• Date: Sat 13 December 2008
  • Venue: Villa Park
  • Ref: Probert, L
  • Attendance: 35,134
Aston Villa

Aston Villa

Agbonlahor (25)

Agbonlahor (67)

Young, A (78)

4 - 2
Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers

Elmander (17)

Davies, K (86)

Aston Villa vs Bolton Wanderers

Team Lineups

Aston Villa

Brad Friedel
Carlos Cuellar
Luke Young, L
Martin Laursen
Curtis Davies
Gareth Barry
Stiliyan Petrov
Ashley Young, A (Marlon Harewood, 81)
Steve Sidwell
James Milner (Nigel Reo-Coker, 68)
Gabriel Agbonlahor (Nicky Shorey, 87)

Bolton Wanderers

Jussi Jaaskelainen
Jlloyd Samuel
Andy O'Brien
Gretar Steinsson
Gary Cahill
Gavin McCann
Matt Taylor
Fabrice Muamba (Ricardo Gardner, 53)
Kevin Nolan
Kevin Davies, K
Johan Elmander (Ebi Smolarek, 74)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full Time: ASTON VILLA 4-2 BOLTON. Villa were fantastic in the second half and Bolton simply couldn't handle the pace and movement of Young and Agbonlahor after the break.

89

Harewood almost gets himself a goal as he muscles past Cahill but his shot is screwed wide of the far post.

88
Substitution
 

Villa are going to give themselves some more insurance now as Gabby Agbonlahor is replaced by Nicky Shorey.

86
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 4-2 BOLTON. Gretar Steinsson rampages down the right hand side and delivers a superb cross for KEVIN DAVIES to power past Friedel.

83

The home side are really enjoying themselves now as they coast towards a regulation three points - although Bolton made them work for it in the first period.

80
Substitution
 

Villa are making another change and Ashley Young leaves to a standing ovation with Marlon Harewood replacing him.

77
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 4-1 BOLTON. Game over! A lightning counter-attack from VIlla and Agbonlahor puts it on a plate for ASHLEY YOUNG to score the fourth.

76
Substitution
 

Bolton are making a second change now as Ebi Smolarek replaces goalscorer Johan Elmander.

75

Half chance! Kevin Nolan gets into an advanced position for the first time in a while but slices wildly off the outside of his boot and out for a throw-in.

72

Gary Megson's side look to have been hit hard by that third Villa goal and their heads seem to have dropped slightly now.

69
Substitution
 

Villa are making a change as James Milner - who has been under the weather all week - is replaced by Nigel Reo-Coker making his 50th appearance for Villa.

67
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 3-1 BOLTON. Trademark from Ashley Young as he twists Steinsson inside and out before curling a superb cross into the box and AGBONLAHOR glances into the far corner of the net.

65

Bolton provide their first bright moment of the half on the break though as they break out and McCann fires a shot across goal that slides a fraction wide.

65

Wonderful one-touch football from Barry, Petrov and Sidwell to slip Young in on the left but he fires his shot at the legs of Gary Cahill when he should have done better.

64

Villa are still enjoying the better of the play at the moment with Agbonlahor and Young looking dangerous every time they get themselves on the ball.

61

Delightful chipped ball from SIdwell in behind O'Brien and Agbonlahor takes control of it but can't keep his shot from a tight angle down.

59

Bolton are looking a little short of ideas at the moment and Elmander has gone very quiet.

55

The hosts are continuing to boss proceedings but they are failing to take their chances and Bolton have already proved that they are a handful with their backs to the wall.

52
Substitution
 

Ricardo Gardner enters the fray in place of Fabrice Muamba as Gary Megson tries to change the pattern of play.

50

Bolton have yet to get going and Young uses his dancing feet to bamboozle Steinsson and chips to the far post where Jaaskelainen's fingertips prevent Agbonlahor heading home a third.

48

Great chance to extend the lead for Davies! Young's corner dips into the near post and Davies heads down but it bounces off the firm surface and loops onto the roof of the net.

Second half
 

The second half is underway with Bolton looking to produce a comeback of their own now having fallen behind so close to the break.

