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  • Cohen (60)
  • Young, A (43)
  • Date:2009-04-25
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:Reebok Stadium
  • Attendance:21709
  • Referee:Probert, L

Live Commentary

90mins

Full-Time: BOLTON 1-1 ASTON VILLA.

90mins

Milner's cross is headed away by the Bolton defence in what will probably be the last attack of the game.

87mins

Goal scorer Tamir Cohen is replaced by Chris Basham for Bolton.

87mins

Nathan Delfouneso's cross finds Gareth Barry but he was always stretching and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

85mins

A great ball in from Nicky Shorey finds John Carew, his headed shot is tipped over the bar by Jaaskelainen, Villa's corner comes to nothing and Bolton clear.

83mins

Bolton free-kick from basically the corner flag on the left side after Elmander was fouled, McCann takes but Cuellar clears despite McCann's good delivery.

81mins

Elmander and Kevin Davies try to link up but Villa defender Curtis Davies makes the interception.

79mins

Bolton corner which Matt Taylor takes, his delivery is a good one but Villa manage to clear.

78mins

On loan Zenti St Petersburg defender Sebastien Puygrenier replaces Andy O'Brien in a like for like swap for Bolton.

77mins

John Carew hits a sweet shot from the edge of the area but his effort is just wide, that was a chance from nothing and good work from Carew.

76mins

Teenage striker Nathan Delfouneso replaces Emile Heskey for Villa.

73mins

Bolton free-kick, O'Brien clips it into the Villa box but Curtis Davies clears, the ball breaks for Young and Steinsson brings him down but referee Lee Probert waves play on, I think he did just get to the ball in all fairness.

72mins

Matt Taylor's right-footed effort is saved comfortably by Brad Friedel.

70mins

The game is finely poised now and it could go either way with both sides looking to get forward.

65mins

Villa free kick which Ashley Young takes, again his shot is poor and the ball flies into the crowd. I honestly have no idea why they keep giving their free-kicks to him, he hasn't hit a good one all day.

63mins

Villa corner which Ashley Young takes, it wasn't a bad delivery but no one gets near it and Jaaskelainen catches.

62mins

Gavin McCann fires over from 25 yards out, that goal has given Bolton a massive lift and they look a lot better now.

61mins

A brilliant piece of defending from Curtis Davies denies Muamba a chance on goal.

60mins

BOLTON 1-1 ASTON VILLA. Against the run of play Bolton get back in this, a long free kick is headed down by Davies, the ball falls to Tamir COHEN who smashes the ball home from eight yards.

56mins

Ashley Young is tormenting the Bolton defence at the moment, his latest cross caused panic but Bolton scrambled the ball clear.

56mins

Villa on the attack again but Bolton are hanging on.

52mins

Villa corner which Young takes but Jaaskelainen deals with the ball comfortably.

51mins

Good cross from Young looking for Emile Heskey but Jaaskelainen clears for Bolton.

49mins

Barry hits a free-kick into the Bolton box, the ball comes to Young but his cross is dealt with by Gavin McCann.

46mins

Early attempt from Bolton, Taylor's cross is chested down by Elmander and Davies volleys just wide. It looks as if Bolton have gone 4-4-2 now with Davies joining Elmander up-front.

45mins

The second half is underway at the Reebok Stadium, at the moment Villa are on course for their first win in over two months but Bolton are still in this.

45mins

Half Time: BOLTON 0-1 ASTON VILLA.

43mins

BOLTON 0-1 ASTON VILLA: A hopeful ball in from Ashley YOUNG looking for Carew tricks the Bolton defence and goes straight in.

41mins

Bolton on the attack now, a good cross from Samuel lands on the head of Kevin Davies but he heads straight at Friedel.

41mins

Swift move from Villa but Heskey's shot is poor and the ball rolls harmlessly out of play for a goal kick.

39mins

A good attack from Villa wins them a corner, Young takes but Bolton clear.

