Dean Smith has admitted that Aston Villa 'got away with one' after Callum Wilson missed a glorious opportunity to put Newcastle United ahead at Villa Park.
Wilson was played in with just five minutes on the clock after Federico Fernandez's ball over the top caught Villa's backline napping.
Wilson is deadly from one-on-one situations but, after spinning past Tyrone Mings and bearing down on goal, the striker scooped his effort wide.
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Jeers greeted Wilson's miss - the Coventry native turned Villa down last summer, of course - and the 29-year-old knew what a big opportunity it was as he put his hands on his head.
Villa eventually took the lead just before half-time after a routine devised by set-piece coach Austin MacPhee paid off: Matty Cash's long throw was flicked on by Tyrone Mings and Danny Ings fired the hosts in front with a spectacular overhead kick.
Ings admitted after the game that he 'could not tell you about the routine' because he 'would be giving a lot away' but, as amazing as the finish was, Newcastle's defending could have been better.
Villa were strong from set plays on the day and Ezri Konsa headed John McGinn's free-kick across the goal ahead of the hosts being awarded a 62nd-minute penalty after Jamaal Lascelles handled the ball inside the box.
Referee David Coote had been instructed by VAR to take another look at that incident after Mings' header struck Lascelles' arm from close range and, after consulting his pitchside monitor, the official pointed to the spot and Anwar El Ghazi put Villa 2-0 up.
VAR also ruled that Wilson had strayed offside in the build-up to the striker winning a penalty for Newcastle after Martinez fouled the No 9 inside the area late on.
Although Newcastle ultimately only had one shot on target - Joelinton's tame header was claimed by Martinez in the 97th minute - Smith believed Wilson's early miss was a key moment in the game.
"We felt they would be a threat certainly with the pace they had," the Villa boss said. "They put some balls behind us and we had to deal with that really well.
"We got away with one when Wilson went through early on. I thought there were two fouls in it, being honest, before that.
"But it was a great finish from Danny Ings and a set-piece routine we have actually worked on in pre-season. Super finish and what we brought Danny Ings in for."
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