Grealish owed me a goal, claims Smith

Aston Villa were good enough to consign struggling Bolton to a fifth defeat in six Championship matches but Dean Smith wants more from his team after a mixed start as manager.

The former Brentford coach has two wins out of two at Villa Park but those results have book-ended two away defeats since he succeeded Steve Bruce last month.

“Any win is welcome but we were nowhere near at our best,” he said. “At times we were very loose. We need to defend a lot better.”

Smith praised midfielder Jack Grealish, whose fourth-minute goal was his first since Villa rejected Tottenham’s attempt to prise him away in the summer, and hailed captain James Chester, both for heading in Villa’s second – albeit when arguably offside – and for a goal-line clearance in the first half.

“Jack owed me one,” Smith said. “He should have scored against Swansea and QPR, and had a couple of chances at Norwich. But he has the qualities to score regularly and he is getting better.”

“I thought James gave a really accomplished performance. That clearance was worth a goal.”

Chester’s athletic hook under the bar kept a Jack Hobbs header from crossing the line during a spell in which Bolton looked more than capable of drawing level. Having had a header ruled out for offside in the first period, the centre-back was given the benefit of the doubt as the linesman’s flag stayed down 13 minutes into the second half, even though replays suggested he was half a yard the wrong side of the last defender.

The Bolton manager, Phil Parkinson, admitted his side had been caught cold when Tammy Abraham’s pass put Grealish in position to round the goalkeeper and score from Villa’s first meaningful attack. But he was furious about the second goal, not so much for the offside as the free-kick from which it came, given for a foul by Joe Williams on Villa’s John Mcginn.

“Joe made a good tackle and how the referee and linesman can’t see that I don’t know,” Parkinson said. “It is unacceptable at this level.” Aston Villa

Subs Bolton Wanderers Referee

Subs Booked