Aston Villa have registered a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
The Baggies spent much of the game in control courtesy of Dwight Gayle's early strike, but second-half goals from Conor Hourihane and Tammy Abraham have given the advantage to Villa ahead of Tuesday's second leg.
West Brom will also be without Gayle after the forward was dismissed for two yellow cards during the final half hour.
Find out how all of the action unfolded in the West Midlands courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Championship playoffs between Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion. The two sides from the West Midlands have enjoyed strong campaigns at the second tier, but who will give themselves an advantage ahead of next week's second leg? The players are making their way out at Villa Park, so let's see who features in each starting lineup...
ASTON VILLA XI: Steer, Elmohamady, Tuanzebe, Mings, Taylor; Whelan, McGinn, Grealish; Adomah, Abraham, El Ghazi
ASTON VILLA SUBSTITUTES: Kalinic, Hause, Jedinak, Hourihane, Green, Davis, Kodjia
WEST BROMWICH ALBION XI: Johnstone; Dawson, Bartley, Hegazi; Holgate, Brunt, Johansen, Gibbs; Phillips; Rodriguez, Gayle
WEST BROMWICH ALBION SUBSTITUTES: Bond, Mears, Townsend, Field, Morrison, Montero, Murphy
KICKOFF: West Brom get us underway!
Both sets of supporters are making plenty of noise at Villa Park, and the players are responding in kind. There have already been a couple of meaty challenges in the middle of the pitch.
CHANCE! Villa play a short corner and it leads to McGinn crossing for Whelan, who is waiting around six yards out. However, the midfielder cannot get his header on target.
The home side are having the better of these early stages. Villa look very sharp, whereas West Brom are letting the hosts dictate play.
Villa win a second corner with Brunt needing to head over his own crossbar to defend a cross, but the Baggies are able to clear the danger from the corner.
West Brom showed their threat on the counter after that corner, but Villa are soon back on the front foot. This game is warming up nicely.
OFF THE BAR! Steer pulls off a wonder save to keep out Rodriguez! The West Brom attacker attempted to find the top corner from 20 yards out, but Steer stuck out a hand to tip the ball onto the crossbar.
Back come Villa as El Ghazi surges down the left before cutting inside in the final third. It leads to a foul being committed, and Villa have a set piece around 40 yards from goal.
CHANCE! Nothing came from the free kick, but Villa create their best chance of the game shortly afterwards. Elmohamady's cross from a deep position found Abraham by the penalty spot, and the forward sent a first-time volley over the crossbar from 12 yards.
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0-1 WEST BROMWICH ALBION (DWIGHT GAYLE)
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GOAL! West Brom take the lead! Whelan miscontrols the ball around 35 yards from goal, and it allows Gayle to run towards the penalty area. The Newcastle United loanee has little option but to go it alone, and the ball is drilled into the bottom corner from 18 yards out.
That opener is a bonus for West Brom, although the Baggies had come more into this game since a slow start. The pressure is all on Villa at this stage.
Villa have gone back on the front foot, but West Brom look ready to pounce on the break. There is much to ponder for Smith and Shan.
I think Villa have recongised that they are giving up too much space at the back. They look more conservative than they did a few minutes ago.
There is a small bit of frustration in the home section of the stands. Villa need to remember that this is a two-leg contest, but they are struggling to find the balance right now.
West Brom are effectively playing with 10 players behind the ball, with Gayle being given licence to chase down possession. It is leaving players like Grealish to drop 10 yards deeper.
SHOT! Villa work a short corner to give Grealish the chance to run at a defender on the byline. The playmaker cuts inside onto his right foot before attempting to find the top corner, but the ball goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
The first half-hour has gone perfectly for West Brom. They are creating chances against a team who have improved defensively in recent weeks, while the home supporters are getting more and more frustrated.
YELLOW CARD! The first yellow card of the game goes to Holgate, who pulls down El Ghazi after a mistake on the right.
West Brom should make the most of an opportunity to launch a counter-attack, but they do at least win a couple of corners to keep Villa under pressure.
Both teams are seeing passes go astray, and it signifies the importance of these next eight minutes. Villa simply cannot afford to concede a second.
Villa are attempting to apply more pressure, but West Brom are subtlety moving up the pitch. It's a smart tactic from the visitors, who had looked content to defend on the edge of their own box.
We are going to have a stoppage in play due to an injury to Dawson. Given what has occurred over the past few weeks, Villa have no issue with West Brom kicking the ball out of play...
Dawson is really struggling here. It's unclear what has happened, but the defender is having to be helped off the pitch.
West Brom are continuing with 10 men for now, but it seems almost certain that they will have to make a change. There will be five minutes of added-on time.
Dawson is going to play on for now. West Brom may have to reassess that at half time. Villa are pushing forward at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: Aston Villa 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
The half-time whistle goes at Villa Park and West Brom lead the home side thanks to Gayle's early goal. Villa have had plenty of the ball, but they are struggling to create many clear-cut opportunities. The Baggies will be delighted so far.
