SATURDAY: MICHAEL Ricketts carries on where he left off at Old Trafford, putting Wanderers in front inside 90 seconds at Villa Park.

But the afternoon ends in disappointment and controversy, with referee Eddie Wolstenholme awarding a penalty against Ricardo Gardner in the first minute of the second half that gave Villa a 3-1 lead. Home boss John Gregory was a relieved man at the end though as Wanderers launch a terrific fightback with Ricketts netting his eighth of the season 15 minutes from time.

MONDAY

GUDNI Bergsson reflects on the last gasp "sitter" he missed that would have snatched a point for Wanderers at Villa Park. "I should have equalised," the skipper admits. Sam Allardyce is checking out 19-year-old French midfielder Ahmid Chafni. Paul Wheatcroft's loan to Rochdale is extended for a second month.

TUESDAY

RICKETTS and Bergsson spell out the determination in the Reebok camp to bounce back from the Villa defeat and put their home form to rights against Everton.

WEDNESDAY

KEVIN Nolan is named in a 20-strong squad for England Under 20s friendly against Portugal on November 21 ... Wanderers reveal that an investigation has discovered ticket fraud at the Reebok with "a small number" of adults using juvenile season tickets. Offenders are warned that a clampdown is on the way. Dean Holdsworth scores for the Reserves against Blackburn at the Reebok but a disappointing performance ends in a 2-1 defeat against a Rovers team down to 10-men for more than half the game. Akinori Nishizawa shines and veteran keeper Kevin Poole makes his debut after joining Wanderers on a month's contract.

THURSDAY

AS Wanderers confirm an interest in Barcelona's out of favour goalkeeper Richard Dutruel, Sam Allardyce salutes Jussi Jaaskelainen as "a top level Premiership keeper". Nishizawa is named in the Japan squad for the home friendly against Italy next Wednesday but Ricardo Gardner and Jermaine Johnson are left out of the Jamaica squad for their meaningless final World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica.

FRIDAY

MIKE Whitlow's impressive transformation from left back to central defender is acknowledged when Sam Allardyce puts him ahead of Colin Hendry, Bruno N'Gotty and Djibril Diawara in the Reebok pecking order. Former Bolton team-mates, John McGinlay and Jimmy Phillips pay tribute to Alan Stubbs, who is in the Everton squad for the Premiership clash at the Reebok.