Bowen Spoils Terry's Party

Wasteful Villa fail to build on bright opening

- Chris Dunlavy

OLD STAGER John Terry was upstaged by young gun Jarrod Bowen as Villa were made to pay for wasting a hatful of first-half chances. 

Leading through Gabby Agbonlahor’s seventh-minute strike, Villa bossed the visitors for half-an-hour and created enough chances to win two games.

But having failed to twist the knife, Steve Bruce’s side ran out of gas and were forced to settle for a point when 20-year-old Bowen netted his first goal for the Tigers.

“It is no surprise Jarrod scored today,” said Leonid Slutsky, Hull’s eccentric new Russian boss.

“He was the best striker in all the pre-season matches and he really deserved this. To me, age is nothing. What is important are good players and bad players, and Jarrod is a very good player.”

Bruce, who signed Bowen for Hull in 2014, begrudgingly agreed. “I should have left him at Hereford,” he joked. “When we brought him in he was a youngster playing in a man’s league. He’s a terrific lad and he’s looking a pretty good buy for 50 grand now.”