Stoke City 2 Aston Villa 1:ROBERT HUTH struck late into stoppage time to stun Gerard Houllier's Aston Villa, who were in control during the first half before Kenwyne Jones scored 10 minutes from time on his home debut to level the game.
Stewart Downing’s first-half header had looked like leaving Stoke pointless after four games and giving Villa their first away win of the season.
Rory Delap’s long throw proved problematic on a couple of occasions, though with better first-half finishing the visitors could have been two or three goals to the good. That will be of some concern to Houllier.
Tony Pulis had arrived at half-time, Stoke’s manager having missed the first half following the death of his mother earlier in the day.
Villa were without Houllier, who returned to France to work out his notice.
Kevin Macdonald continued in his caretaker role for the visitors and Dave Kemp initially stepped up to take charge of Stoke.
It was Jones’ home debut, and the striker missed the chance to make an early mark when Marc Wilson’s through ball played him in behind Richard Dunne after 11 minutes.
Jones only had Brad Friedel to beat but could not manage it, pushing a tame shot against the goalkeeper’s legs.
The forward headed over from Matthew Etherington’s corner midway through the first half and brought a diving save from Friedel with a terrific shot from 25 yards a couple of minutes later, so no one could accuse him of not trying.
The former Sunderland player was also the victim of Stephen Warnock’s dubious challenge when the Villa full back earned the game’s first booking, though rather more amusing was an incident at the other end when Jonathan Walters blatantly tripped Stilian Petrov in the penalty area as the teams awaited a Stewart Downing corner.
Referee Lee Probert spoke to the Stoke player without taking any further action, presumably because the ball was not in play.
After withstanding all Stoke could throw at them for the first half hour, Villa gradually began to cross the half-way line and stroke the ball around more confidently, so when they took the lead 10 minutes before the interval it was not quite against the run of play, it was simply from one of their first clear chances.
When Gabriel Agbonlahor whipped over a cross from the right the unmarked Downing stooped to put a firm header past Thomas Sorensen and just inside his left post.
Villa almost repeated the exercise five minutes later, when an excellent Agbonlahor cross from the left gave Ashley Young an even more inviting opportunity, only for the header to flash by the post when scoring looked easier.
Stoke could consider themselves distinctly fortunate to turn around just one goal down, since Sorensen had to react quickly to keep out another Downing effort at the far post, and after brilliant interpassing between Downing and Ashley Young that had the home defence chasing shadows, the latter cut to the by-line and rolled a cross across goal.
Stoke did have what looked a legitimate penalty claim turned down when James Collins appeared to handle inside the area.
Pulis returned to warm applause for the second half, in time to see Friedel deny Jones again by palming out a header from Etherington’s free kick.
STOKE: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins, Delap (Whelan 87), Whitehead, Wilson (Pennant 65), Etherington, Walters (Fuller 61), Jones. Subs not used: Begovic, Higginbotham, Gudjohnsen, Wilkinson. Booked: Collins.
ASTON VILLA:Friedel, Luke Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ashley Young, Albrighton, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Downing, Agbonlahor (Heskey 86). Subs not used: Guzan, Ireland, Beye, Cuellar, Clark, Hogg. Booked: Warnock, Petrov.
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
GuardianService
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