Fragile Villa edge through

ASTON VILLA boss Steve Bruce called for his players to create a winning mentality before this one and that is exactly what they did as the rain hammered down in Essex last night. The game was just seven minutes old when Scott Hogan put Villa ahead. The ball had come loose in the Colchester area after Andre Green went down on the slippery surface and appeared to take goalkeeper Sam Walker with him. Referee John Brooks allowed play to continue and Hogan put into the open net. John McGreal’s side had a chance to reply a minute later from the penalty spot after Chris Samba clumsily brought down striker Sammie Szmodics. Mikael Mandron went left but Villa goalkeeper Jed Steer was equal to it. And soon after it was 2-0. Albert Adomah stormed down the right before playing a dangerous cross which defender Frankie Kent turned into his own goal. Kent redeemed himself when he deflected Kyel Reid’s shot past Steer six minutes before half-time, but Colchester could not further punish the fragile Villa defence. Bruce said: ‘I haven’t witnessed conditions like it since I was at school in the middle of winter. It was a leveller and produced a hell of a game.’