A reminder of the two benches...
ASTON VILLA SUBSTITUTES: Kalinic, Hause, Jedinak, Hourihane, Green, Davis, Kodjia
WEST BROMWICH ALBION SUBSTITUTES: Bond, Mears, Townsend, Field, Morrison, Montero, Murphy
The two teams are beginning to head back out. We are yet to see whether Dawson will continue after that injury at the end of the first half.
Yep - Dawson has been withdrawn. Mears has been introduced, with Holgate moving to centre-back.
KICKOFF: Villa get us back underway.
YELLOW CARD! Hegazi is the second West Brom man to be cautioned after going through the back of Adomah.
It is all Villa at the start of this second half. Like in the first half, West Brom look nervy and Villa are attempting to capitalise.
SHOT! Abraham takes the chance to run at Hegazi on the side of the penalty area, knowing that the centre-back is unable to commit to a tackle. The Chelsea loanee reaches the byline, but Johnstone keeps out his effort at the near post.
West Brom are again prepared to play on the counter. In theory, it should work more effectively than in the first half because there appears to be more space in the middle of the park.
CHANCE! Villa remain on the offensive and a cross from Elmohamady finds Abraham. However, the forward's header flies marginally wide of the far corner. Good effort, though.
Back come West Brom - again - and a long throw from Gayle and the resulting corner each cause problems in the Villa six-yard box.
SHOT! This would have some goal. El Ghazi tries his luck from all of 30 yards, and the ball only goes marginally wide of the near top corner.
YELLOW CARD! Gayle is booked for time-wasting, but I think that it is harsh. The forward was only walking over to take a throw-in. The referee has jumped the gun here.
Tensions are beginning to boil over at Villa Park. There is a perception that West Brom are doing everything that they can to waste time, but it's an exaggeration.
SUBSTITUTION! West Brom make their second switch as Murphy replaces Phillips.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Villa are also making two changes, with Whelan and Adomah being replaced by Hourihane and Green.
That change should only help Villa, but they still have to be careful not to commit too many men forward. West Brom are showing less intent going forward, but the threat that they possess remains.
West Brom break down the right-hand side, and a cross from a deep position leads to a corner. It's a chance for the likes of Bartley and Hegazi to make their way forward.
CHANCE! It was Bartley who was found at the back post, and the centre-back's header only goes marginally wide of the far post. It may have been an attempt to find a teammate, but it almost went straight into the corner.
West Brom launch another counter-attack and Gayle should find Murphy with a through-ball. However, the pass lacks pace and Villa comfortably survive.
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-1 WEST BROMWICH ALBION (CONOR HOURIHANE)
GOAL! Villa find an equaliser through Hourihane! Grealish tees up the substitute on the edge of the area, and Hourihane finds gap in the Baggies defence to direct a first-time effort from 20 yards into the far corner.
PENALTY! Villa have now won a penalty! Moments after being booked, Gibbs goes to ground on Grealish inside the area, and it looks a definite spot kick.
GOAL! ASTON VILLA 2-1 WEST BROMWICH ALBION (TAMMY ABRAHAM)
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GOAL! Abraham takes responsibility for the spot kick, and the forward slots the ball into the bottom left corner, with Johnstone diving the other way. What a turnaround!
West Brom are up against it to get back into this game now, but they will surely push men forward in search of an equaliser. For the first time in this match, Villa have something to defend.
PENALTY APPEAL! Villa are fortunate not to concede a penalty. Abraham was attempting to win a high ball with Holgate, but the forward only clattered into the Baggies man.
SUBSTITUTION! West Brom make their final alteration as Morrison replaces Johansen, who has picked up a knock.
RED CARD! Gayle has been sent off for a second yellow card. Again, I don't agree with it. Gayle makes an effort to get on the end of a cross, but he only makes connection with Steer. It looks bad, but it is an accidental collision.
Villa have two men receiving treatment - Mings and El Ghazi. Mings is back on his feet, but I think El Ghazi may be getting withdrawn.
SUBSTITUTION! Kodjia is being introduced for El Ghazi. There are going to be seven minutes of added-on time.
West Brom should probably look to remain just the one goal behind at this stage. Villa are seeing much more of the ball, and sense an opportunity to add a third.
Just the two minutes to go now. West Brom did have a free kick in their own half, but they have gifted possession straight back to Villa.
SHOT! Green turns inside the area and attempts to fire the ball inside the near post, but a Baggies defender deflects the effort wide of the post.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
The full-time whistle goes at Villa Park and the home side have held on to register a 2-1 win over West Brom. The visitors had appeared to be in control, but two late goals have swung the tie in Villa's favour ahead of Tuesday's second leg.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this afternoon, and we hope to see you again soon.
If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
