Bolton 3 Villa 2

Gary Cahill scored twice against his former club as Villa were made to pay for their profligacy at Bolton.

Villa took the lead through Darren Bent in the 15th minute, before Cahill levelled from a corner just before the half-time interval.

The claret and blues regained the lead through Marc Albrighton in the 64th minute but then missed a host of chances – including an Ashley Young penalty – before Cahill levelled in the 75th minute.

It seemed the match was destined to finish in a draw, but Ivan Klasnic struck the winner four minutes from time after smashing the ball home from close range.

After controversially resting a number of Villa's players for the 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, manager Gerard Houllier went with his strongest starting line-up.

Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, Nigel Reo-Coker, Kyle Walker and Albrighton were all restored to the side along with Bent, who was cup-tied during the week.

With Richard Dunne, James Collins and Carlos Cuellar all crocked there was also a recall for Luke Young, who has overcome his own injury problems to bring some experience to a youthful Villa backline.

Bolton dominated the opening minutes but the best early chance fell to Villa, as Bent fluffed a great opportunity to score in the fourth minute after being put through by Ashley Young.

The £24million striker made amends, though, with a goal which owed everything to brilliant run from on-loan Tottenham right-back Walker.

Ashley Young spread the play wide to Walker who, rather than pass to Albrighton on the overlap, powered past two Bolton defenders to the byline and whipped in a low cross to Bent, who escaped his marker and tapped home from close range.

Bolton looked dangerous from set-pieces and, with Villa so susceptible from such situations, the home side predictably equalised on the stroke of half-time from a corner.

Martin Petrov delivered a dangerous outswinging ball from the right and Cahill shrugged off the attentions of Nathan Baker to nod home from inside the six-yard box.

It remained an open game after the break and Villa should have been ahead when Bent was put in by a lofted through-ball from Ashley Young, but goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen came off his line to save well.

Downing was guilty of missing a sitter in the 55th minute when Albrighton crossed from the right, before Bent missed a glorious chance two minutes later.

Villa eventually grabbed the second 10 minutes later when Downing escaped down the right with his cross bypassing Bent to fall to Albrighton, who side-footed a shot into the ground which bounced over Jaaskelainen and into the net.

The claret and blues were then awarded a penalty in the 69th minute when Ashley Young broke into the penalty area, with the midfielder blocked by Wheater after he had knocked the ball past the defender.

The stand-in captain stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick and drilled a low shot into the bottom-left corner but Jaaskelainen guessed correctly and pushed the ball wide.

Villa were made to pay as Bolton equalised six minutes later, again exposed their vulnerability from corners.

Stuart Holden's corner found the head of Cahill – who had again escaped Baker – and after his initial attempt was saved he volleyed the rebound past Friedel from close range.

Bolton then took the lead in the 86th minute for the first time in the match to decide the contest, when Walker failed to adequately clear a Sturridge cross from the right and substitute Klasnic was on hand to sweep the ball home.