Full-time report: Wolves v Aston Villa
Wolves 1 Aston Villa 2
A late header from Emile Heskey sealed Aston Villa all three points against West Midlands rivals Wolves in a hugely entertaining Premier League encounter at Molineux.
The retired England international scored his second goal in as many matches to send the visiting supporters into raptures, and delight new manager Gerard Houllier, who took charge of his first Villa league match.
Stewart Downing broke the deadlock mid-way through the first-half, but Matt Jarvis' cross-c*m-shot levelled the scores in the second. However, it was the much-maligned Heskey whose towering header secured the victory for the visitors.
Aston Villa began the first half brightly, but it was the hosts who had the match's first clear-cut opportunity. A precise through-ball from Kevin Doyle found David Edwards inside the penalty area, only for the Welshman to slice his shot wide after good pressure from Steven Warnock.
The visitors soon found their feet, and on the 12th minute Heskey was presented with a decent chance to put Houllier's side in front. Marc Albrighton's delivery from the right flank found the retired England international, but he failed to connect with the ball properly on the stretch.
Albrighton, in search of his first senior goal, then had a chance himself just before the 20 minute mark. After picking up a loose Steven Fletcher ball, Albrighton ran through on goal, but fired a tame effort into the hands of Marcus Hahnemann.
Villa then had their best chance of the half to open to scoring when James Collins connected with a Stewart Downing corner. However, the defender's header was well saved by the leg of Hahnemann, as Wolves survived another scare.
But not long afterwards, Villa were able to break the deadlock. A driving run from Heskey across the edge of the area led to a pass to the impressive Albrighton, and his perfect low cross towards the far post found Downing for the simplest of tap-ins. It was the winger's third league goal of the campaign, and a deserved goal for the Villains.
Their opponents refused to let their heads bow after that setback and certainly ended the first half on top. Brad Friedel made a superb double-save just before the interval, as Houllier's men managed to end the half with their one-goal lead intact.
Wolves continued from where they left off in the early stages of the second half. Christophe Berra was the next to get a shot off on goal with an acrobatic effort from inside a crowded penalty area, but once again Friedel was equal to the strike.
The home crowd were dismayed that Villa weren't reduced to 10-men when Warnock flew in on Doyle, despite already being on a yellow card. Referee Mark Halsey was lenient with the England full-back, though, much to the relief of Houllier.
Keen to protect their one-goal advantage, Villa were content to sit back and catch their opponents on the counter-attack. With Ashley Young lurking on the half-way line, the Villains always had an outlet, and the in-form winger was the only player in claret determined to keep the pressure up on the hosts' backline.
Villa were pinned back inside their own half and appeared satisfied to soak up the pressure. However, on the hour mark, their resolute defence was eventually breached in rather unfortunate circumstances.
A delightful whipped-in ball from Jarvis on the left averted Doyle and, most crucially, Friedel, as the ball nestled into the far corner of the Villa net for the equaliser. That was Jarvis' first league goal of the season, and it was no less than McCarthy's side deserved.
Clearly lifted by the equaliser and with the home support in tremendous voice, Wolves now went in search for their second goal of the afternoon, while Villa sent on Gabriel Agbonlahor in place of the tiring Albrighton.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, it was Young once more who tested Hahnemann with a rasping shot from range, but once again the USA international was equal to the 25-year-old's effort.
McCarthy cut an agitated figure from the touchline, but his side certainly looked the most likely to snatch all three points with 10 minutes of the match remaining.
However, in the dying embers of the match, a fired-up Heskey jumped high above Berra to meet Warnock's floated cross, and managed to direct a perfect header into the bottom corner of Hahnemann's net.
Heskey's heroics lift Houllier's side to fifth in the league table, while Wolves are still left perilously close to the drop zone.
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