Championship
WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers1Aston VillaAston Villa0

Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa

By Phil ShepkaBBC Sport
Joe Mason goal
Joe Mason's goal was only his third in the Championship this season

Joe Mason's first-half strike was the difference as Wolves beat Aston Villa in an entertaining derby, on a night tributes were paid to Graham Taylor.

Taylor, who died aged 72 on Thursday, managed both West Midlands rivals.

Striker Mason profited from Villa goalkeeper Sam Johnstone's mistake to bundle into an open net.

In an end-to-end-match, Villa's Ross McCormack headed Jordan Amavi's cross over the crossbar as Steve Bruce's side failed to muster a shot on target.

It was the first time the two teams had met at Molineux in the second tier of English football, with Paul Lambert's side winning for the third time in five league matches to move up one place to 16th in the table.

Defeat for Villa was their first at Molineux in 11 visits - the last coming in May 1978.

Despite the lack of goals and quality in the final third, there was plenty of entertainment with fast-paced, counter-attacking play throughout.

The game's only goal came through Mason, after Nouha Dicko's cross was parried into his path by Johnstone, and the striker drove into the ground and into the net.

McCormack had Villa's best chance of the game in the first half, and later felt he could have had a penalty when Danny Batth pulled back on his shirt.

Wolves did have their chances to extend their lead though, with Dicko shooting straight at Johnstone when played in by Helder Costa, before substitute Bright Enobakhare fired wide late on.

Remembering Taylor

Graham Taylor tribute
A floral tribute to Graham Taylor, who was twice Villa manager, from May 1987 to July 1990, then again from February 2002 to May 2003, either side of his 18 months at Molineux, from March 1994 to November 1995

The evening at Molineux was full of emotion as supporters remembered former England manager Taylor, with chants of "One Graham Taylor" and applause in the 72nd minute of the game.

He had two spells as Villa boss, winning promotion to and finishing runner-up in Division One in his first stint in charge.

It was the second time a Taylor team had finished second only to Liverpool, having done the same with Watford in 1983.

Wolves was Taylor's first job after his time with England came to an end in 1993, and he led them to the play-offs before being sacked the following season.

And his final stint at Villa Park came in 2002 and 2003, when he left after finishing just three points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Line-ups

Wolves

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Ikeme
  • 16Coady
  • 6Batth
  • 5Stearman
  • 2Doherty
  • 4EdwardsSubstituted forSavilleat 74'minutes
  • 19Price
  • 17Hélder Costa
  • 10Mason
  • 50CavaleiroSubstituted forEnobakhareat 64'minutes
  • 9DickoSubstituted forBödvarssonat 77'minutes

Substitutes

  • 8Saville
  • 18Iorfa
  • 22Bödvarsson
  • 26Enobakhare
  • 30Hause
  • 31Burgoyne
  • 55Gibbs-White

Aston Villa

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 34Johnstone
  • 21Hutton
  • 6Elphick
  • 12Chester
  • 23Amavi
  • 37AdomahSubstituted forGreenat 67'minutes
  • 25JedinakSubstituted forDavisat 90+1'minutes
  • 8TshibolaSubstituted forGrealishat 60'minutes
  • 7BacunaBooked at 43mins
  • 44McCormack
  • 11Agbonlahor

Substitutes

  • 2Baker
  • 15Westwood
  • 19Green
  • 22Gardner
  • 31Bunn
  • 39Davis
  • 40Grealish
Referee:
Tony Harrington
Attendance:
27,255

Match Stats

Home TeamWolvesAway TeamAston Villa
Possession
Home44%
Away56%
Shots
Home12
Away6
Shots on Target
Home3
Away0
Corners
Home5
Away3
Fouls
Home19
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Aston Villa 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Aston Villa 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ross McCormack (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  4. Post update

    James Chester (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Jón Dadi Bödvarsson (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Aston Villa. Keinan Davis replaces Mile Jedinak.

  7. Post update

    Hand ball by Ross McCormack (Aston Villa).

  8. Post update

    Attempt missed. Bright Enobakhare (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jón Dadi Bödvarsson.

  9. Post update

    Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  11. Post update

    Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Danny Batth (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  13. Post update

    Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Bright Enobakhare (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  15. Post update

    Attempt saved. George Saville (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bright Enobakhare.

  16. Post update

    Offside, Aston Villa. Ross McCormack tries a through ball, but Andre Green is caught offside.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Jón Dadi Bödvarsson replaces Nouha Dicko.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa).

  19. Post update

    Bright Enobakhare (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. George Saville replaces David Edwards.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Newcastle26181750212955
2Brighton25166340172354
3Leeds26153835241148
4Reading2514473633346
5Huddersfield2614483030046
6Sheff Wed2613673024645
7Derby2611782419540
8Fulham25109643301339
9Preston2611693532339
10Barnsley26115104339438
11Norwich26114114239337
12Birmingham269983035-536
13Aston Villa2681172625135
14Ipswich2697102831-334
15Brentford2696113333033
16Wolves2688103334-132
17QPR2695122536-1132
18Cardiff2586113040-1030
19Bristol City2683153538-327
20Nottm Forest2676133745-827
21Burton2667132636-1025
22Blackburn2666143143-1224
23Wigan2657142231-922
24Rotherham2644182756-2916
View full Championship table

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