Premier League: Aston Villa v West Brom full-time report

Darren Bent

Aston Villa 1 West Brom 1

Darren Bent climbed off the bench to earn Aston Villa a point from a West Midlands derby which got better the longer it went on.

Forward Bent fired home a 150th career goal 10 minutes from time to thwart West Bromwich Albion, who had led ever since Shane Long diverted in a cross in the opening moments of the second half.

Baggies substitute Romelu Lukaku struck the outside of the post late on as both sides tried and failed to grab the three points.

Overseeing just his third home league match at Villa, boss Paul Lambert sent out a side which included six of his summer signings and not the forward Bent, who was left on the bench in a display of authority from the manager which showed that it hasn’t taken the Scot long to put his stamp on the team. Bent would later prove that that team is better with him in it.

To start with it was the visiting Baggies who were looking to land a blow though, and forward Long should have done a lot better when good work from Chris Brunt and James Morrison fashioned a headed chance for him five yards out, but he could only nod wide.

Long blazed over shortly afterwards, but the expected blood and thunder of a derby match wasn’t becoming apparent during a tame opening.

The hard working Australia midfielder Brett Holman was doing more than most to try and spark his Villa side into life, and the 28-year-old fired a fine effort from distance which Ben Foster had to tip over.

Young Belgian forward Christian Benteke had been preferred to Bent, but he disappointingly blazed over before the impressive Holman struck another effort which was deflected and then well saved by Foster.

West Brom had lost their way somewhat the longer the half went on and that wasn’t helped by injuries to captain Brunt and Billy Jones. With Villa still dominant, Benteke robbed Gareth McAuley but never looked confident as he approached goal and eventually blazed over.

It was a miss which assumed much more importance given West Brom’s terrific start to the second half.

Long’s header had been ruled out for offside only seconds earlier, before Morrison was played on by Matthew Lowton and burst towards the box from the right. His low cross went across the area and as Ron Vlaar stretched to try and clear he could only divert the ball onto Long, who bundled it into the net.

Villa looked to immediately respond but right-back Gabriel Tamaş – on for the injured Jones – did brilliantly to block Benteke when he looked certain to score, before Villa full-back Joe Bennett curled a free-kick narrowly wide.

Tamaş almost inadvertently doubled West Brom’s lead when his cross from the right had to be scrambled away by Brad Guzan, and with Villa now struggling to make their presence felt further forward, Bent was called for to replace the disappointing Benteke.

It was another sub, Charles N’Zogbia, who fired wide at first, but the presence of Bent had changed the attitude at Villa Park, and sure enough there was only one man that the ball was going to fall to as a corner which West Brom failed to clear turned into penalty area pinball. The alert Bent fired home for the equaliser.

Substitutes now played a key role in an end-to-end finale, and after Gabriel Agbonlahor had seen his effort blocked at one end, Lukaku – sent on for Long by Steve Clarke – accelerated away and saw his shot deflect off Ciaran Clark and strike the outside of the post.

Both teams chased the win, and Bent shot over before Morrison’s through ball sent Lukaku clear again, only for Guzan to save the ball and Villa’s point.

Mark Jones – follow me on twitter

Join us on Facebook

Follow our Bettor Football updates on twitter