Aston Villa 1 (C. Gardner 35)
Wolves 1 (Kightly 8)
Table topping Aston Villa dropped their first points of the season as they were held to a one all draw by Wolves at Villa Park.
Michael Kightly, who gave Wanderers an early lead, played for the 90 minutes as did Chris Iwelumo whilst Sylvan Ebanks-Blake completed 70 minutes.
Villa keeper Elliott Parish made the first save of the game when he cut out an angled shot from Ebanks-Blake at the near post.
But Parish stood little chance as Kightly gave Wolves an eighth minute lead. Young defender Jack Metcalf slipped a pass through to Ebanks-Blake whose flick found Kightly unmarked in the home area and he slotted a low shot past Parish.
Villa hit back strongly and after the Wolves defence struggled to clear a Marc Albrighton corner the winger regained possession and drive in a low cross that was deflected behind by Matt Hill.
It was Hill who intervened to clear the danger as Albrighton looked to be getting the better of Ronald Zubar in the chase for a lofted through ball.
In the 25th minute the Gardner brothers combined with Gary providing the cross and Craig snatching at his shot and shooting well wide.
Marcus Hahnemann was called upon to make a full length save from Albrighton who had run on to a squared pass from Dominik Hofbauer on the edge of the box.
Eric Lichaj looked to pull back Ebanks-Blake in the Villa area but the referee waved play on.
Kightly was a whisker away from a spectacular second after Iwelumo touched a free-kick into his path some 25-yards out. And when play switched to the other end Hofbauer wasted an easy chance when he headed an Albrighton cross over from the edge of the six-yard box.
But Villa levelled in the 35th minute when Craig Gardner ran onto brother Gary's flick to beat Hahnemann with a low shot from near the penalty spot.
Hahnemann had to save a long range effort from Craig Gardner and when James Collins picked up the loose ball his cross glanced off the far post.
Collins and Metcalf then had to receive treatment after a heavy challenge from the Villa striker but both were able to resume after treatment.
Half-Time: Villa 1 Wolves 1
There was a booking for each side in the opening stages of the second-half with Hill seeing yellow for obstructing Albrighton and Collins for diving in the visitors area.
Kightly drew a fine fingertip save from Parish with a tremendous 25-yard drive before Wolves made two changes with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing replacing Ashley Hemmings and James Spray for Ebanks-Blake.
Hahnemann did well to keep out a close range shot from Lichaj with Zubar completing the clearance and then a Mendez-Laing cross just eluded the outstretched feet of both Spray and Kightly before going out a yard wide of the far post.
Wolves made a final change with Ethan Ebanks-Landell coming on for Hill whist Villa sent Adam McGurk on for Gary Gardner.
And McGurk almost won it for Villa three minutes from the end when he broke into the box and fired a left foot shot that saw Hahnemann blocking superbly.
In stoppage time, Parish had to dive to keep out Iwelumo's header after Metcalf's cross from the right
Villa: Parish, Young, Bouma, Osbourne, Clark, Lichaj, Albrighton, C. Gardner, Collins, G. Gardner (McGurk 84), Holbauer (Forrester 90).
Unused subs: Dau, Williams, Roome.
Booking: Collins (56 - diving).
Wolves: Hahnemann, Metcalf, Hill (Ebanks-Landell 78), Craddock, Zubar, Davis, Kightly, Surman, Ebanks-Blake (Spray 70), Iwelumo, Hemmings (Mendez-Laing 65).
Unused subs: Rooney, East
Booking: Hill (48 - obstruction).
Referee: A. Hendley.
Attendance: 802
