Aston Villa 3 (Mikaellson 24, Herd 52, Harewood 60)
Wolves 2 (Davies 2, Elliott 37)
Stephen Elliott staked his claim for a return to the Wolves first team with a goal in a 3-2 friendly defeat against Aston Villa. The game was played behind closed doors at the Birmingham club's Bodymoor Heath training ground this morning.
There was also the chance for several of the squad to get in some much needed match action following injury lay-offs and the international break.
Wolves took a second minute lead through Mark Davies, who converted from close range after Jay Bothroyd had flicked on Mark Little's low centre.
Villa hit back with a 20-yard free-kick from Shaun Maloney and an angled shot from Tobias Mikaellson but Graham Stack was well positioned to deal with both efforts.
Villa keeper Stuart Taylor made a tremendous save in the 19th minute when he parried a fierce shot from Davies after Stephen Elliott's cross had not been cleared by the home defence.
Patrick Berger fired narrowly wide before the hosts drew level in the 24th minute when Mikaellson netted from two-yards out after a short centre from Berger.
Seconds later Isiah Osbourne ran through the middle and found himself with just Stack to beat but he wasted the opportunity by shooting wide.
A fine flowing move involving Darron Gibson and Davies ended with a 20-yard drive from Darren Potter that flew inches wide and, when play switched to the opposite end, Berger was wide of the target from a good position.
Potter was close again after a Bothroyd corner had been headed out to the edge of the Villa box. The Molineux midfielder connected well and his shot was goalbound until it struck a defender and was deflected behind for another corner.
But Wolves regained the ascendancy in the 37th minute when Elliott's first time shot from Bothroyd's centre beat Taylor who got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out.
Just before the break Stack made a fine save from Muloney.
Half-Time: Villa 1 Wolves 2
Wolves made a triple substitution for the start of the new half with Darren Ward, Liam Hughes and Mark Salmon replacing Jody Craddock, Bothroyd and Karl Henry respectively.
And there was an early chance for Hughes but he shot over the bar after good work from Salmon on the left.
In the 52nd minute Villa equalised for a second time when Berger's corner was headed towards the net by Mikaellson with Chris Herd applying the finishing touch with his head from virtually on the line.
On the hour mark, Marlon Harewood grabbed what turned out to be the winning goal with a close range finish to Osbourne's cross.
Three minutes later Ashley Hemmings replaced Elliott and, with his first touch, the youngster headed narrowly wide of the far post after Mark Little had supplied the cross.
Harewood wasn't far off with a low shot and Stack made a fine save from home substitute Zoltan Stieber whilst Gibson's free-kick from 22-yards was well held by Taylor.
Wolves' efforts from an entertaining contest warranted a share of the spoils but Villa held out for the win.
Wolves: Stack, Little, Gray (Spalding 72), Potter (Ijaha 72), Edwards, Craddock (D. Ward 45), Davies, Henry (Salmon 45), Elliott (Hemmings 63), Gibson, Bothroyd (Hughes 45). Unused sub: Lumley.
