Bolton 1 Aston Villa 1: Big Match Report

Apr 25 2009

Ashley Young scored his first goal in 18 games but Aston Villa have still forgotten how it feels to enjoy that winning feeling.

Yet they had the perfect incentive after 11 matches without a victory in all competitions when the England prospect made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute.

However they let Bolton back into the game and Israel midfielder Tamir Cohen marked his first start of the season with the equaliser 16 minutes later.

Villa took a one-goal lead into the second half thanks to Young after a bright start by Bolton.

Matt Taylor sent a header into Brad Friedel's arms following a cross from Gretar Steinsson in the fourth minute.

They kept up the pressure and Gavin McCann tried to pick out Kevin Davies with an inswinging free-kick nine minutes later only for the ball to drift past the post.

Play switched back down the other end and James Milner latched on to a clever pass from John Carew in the 21st minute, only to see his effort blocked by the alert Cohen.

Jaaskelainen had to be on his toes two minutes later to collect a free-kick from Milner that evaded the wall.

Bolton should have taken the lead in the 31st minute after Davies and Taylor combined in a swift counter-attack.

Taylor delivered the ball into the path of Fabrice Muamba but the ball got stuck under his feet in the six-yard area.

The visitors then won a free-kick 20 yards out in the 38th minute and Petrov played it short to Young.

However the winger failed to trouble Jaaskelainen, his effort going wide of the post.