan Rodgers's team, missing some regulars due to international call-ups, dominated the early exchanges and there was soon a lecture for Villa full-back Eric Lichaj for chopping down Scott Sinclair on the wing.

Two half-openings arrived around the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Fabio Ferreira, who enjoyed plenty of possession early on, tucking a pass inside to a well-placed Gaël Kakuta but on his return to competitive action after injury, the French youngster's touch was not certain enough.

Then a corner laid back to the edge of the area rolled into the path of Sinclair but the shot was still rising as it cleared the bar.

Sidwell was another player just back from injury and he was booked on 20 minutes for a foul on Magnay, having been spoken to already by the ref.

Chris Herd for the visitors soon followed into the book for a pull-back on the same Chelsea player.

Magnay was again operating at left-back with captain Liam Bridcutt in a less familiar centre-back role alongside Sam Hutchinson (pictured top), making his first competitive start in 11 months. It was not the tallest of Chelsea defences.

Sinclair fired the first shot on-target on 25 minutes after Villa cleared poorly, but Elliott Parish pulled off a sharp save.

Hilario was called upon to save for the first time just two minutes later, blocking at his near post with speedy reaction.

Villa, last year's Reserve League South champions, were increasingly coming into the game, Chelsea for a period left to clear forward with aerial balls, a method that was not without problems for a Villa defence that were at times hesitant when the ball was off the deck, despite the presence of former England Under 19 captain Ciaran Clark  at centre-back.

Tejera was almost allowed in by such aerial uncertainty in the Villa box but the Spaniard, from a tough angle, nodded wide.

Wide men Sinclair and Ferreira swapped wings but with no increase in penetration and Magnay was Chelsea's first booking five minutes before the break for a late tackle five yards from the edge of the area.

The free-kick proved harmless but Tejera went a lot closer a minute before the interval after the previously quiet Fabio Borini (pictured below) had won a free-kick on the left.

With a record for dangerous delivery, this time Tejera curled the ball beyond the keeper's reach but onto the outside of the far post and away to safety.

Jacob Mellis was a half-time substitute for Ferreira, Kakuta now moving to play wide on the right. One bright moment in the second-half apart, it was to be a low-key return by last season's outstanding youth team performer.

There was almost an unfortunate start to the half for the home side. Nana Ofori-Twumasi scuffed a clearance but a Hilario save prevented Sam Williams from capitalising. The Villa centre-forward was left cursing his leniency.

Opposite number Borini failed to connect with a promising ball into the box when well-placed and then Clark, forward for a Villa free-kick, headed straight into Hilario's hands. There had been more openings in the first five minutes of the second half than the final 30 of the preceding one.

Hutchinson joined the booked players on 58 minutes, just a minute before the visitors took the lead.

Sidwell began and finished the move, his reverse pass picked up by Zoltan Stieber who on the right, whipped a cross inside Hutchinson for Sidwell to guide a header inside Hilario's far post, having nipped between defenders.

Jordan Tabor was introduced for Hutchinson. He was to play left-back with Magnay moving to the centre. Clark became Villa's third booking for a bone-crunching challenge on Ofori-Twumasi that left both players writhing on the turf.

Big Frank Nouble, a youth team scorer at the weekend, was brought on for Tejera for the final 20 minutes but before he could make an impact, Chelsea lost a man. A sending-off had always looked on the cards with a rather trigger-happy ref in charge. Magnay was the man to see red for what appeared an innocuous pull on an opponent which earned a second booking.

Within two minutes, Stieber for Villa and Mellis for Chelsea joined those with a yellow card to their name. Three minutes more and Matthew Roome of the visitors was yellow-carded for a midfield misdemeanour.

Into the final 10 minutes, a tired-looking pass from Ofori-Twumasi allowed Villa to break, James Collins shooting just wide.

For restricting Chelsea to minimal chances in the second-half, the team from the Midlands had deserved their three points.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Henrique Hilario; Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Liam Bridcutt (c), Sam Hutchinson (Jordan Tabor 60), Carl Magnay; Tom Taiwo (Jacob Mellis h-t), Gaël Kakuta, Sergio Tejera (Frank Nouble 70); Fabio Ferreira, Fabio Borini, Scott Sinclair.

Villa (4-4-2): Elliott Parish; Eric Lichaj, Matthew Roome, Ciaran Clark, Stephen O'Halloran; Barry Bannan, Zoltan Stieber (Harry Forrester 83), Steve Sidwell, Chris Herd; James Collins, Sam Williams.