FRIEDEL..........................6

Didn’t have much chance with the goals but maybe needed to be more assertive on crosses.

WALKER.........................7

Made Bent’s goal and did well against Martin Petrov, great pace.

L YOUNG.........................6

Good effort for a first game back but sometimes lost his bearings.

CLARK............................7

Looked the most comfortable of Villa’s back four, coped with Kevin Davies well.

BAKER............................5

Designated to mark Cahill at set-pieces but didn’t, youngster had a difficult afternoon.

REO-COKER.....................6

Shielded back four and when Bolton couldn’t go through him they went over him.

DELPH............................6

Industrious without ever threatening to get forward.

★ ALBRIGHTON...............8

Slaughtered Paul Robinson, scored a good goal and ran himself into the ground.

A YOUNG.........................7

The hub of most of Villa’s attacks but that penalty miss was an accident waiting to happen.

DOWNING.......................6

A couple of decent crosses but should have scored with a second-half volley.

BENT...............................6

Lost Cahill and Wheater almost at will but frustratingly only once used the space he found.

SUBSTITUTES:

S Petrov (for Delph, 77)

Agbonlahor (for Albrighton, 83)

Not used: Marshall, Pires, Bradley, Herd, Heskey.

BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Wheater, Cahill, Robinson; M Petrov (Lee, 60), Muamba (Davies, 60), Holden, Elmander (Klasnic, 67); Davies, Sturridge. Subs: Bogdan, Taylor, Rodrigo, Alonso.

BOOKINGS: Elmander (foul, 38), Jaaskelainen (unsporting behaviour, 68), Steinsson (foul, 69), Wheater (unsporting behaviour, 77) – Bolton. Clark (foul, 36), Walker (foul, 90) – Villa.

CROWD WATCH.................................6

A good shift from the travelling supporters who outsung their hosts. Attendance: 22,533.

REF WATCH.......................................5

K Friend (Leicester): Fussy display, got some big decisions wrong.

THE MANAGER..................................7

It’s difficult to say what Gerard Houllier could have done differently.

GAME RATING...................................8

Very entertaining, it could have been 5-4 to Villa quite easily.

INJURY WATCH

Collins (calf), Cuellar (hamstring), Dunne (shoulder).

WHO’S NEXT UP FOR VILLA?

Wolves (h) Saturday March 19, 3pm.

Read Brian Dick's big match verdict - click here