Aston Villa 2 Bolton 0 (4-5 agg)
Villa grabbed an early goal through Thomas Hitzlsperger but Gavin McCann's sending off proved the turning point and despite dominating the game, the hosts could not do enough to force extra time.
Jlloyd Samuel struck with three minutes remaining to set up a frantic finish but Villa could not get the goal they needed and went out in heartbreaking fashion 5-4 on aggregate.
Villa came flying out of the traps and Darius Vassell had a superb chance to start the fightback after just two minutes, but he stroked his shot straight at straight at keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen from just two yards out.
Bolton did not heed the warning and Villa opened the scoring on ten minutes when Hitzlsperger curled in a great free kick from 25 yards after Ivan Campo had hauled down Peter Crouch.
Villa continued their assault on the visiting goal and Emerson Thome was lucky not to be shown a red card for bringing down Vassell just inside his own half when the Villa striker looked clean through on goal.
The hosts continued their frantic opening and both Gareth Barry and Hitzlsperger fired just wide as they pressed for a second goal to put them right back in the tie.
Crouch headed just over on 34 minutes after Sam Allardyce's men had done better to frustrate an energetic Villa side who had completely dominated and should have had more than just a single goal to show for their efforts - as Barry again showed when slicing over from a great position four minutes later.
The game's major talking point then came six minutes before half time, when Gavin McCann was shown a straight red card by referee Steve Bennett following a scuffle with Thome that occurred after a challenge with Jaaskelainen.
The Brazilian stopper took exception to McCann's challenge on the keeper, and as Bennett considered what action to take the Villa man slapped his former Sunderland team-mate in the face - resulting in the official producing a straight red.
David O'Leary was fuming at the decision - and in particular Campo's part in the matter as the Spaniard was in Bennett's face demanding that McCann be given his marching orders.
Villa's ten men emerged for the second half knowing that they had an almighty task on their hands - but they were close to reducing the deficit further when substitute Peter Whittingham sliced his shot wide when in a great position at the edge of the box.
Bolton were happy to sit on their numerical and aggregate scoreline advantage and despite the ten men putting in a brave display, they failed to force Jaaskelainen into a serious save.
Barry sliced another shot wide while a number of free kicks and corners came to nothing despite Dion Dublin being deployed up front from his centre half slot.
With time ebbing away, Samuel gave Villa a lifeline when he benefited from good footwork from Crouch to fire home courtesy of a deflection to make it 2-0 and leave the hosts needing just another goal to force extra time.
It was hearts-in-the-mouths stuff in the closing minutes as Villa hoisted a number of balls into the box but it was just not to be and Bolton hung on desperately to book their place in the Carling Cup final in Cardiff.