Half time
 

HALF TIME: ASTON VILLA 2-1 BOLTON. The Villa bench surround referee Probert as he leaves the field at the break but the hosts lead despite his unbelievable error - although Bolton have had some glorious chances.

45

Villa want a penalty! Referee Probert has made an absolutel howler! Young's corner is destined for the head of Laursen and Cahill, to all intents and purposes, slaps it off his head like a goalkeeper but the referee says 'no'.

43

Bolton are a spirited bunch though and they will certainly come back again having gone behind but Villa are starting to look ever more dangerous.

40
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 2-1 BOLTON. Villa lead! Barry curls a free-kick deep into the box and Laursen rises highest to head down and into the back of the net, via a big deflection off KEVIN DAVIES.

39

Shocking miss! McCann loops a free-kick into the box and Friedel manages to drop it straight to the feet of Matthew Taylor but somehow he blazes over. A big let off for the hosts!

36

Ashley Young threads a beautiful ball in behind the Bolton defence and Agbonlahor is onto it but Jaaskelainen spreads himself superbly to deny the striker a second goal.

34

Things have calmed down again in the last few minutes with the play taking place in the middle third of the pitch.

31

Despite Villa's domination of possession so far Bolton do not look like being overrun and they seem confident on the break - they are third in the current Premier League form table though.

27
Yellow Card
 

Agbonlahor has come to life as he blitzes past O'Brien again and the Irishman chops him down and gets a booking.

27

An interesting statistic is that this season Villa have a 100% record when Agbonlahor has scored in a Premier League game - will that record continue today?

25
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 1-1 BOLTON. Villa are level! AGBONLAHOR latches onto a hopeful punt upfield to burst past O'Brien and drill a superb shot past Jaaskelainen.

24

Things have really kicked off now! Barry curls an inswinging cross into the box and Curtis Davies has got forward but can only flash the header wide.

23

It should be 2-0! The corner is delivered to the far post where Steinsson arrives unmarked but he heads against the bar from point-blank range.

21

Bolton break impressively once again with Taylor at the heart of it and he drives a devilish ball across the six-yard box but noone is there to tap home.

20

The hosts have responded well with Barry searching out Young on the left but for once his delivery lets him down as he fails to find an unmarked Agbonlahor.

17
Goal
 

ASTON VILLA 0-1 BOLTON. Against the run of play Bolton lead! Davies drives a low cross into the area and ELMANDER back-heels delightfully past Friedel.

16

The best bit of play so far involved Villa's pacy duo of Young and Agbonlahor and the two almost combine to deadly effect now as Young whips a low ball across the box and Agbonlahor is just inches away from getting a touch.

14

After a bright start the game has died down a little with the teams beginning to try and settle into their normal rhythms.

11

Gary Cahill is one of three Bolton players returning to Villa Park having played for the Villains previously, the others being J'Lloyd Samuel and Gavin McCann.

8

Villa are starting to really get a move on now as Agbonlahor and Young combine to feed Barry in behind the defence and Cahill does well to cut out his attempted pull back for Sidwell.

7

Bolton applying some pressure but SIdwell clears well to Young and Villa break with typical pace and penetration with Young eventually finding Milner who volleys wide.

4

It's been a decent start here with Villa enjoying plenty of the ball but Bolton look untroubled and quite comfortable.

2

Villa got off to a superb start last weekend as Sidwell scored the fastest Premier League goal of the season and Young curls a dangerous free-kick in but Laursen misses the header.

1
Kickoff
 

Lee Probert is the man in the middle this afternoon and he gets this game between two of the Football League's founder members underway.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Davies, McCann, Nolan, Muamba, Taylor, Elmander

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, L Young, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor, A Young

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton were on a very good run until Chelsea cruised past them a week ago but Johan Elmander has started to get amongst the goals and they look a much better outfit this term.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Martin O'Neill's men looked to have thrown away a superb victory at Everton last weekend but Ashley Young's strike with the last kick of the game means they come into this one on a real high.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Welcome to Villa Park where Champions League chasing Aston Villa entertain rapidly improving Bolton Wanderers.