Aston Villa managed to salvage a late draw at the Reebok. In a game Bolton dominated, poor finishing was responsable for Wanderers’ failure to clinch all three points.
The game was a bit of a drab affair, enlivened considerably by two goals within the final ten minutes. Bolton took the lead when good work, by substitute Ricardo Vaz Te, on the left produced a decent cross. This centre was latched onto by Senegalese forward El-Hadji Diouf. Diouf skillfully skipped past his marker to fire a low, angled drive across the body of Villa Keeper, Thomas Sorensen. One nil to Bolton, and as the Wanderers have only conceded one goal at home all season coming into this game, supporters could be forgiven for believing that the three points would be theirs. However Villa were to have a share of the spoils as Juan Pablo Angel was left unmarked at the near post. The Colombian striker seized upon the opportunity to draw the sides level and double the number of goals conceded by Bolton at the Reebok in the Premiership this season.
Bolton had created the better chances in the earlier periods of the game. Kevin Davis’ close-range effort saved by Sorensen, Bruno N’Gotty headed wide from a Stelios Giannakopoulos free-kick after 25 minutes, and closest of all, Gary Speed’s header superbly saved by Sorensen to deny the veteran Welsh midfielder.
Player Ratings
Jaaskelainen
O’Brien
Gardner
N’Gotty
Ben Haim
Speed
Faye
Nolan
Giannakopoulos
Diouf
Davis
Okocha
Vaz Te