37mins

Route one from Villa as Carew flicks on Friedel's long ball, they win a free kick as Cahill brings down Young. Young takes the free kick himself but he shoots well wide of the goal.

35mins

Gareth Barry booked for a challenge on Kevin Davies.

34mins

Bolton corner, Taylor takes and McCann tries the shot but Barry heads over for another corner, McCann takes but Friedel punches clear.

33mins

Carew tries to run through the Bolton defence and evades two tackles before Tamir Cohen disposes him and stabs the ball back to Jasskelainen.

31mins

Should be 1-0 to Bolton, Taylor's cross was a good one but Muamba misread the pass and didn't connect with the ball.

30mins

Bolton win a corner as Heskey clears Steinsson's throw, Taylor takes but Friedel deals with it though he didn't look confident to be honest.

28mins

Villa have started to control possesion and look the more likely but this still isn't a great game, Bolton are also good from set plays so they're always capable of a goal.

25mins

Villa win a corner after Steinsson puts the ball out of play, Young takes and the ball comes out to Barry who hammers a decent effort from range, the ball comes back to Petrov who shoots and again its blocked before Shorey fires his shot over.

22mins

I said the free kick was in a good place for a cross, Milner decided to shoot instead but Jaaskelainen deals with it easily, it was a wasted free-kick really as it would have to be something pretty special to beat Jaaskelainen from there.

22mins

Steinsson trips Petrov as he bursts forward, Villa have a free kick in a good position for a cross which Milner will take instead of Young this time.

20mins

Finally a decent move. Villa break quickly and Milner had a great opportunity but Gavin McCann did brilliantly to block his shot.

18mins

To be honest this is far too tentative from both sides, neither team is passing the ball particularly well and they don't seem willing to commit men forward. A goal would really liven this up, hopefully we'll get one soon.

17mins

Some great movement from Bolton but their final pass is poor and Steinsson can't get to the ball.

16mins

Petrov had a brilliant opportunity to play in either Young or Heskey but his pass was poor and Jaaskelainen picks it up in the Bolton goal.

14mins

Villa win a free kick themselves in a good position for a cross, Young steps up to take it but he hits a shocker and the ball goes out of play for a goal kick.

12mins

Bolton free kick in a dangerous position as Knight brings down Elmander, McCann drives it into the box but Fridel deals with it.

11mins

Nicky Shorey gets forward for Villa but McCann, another former Villa man, blocks his shot.

10mins

Poor corner from Gavin McCann for Bolton, he hits it way too hard and the ball rolls harmlessly out for a Villa throw.

9mins

Good counter attack from Villa but former Villa man Samuel manages to take the ball off James Milner to break it down.

9mins

Bolton really pressing here now, good work from Kevin Davies but Firedel is equal to his cross.

7mins

Bolton throw in a dangerous position, Steinsson launches in into the box but Villa clear easily.

3mins

Bolton have the first meaningful attack but Brad Friedel catches Kevin Davies' headed attempt.

0mins

The game is underway at the Reebok Stadium.

0mins

With just a couple of minutes until kick-off I've got a few facts for all the stat fans out there. Aston Villa were the first away side to win at the Reebok in October 1997, but they have only won once since - in November 2004.

0mins

Villa make just one change from the side that drew 1-1 with West Ham last week, Zat Knight is back in the side in replace of Luke Young. Bolton have three ex Villa players in their team, Jlloyd Samuel, Gary Cahill and Gavin McCann.

0mins

Still just over half an hour to go until kick off at the Reebok. Ricardo Gardner didn't make it through his fitness test for the Wanderers, so Tamir Cohen starts in his place after a long spell out with inury himself.

0mins

Aston Villa: Friedel, Knight, Davies, Cuellar, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Heskey, Carew. Subs: Guzan, Sidwell, Delfouneso, Salifou, Gardner, Albrighton, Clark.

0mins

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Kevin Davies, McCann, Muamba, Cohen, Taylor, Elmander. Subs: Al Habsi, Hunt, Smolarek, Riga, Puygrenier, Makukula, Basham.

