Aston Villa 2 Bolton Wanderers 2
By Mark Heys August 13 2005
Bolton Wanderers began their Premiership campaign with a 2-2 draw away at Aston Villa in a most bizarre opening game which saw a flurry of early goals.
By Mark Heys August 13 2005
Bolton Wanderers began their Premiership campaign with a 2-2 draw away at Aston Villa in a most bizarre opening game which saw a flurry of early goals.
All of the days goals came within the first ten minutes of the game, as the two sides gained a share of the points in an entertaining display at a rain soaked Villa Park.
Villa debutant Kevin Phillips was the first player to ruffle the back of the net as he headed home a deep right-wing cross from Aaron Hughes to give the hosts a fourth minute lead.
The early celebrations from David O'Leary's side proved to be short lived as Bolton drew level less than 90 seconds later thanks to a volley from Kevin Davies after Radhi Jaidi had made his presence felt in the area.
Spaniard Ivan Campo then put the Wanderers in front on eight minutes when heading home his first goal in nearly eighteen months following a trademark corner by captain Gary Speed.
More drama was to come in the frantic opening stages as Northern Ireland international Steven Davis scored a fine volley to bring the Villans back into the contest after being picked out courtesy of a precise pass by nuisance striker Phillips.
Understandably the game then began to simmer down slightly, as both teams kept things a lot tighter possessional wise, but there could so easily have been further goals but for some alert goalkeeping at both ends.
In the opening third of the second half Kevin Nolan saw his goalbound header fisted away by Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen after a long throw in by Wanderers substitute Jay-Jay Okocha had caused confusion in the area.
Bolton goalscorer Davies was next up to keep the Danish custodian on his toes with a low shot from the edge of the area which was gathered cleanly by the ex-Sunderland favourite.
At the other end Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim cleaned up after Villa's Juan Pablo Angel had previously eluded a challenge from Jaidi which would have seen him with a clear view of Jussi Jaaskelainen's goalmouth.
In truth Angel, nor strike partner Phillips could further trouble the Trotters as the understanding between Bolton's Ben-Haim and Jaidi was getting more solid as the half wore on to deny Villa further chances in the final third.
The same could not be said at the other end as Villa could have blown their share of the points owing to some slack defending. Jay-Jay Okocha's cross picked out Davies for Bolton, but he managed to steer his point blank header straight into the arms of the grateful Sorensen.
Not a bad start for either side in a game which was played in some difficult conditions. Bolton haven't always had the best of times at Villa down the years so a equal dividing of the points is gratefully received.
Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Radhi Jaidi, Ricardo Gardner, Kevin Nolan, Ivan Campo (Jay-Jay Okocha), Gary Speed, El-Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies, Henrik Pedersen
Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ricardo Vaz-Te
Aston Villa: Thomas Sorensen, Aaron Hughes, Olaf Mellberg, Martin Laursen, J-Lloyd Samuel, Nolberto Solano, Gavin McCann, Steven Davis, Gareth Barry, Juan Pablo Angel, Kevin Phillips
Subs Not Used: Stuart Taylor, Lee Hendrie, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Ridgewell
Referee:
Mike Riley
Attendance:
33,263
Booked:
Diouf (Bolton)
Ben-Haim (Bolton
Villa debutant Kevin Phillips was the first player to ruffle the back of the net as he headed home a deep right-wing cross from Aaron Hughes to give the hosts a fourth minute lead.
The early celebrations from David O'Leary's side proved to be short lived as Bolton drew level less than 90 seconds later thanks to a volley from Kevin Davies after Radhi Jaidi had made his presence felt in the area.
Spaniard Ivan Campo then put the Wanderers in front on eight minutes when heading home his first goal in nearly eighteen months following a trademark corner by captain Gary Speed.
More drama was to come in the frantic opening stages as Northern Ireland international Steven Davis scored a fine volley to bring the Villans back into the contest after being picked out courtesy of a precise pass by nuisance striker Phillips.
Understandably the game then began to simmer down slightly, as both teams kept things a lot tighter possessional wise, but there could so easily have been further goals but for some alert goalkeeping at both ends.
In the opening third of the second half Kevin Nolan saw his goalbound header fisted away by Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen after a long throw in by Wanderers substitute Jay-Jay Okocha had caused confusion in the area.
Bolton goalscorer Davies was next up to keep the Danish custodian on his toes with a low shot from the edge of the area which was gathered cleanly by the ex-Sunderland favourite.
At the other end Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim cleaned up after Villa's Juan Pablo Angel had previously eluded a challenge from Jaidi which would have seen him with a clear view of Jussi Jaaskelainen's goalmouth.
In truth Angel, nor strike partner Phillips could further trouble the Trotters as the understanding between Bolton's Ben-Haim and Jaidi was getting more solid as the half wore on to deny Villa further chances in the final third.
The same could not be said at the other end as Villa could have blown their share of the points owing to some slack defending. Jay-Jay Okocha's cross picked out Davies for Bolton, but he managed to steer his point blank header straight into the arms of the grateful Sorensen.
Not a bad start for either side in a game which was played in some difficult conditions. Bolton haven't always had the best of times at Villa down the years so a equal dividing of the points is gratefully received.
Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Radhi Jaidi, Ricardo Gardner, Kevin Nolan, Ivan Campo (Jay-Jay Okocha), Gary Speed, El-Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies, Henrik Pedersen
Subs Not Used: Ian Walker, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ricardo Vaz-Te
Aston Villa: Thomas Sorensen, Aaron Hughes, Olaf Mellberg, Martin Laursen, J-Lloyd Samuel, Nolberto Solano, Gavin McCann, Steven Davis, Gareth Barry, Juan Pablo Angel, Kevin Phillips
Subs Not Used: Stuart Taylor, Lee Hendrie, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Liam Ridgewell
Referee:
Mike Riley
Attendance:
33,263
Booked:
Diouf (Bolton)
Ben-Haim (Bolton
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