Bellamy steals a point for City.

Byline: JOHN CURTIS 

CRAIG BELLAMY denied Aston Villa's former Manchester City captain Richard Dunne a night of glory against his old club by grabbing an equaliser for the hosts at Villa Park.

Dunne had given Villa a half-time lead with his first goal since his pounds 6m move from Eastlands, outjumping City's former Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

But the impressive Bellamy rescued a deserved point for Mark Hughes' side midway through the second period.

Emmanuel Adebayor returned to the Manchester City side after suspension.

Adebayor had served a three-game ban for violent conduct against his former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie.

It was the only change from the City side which had defeated West Ham 3-1 at Eastlands one week ago.

Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell returned after a two-game absence through injury in place of Fabian Delph.

Sidwell had recovered from a thigh strain in the only change from the line-up beaten 2-1 at Blackburn.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, came close to giving Villa the lead after only two minutes from the first corner of the game.

Ashley Young played the ball into Agbonlahor, and his first-time flick forced a fine save from Shay Given at the base of the post.

City retaliated in an open start to the game, and Wayne Bridge had a shot deflected over the Villa bar.

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel was equal to the corner from Bellamy, with a powerful punch.

Adebayor tried his luck from the edge of the Villa box, but his shot did not extend Friedel.

Back came Villa, and captain Stiliyan Petrov was only just wide with a low drive after being teed up by Ashley Young 20 yards out.

Then after 14 minutes, former City captain Richard Dunne headed Villa into the lead.

Stephen Warnock sent over an inswinging corner, and Dunne was perfectly placed to head back across Given into the far corner.

Dunne was mobbed by his team-mates but did not celebrate the goal with any elaborate gestures and was applauded by the City fans when he made his way back to the centre-circle.

Villa were now in the ascendancy, and Young got into a dangerous position after beating Pablo Zabaleta - only to lose his footing as he prepared to shoot.

Gareth Barry came close to setting up a City equaliser within two minutes after the break, his probing pass into the six-yard box only just failing to pick out Adebayor's run.

Joleon Lescott blocked a fierce drive from Warnock, and then Milner flashed a powerful shot across the face of goal.

Dunne had a good chance to score for the second time, but his header from Milner's corner slid just past the far post.

City looked uncertain when defending set-plays, and Collins had a volley blocked by Toure from another Milner centre.

In contrast, Dunne and Collins were making some important challenges at the heart of the Villa defence.

City forced a string of corners - and after 67 minutes, Bellamy brought them back on level terms with his fourth goal of the season.

Wright-Phillips won the ball and released Ireland, who then played the ball into Adebayor down the channel.

He cut the ball back to Bellamy, who hammered the ball home from 12 yards.

CAPTION(S):

Craig Bellamy scores the equaliser for City (left); before celebrating (top; Gareth Barry and Richard Dunne in action last night (above)