LUKE Moore's first-ever goal in Albion colours proved in vain as Barry Bannan struck a second-half double to earn Villa a Barclays Premier Reserve League (South) win.

The Baggies striker, who played 34 minutes as a sub in the first-team's defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, opened the scoring against his former club in the 39th minute to put the hosts ahead at the break.

But Bannan's early, five-minute, second-half brace gave Villa a lead they held onto at The Hawthorns.

Only Dean Kiely and the woodwork prevented the visitors recording a bigger margin of victory in this West Midlands mini-derby.

Villa started brightly when Barry raced down the left and crossed to the back post for Andres Weimann, whose diving header from eight yards forced Kiely into a fine save with his legs.

Two minutes later, it was the Baggies on the attack.

Carl Hoefkens played the ball over the defence for Josh Knight who lifted it over the keeper, only to see his effort cleared off the goalline by Ciaran Clark.

Moments later, Sherjill MacDonald picked up a clearance and burst forward before picking out Pele, whose header forced a point-blank save from Elliot Parish.

The game then hit a lull until the 34th minute when David Worrall made a darting run across the penalty area and teed up Graham Dorrans.

The Scotland Under-21 international fired in a 20-yard strike that flew just over the bar.

Just five minutes later, MacDonald beat three Villa players before chipping the ball into the penalty area where Moore saw his header parried by Parish.

But the striker soon went one better.

Moore chased the ball down on the right and cut back inside before drilling in a low goalbound shot which flew in off Nathan Baker's head on the goalline.

The action wasn't limited to the field of play.

Assistant referee Andrew Barney took a nasty tumble over one of the substitutes warming up on the touchline four minutes before the break.

He suffered a cut eye and bloodied nose and was unable to continue.

Fourth official Phillip Hardisty took over the flag for the remainder of the game, while Stuart Attwell, the referee who allowed the goal that never was in the Championship clash between Watford and Reading earlier this season, took over the fourth official's role.

Back on the field, there was still time for Knight to race down the right and cut the ball back for Dorrans, who this time saw his 20-yard effort headed off the line by Baker.

Villa came out strong after the break, with Weimann proving a constant thorn in Albion's side.

The Claret-and-Blue hitman hooked a thrown-in over the top in the 47th minute and Zoltan Stieber smashed a 15-yard volley off the bar.

Marc Albrighton pounced on the rebound but fired wide of the right-hand post.

Chris Herd sent Nathan Delfouneso through three minutes later but Kiely came out to meet him and blocked his shot with his legs.

But, less than 60 seconds later, it was 1-1.

Albrighton pushed down Villa's left and cut the ball back for Herd, who hit the underside of the bar before seeing Bannan crack home the rebound from ten yards.

At the other end, Knight struck over from 25 yards after a good run by MacDonald.

But Albion gifted the visitors the lead in the 56th minute when Pele dallied on the ball on the edge of the penalty area and allowed Weimann to get a shot away, which was blocked.

Bannan again pounced on the rebound to drill home.

Delfouneso broke down the right in the 73rd minute and flashed a ball across the six-yard box which Delfouneso came within a whisker of connecting with.

Five minutes later, Delfouneso wriggled free of sub Jamal Clarke on the left-hand side of the box but saw Kiely save his low cross-shot with his legs.

The Baggies keeper then made life awkward for Pele in the 80th minute when he rolled the ball out to him in a precarious position.

Weimann dispossessed the Cape Verde international but Kiely atoned for his error by blocking with his legs before pouncing on the ball.

ALBION: Kiely; Pike, Hoefkens, Pele, Saied (Clarke HT); Knight, Worrall, Dorrans, MacDonald (Sawyers 80); Slusarski (Elford-Alliyu 68), Moore. Subs not used: Lake-Gaskin, Wood.

VILLA: Parish; Roome, Clark, Baker, Lowry; Albrighton (Hofbauer 65), Stieber, Herd, Bannan (Forrester 89); Weimann (Collins 83), Delfouneso. Subs not used: Mikaelsson, Dau.

GOALS: ALBION - Moore (39). VILLA - Bannan (51 & 56).

BOOKINGS: VILLA - Lowry (foul 3), Roome (foul 60), Herd (86).

REFEREE: D Coote.

ATTENDANCE: 576.

ALBION STARMAN: Graham Dorrans.

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