A Villa side featuring the likes of Jordan Ayew, Ashley Westwood and Rudy Gestede needed a last minute goal from Aly Cissokho to beat a resilient Telford United side.
Roberto Di Matteo also gave starts to new signings Pierluigi Gollini and Tommy Elphick, as well as promising youth prospects Andre Green and Easih Suliman.
Despite the vast experience and quality in the Villa side, it would be the hosts who took the lead. Telford striker David Hibbert gave the home side the lead within three minutes, firing past Gollini.
Villa continued to pressurize the Telford defence, but James Montgomery in the Telford goal kept the likes of Ayew, Gestede and Sinclair at bay.
However, in the 81st minute, Telford’s resislance was finally broken after Jordan Ayew fired home from inside the area.
As the game approached the final stages, Villa found time for a late winner, as Aly Cissokho managed to nod home Ayew’s cross from the right.