Match Preview

Bolton Wanderers will hope to banish any lingering fears of being dragged back into a relegation battle when they face Aston Villa at the Reebok Stadium.

The Trotters are six points clear of the drop-zone, but have failed to end any remaining doubts after winning only one of their last six league games.

Last time out Wanderers lost 1-0 at Portsmouth, with boss Gary Megson worried by the low level of performance at Fratton Park.

He commented: "Basically we were poor and Pompey weren't that much better than us, but I can't think of any of our players who did as well as they are capable of doing.

"We've got to show a big improvement on this, even though three of our last five matches are at home. We're certainly not thinking we're safe yet.

"The performance wasn't good enough and didn't come up to the standard that we've set for most of the time this season."

Ricardo Gardner is a major doubt for the game after suffering a hamstring injury during last weekend's loss, while centre-back Dan Shittu needs to shake off an ankle knock if he is to feature.

Villa's season is petering out as their bid for fourth place is destined to end in failure, but they still have to gain points to ensure a top-six finish and a place in Europe.

Martin O'Neill's men are without a win in their last eight league games, having been held to draws at home by Everton and West Ham United on their last two outings.

However, O'Neill believes that his side are still doing the right things in the main, saying: "We're playing to full houses every week because of the way we're playing attacking-wise, but at the moment we can't get a victory on the board.

"In the last three games we've played some brilliant stuff, but have taken just two points and maybe winning, like losing, becomes a habit."


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Match Report

Tamir Cohen's second-half equaliser edged Bolton Wanderers closer to Premier League safety while Aston Villa's winless run continued.

Gary Megson's side are now seven points above the drop zone with just four games to go and have all but guaranteed their top-flight status for another season.

Villa, meanwhile, have now gone 12 games without a victory and their slim hopes of catching Arsenal in the final Champions League spot have virtually disappeared.

Ashley Young's fortunate 43rd-minute opener - the winger's cross catching out Jussi Jaaskelainen and sailing straight in - had put Villa on course to end their dismal run.

But Cohen, making his first start of the season, smashed home a 60th-minute equaliser to earn Bolton a well-deserved share of the spoils in a forgettable encounter at the Reebok Stadium

Andy O'Brien produced a superb block to deny James Milner after he cut inside and looked certain to score in the game's first chance on 20 minutes.

Milner was on target again moments later. The Villa midfielder's curling free-kick went straight through the Bolton wall but was easily gathered by Jaaskelainen.

But it was the home side who should have taken the lead on 31 minutes. Slick passing in the centre of the pitch between Gavin McCann and Cohen saw Kevin Davies set Matt Taylor racing away with a glorious pass.

He picked out Fabrice Muamba with his low cross but the England Under-21 midfielder, still to score for Wanderers since his £5million summer switch from Birmingham, made a complete mess of the opportunity from six yards out.

Muamba's blunder was compounded two minutes before half-time when Young's innocuous-looking cross embarrassed Jaaskelainen and sailed in via the back post for the softest of openers.

Davies wasted a good chance to level matters just 30 seconds after the restart but Bolton's top-scorer dragged his volley wide.

But Wanderers were level on the hour mark. Cohen, who has spent most of the season on the sidelines with injury, pounced on O'Brien's assist after the defender headed Davies' flick-on back across the face of goal from Taylor's flighted free-kick.

Cohen then toppled over in the penalty area under Gareth Barry's challenge, but referee Lee Probert, quite rightly, waived away the Bolton appeals.

Wanderers were again screaming for a penalty when Gary Cahill went down under John Carew's challenge but, again, the official was uninterested.

Carew came closest to winning it, but the forward saw his header from Nicky Shorey's cross tipped over by Jaaskelainen with five minutes left.

Bolton Wanderers

Aston Villa

Corners

55

Fouls

139

Goal attempts

914

Shots off target

38

Offsides

04

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