Wolves hit back to draw 1-1 with Aston Villa

Oct 24, 2009 - 3:26 PM By CHRIS TUPLING STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Sylvan Ebanks-Blake scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot as Wolves came from behind to draw 1-1 with Midlands rivals Aston Villa at Molineux.

Ebanks-Blake got 25 goals last season to help Wolves storm into the Premier League as Championship title holders.

But injuries have stopped him making any impression so far this season and it needed the 83rd minute spot kick to finally get his name on a top-flight score sheet.

Villa never showed the sustained form which helped them beat Chelsea 2-1 so impressively last week and had to be content with a point.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill was disappointed that his team could not hang on once Gabriel Agbonlahor had given them the lead with only eleven minutes left.

O'Neill said: "We should have been able to close the game out at that stage in the game but we gave away a needless penalty and paid the price.

"We were never at our best, never at our most fluent. Against Chelsea we were superb but Wolves made it difficult for us and we could not produce any sustained pressure.

"The rain made it hard for both sides but I told my players before the start that Wolves were not going to be relegation contenders."

Agbonlahor should have given Villa the lead in the second minute after being put through with only goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to beat but his shot was a poor one and the chance evaporated.

Ashley Young also went close and there was no doubting Villa's superiority in terms of opportunities created but Wolves held on doggedly.

O'Neill sent on England hopeful Emile Heskey midway through the second half in place of big Norwegian John Carew and the substitution paid off almost immediately.

Heskey received a pass from James Milner and crossed for Agbonlahor to twist away from his marker, Jody Craddock before beating Hennessey with his sixth goal in seven appearances.

Villa fans were well into their celebrations by the time four minutes later Steve Sidwell slid into Michael Kightly to give away an obvious penalty.

Ebanks-Blake stepped up to convert the penalty and neither side looked like finding a winner in the few minutes remaining.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy praised his side for their battling qualities and their refusal to give up.

McCarthy said: "We drew at Everton last week and now we have taken a point off Aston Villa, two sides who will be in the top six or seven all season.

"This is a measure of the progress we are making this season. I can honestly say we fear no one.

"When you go behind to a team of Villa's quality with ten or so minutes left you are entitled to fear the worst but we came back at them and got the penalty.

"Ebanks-Blake has had a difficult start to the season with injuries. He was great for us last season and now he is off the mark we have to hope it is the first of many."