Under-fire Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier was given a boost as his side beat West Brom 2-1.
Heskey scores winner to take pressure off manager
Under-fire Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier was given a boost as his side beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday.
The Frenchman, who had come in for criticism from Villa fans for his behaviour when returning to Liverpool for Monday's defeat, saw his side end their three-match losing run with victory over their Midlands rivals at Villa Park.
Marc Albrighton was at the heart of both of their goals - crossing to Ashley Young in the 25th minute who nodded it for Stewart Downing to score his sixth goal of the season.
And the young Villa winger was the provider for Emile Heskey 10 minutes from time as the former England international marked his return to the first team with his third of the campaign.
West Brom managed to grab a late goal through Paul Scharner but it proved a consolation as Houllier's men held on for the spoils to remain unbeaten against the Baggies since 1985.
Nervy
West Brom were the better side in the first half with wingers Jerome Thomas and Somen Tchoyi seeing plenty of the ball.
Villa looked nervy but they were transformed in the second period with stand-in skipper Young a constant threat.
Heskey also caused problems in his first appearance after a seven-game absence following a knee setback.
Houllier made five changes - three of them enforced - including the axing of acting skipper Richard Dunne.
Albion, bidding for a hat-trick of league wins, were the first to settle.
A corner from Chris Brunt found its way to Marc-Antoine Fortune - called up in place of the injured Peter Odemwingie - at the far post but his low shot on the turn did not extend Brad Friedel.
The recalled Carlos Cuellar blocked a near-post Scharner header from another Brunt corner.
A fine pass from Graham Dorrans enabled Brunt to get in a shot, despite the attention of two defenders, which flew across the face of goal.
Villa hit back and Heskey got in front of Gabriel Tamas in connecting with a Young free-kick, but he glanced his header well wide.
Thumped
Albion stepped up a gear and the woodwork denied Tchoyi the opening goal after 21 minutes.
He twice twisted past James Collins before beating Friedel with a shot which thumped against the crossbar.
Fortune should also have done better when he got free in the area but drove his shot wide of the far post.
It was against the run of play when Downing put Villa ahead. Dorrans lost possession deep in his own half and allowed Albrighton to run to the byline.
His cross was flicked on by Young at the far post and then Downing got in front of Gonzalo Jara to turn the ball past Scott Carson.
Heskey had a shot blocked by Tamas after a lapse of concentration by Scharner.
Teasing
Albrighton came close to doubling Villa's lead after 55 minutes. Downing supplied a teasing cross from the left which picked out the young winger but he headed just wide when under pressure from Marek Cech.
Albion responded and a miskick by Jara fell invitingly to James Morrison 10 yards out, but Cuellar got in an important challenge and Morrison's shot drifted wide.
Thomas became the first player to be yellow-carded after an hour for a challenge from behind on Young.
Jara followed him into Mark Halsey's notebook three minutes later for another mistimed tackle on Young.
Heskey just failed to make contact with a low cross from Young but with 10 minutes left the former England forward made sure of the points for Villa.
Albrighton's cross flicked off Collins across the face of goal and Heskey was perfectly placed to nod home from close range.
Scharner reduced the arrears with a minute remaining with a powerful close-range header and, in injury-time, Thomas lifted the ball over Friedel - but also over the crossbar as Houllier's men secured the spoils.
| Aston Villa |
Team Statistics |
West Bromwich Albion |
| 2 |
Goals |
1 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
10 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 6 |
Corners |
13 |
| 9 |
Fouls |
15 |
| 6 |
Offsides |
3 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 62.8 |
Passing Success |
73.5 |
| 25 |
Tackles |
15 |
| 84 |
Tackles Success |
73.3 |
| 42 |
Possession |
58 |
| 47.1 |
Territorial Advantage |
52.9 |
|
