Bruce bandwagon is halted

ASTON VILLA’S hopes of securing automatic promotion were dealt a big blow as they crashed 3-1 at home to QPR.

Steve Bruce’s side had kicked off just four points off second place after a run of eight wins in 10 games.

But they fell behind after 12 minutes as Ryan Manning headed his first of the season from Jake Bidwell’s cross.

Full-back Bidwell then added the second when he smashed in Pawel Wszolek’s pullback from 20 yards.

Jack Grealish missed a great chance to pull one back before halftime when he headed straight at Alex Smithies from point-blank range.

Substitute Luke Freeman sealed the points for Rangers seven minutes from time but James Chester managed a consolation.

David Brooks scored for the first time since suffering a bout of glandular fever as Sheffield United boosted their play-off hopes with a 2-0 win over Burton.

Brooks, who did not play for more than two months after the illness, converted Mark Duffy’s through-ball after coming off the bench.

Enda Stevens had earlier swept in his first goal for the Blades from George Baldock’s low cross and they are now just two points of the play-off places. Hull moved nine points clear of the relegation places after Markus Henriksen, Harry Wilson and Jarrod Bowen netted in a 3-0 win at Ipswich.

Ipswich were booed off at half-time with many fans calling for manager Mick McCarthy to step down.

Josh Murphy struck a 71st-minute equaliser to earn Norwich a 1-1 draw at Barnsley.

Oli McBurnie earlier hit his sixth goal in eight games for the Tykes.