BRUCE’S VILLA START TO LOOK THE PART

ASTON VILLA returned to the Championship play-off places as first-half goals from James Chester and Robert Snodgrass made it just one league loss in 12 matches. Preston were without five defenders including suspended captain Paul Huntington. And they held out for only 12 minutes before Snodgrass found the head of Wales international Chester with an outswinging corner. Snodgrass

secured the visitors’ rise to fifth in the table when he buried a low cross from Josh Onomah, the winger having robbed Ben Pearson by the touchline to leave North End’s stand-in skipper holding his head. Scotland star Snodgrass

is enjoying a new lease of life on loan at Villa having been unwanted by West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. And Bruce revealed: ‘His confidence was low because he hadn’t been playing, but we’ve given him the chance, he’s doing well for us and long may it continue. Hopefully he’ll stay here. ‘We were excellent tonight and could have won by more. A club like Villa needs to be in the top six and over the past couple of months we’ve been the most consistent side in the division.’ After last season’s corresponding fixture, Villa sacked Roberto Di Matteo following a 2-0 defeat at Deepdale, but they look far more robust under Bruce. At the back, 36-year-old John Terry looked commanding and showed all his knowhow to produce a brilliant diving header that prevented Tom Barkhuizen from nabbing an equaliser at 1-0 with Bruce adding: ‘He and James Chester were immaculate.’ Preston have gone off the boil under Alex Neil and were lucky that Keinan Davis, Onomah and Albert Adomah all missed chances. ‘Without so many injuries it was always going to be difficult,’ said Neil. Bruce withdrew young forward Davis before the end after he was booked for a challenge that left North End’s Andy Boyle in a heap.