Smith backing Villa to go up despite their horror run

DEAN SMITH insists Aston Villa’s promotion drive is still on course despite this horror show.

Just one win in seven league games has seen them slip down to mid-table – 12 points off the automatic promotion places and five from the play-offs.

But it was their abject display in the 3-0 demolition at Wigan that had travelling fans heading for the exit well before the final whistle.

The Villa boss, though, believes class is permanent and backs the players to get their promotion push back on track.

“We have had two defeats in

12,” said Smith

(right). “We were poor, but I am not going to lose sight of the players I have in that squad.

“I am not even looking at the table right now. I am only looking at the next game because we can’t go from where we were going to Derby, to Middlesbrough, to West Brom and putting in those performances because it is the same personnel and we are training the same.

“There is a lot of ability in that dressing room. The players know this and it is down to them to turn it around.”

On the bright side they will not have to try too hard to improve on this performance, as they were second best from the start. Only some smart saves from Lovre Kalinic on his Championship debut kept them in the game for the first 40 minutes.

There was little the Croatia No.1 could do about Gary Robert’s opener after some classy wing play from another new face, Wigan’s Anthony Pilkington. A spectacular diving header from Michael Jacobs on his from after three months out through injury and a penalty converted by Joe Garner in the second half sealed a deserved victory for the home side.

“It was a massive win for us,” said Jacobs. “Especially to get our home form going again and a clean sheet was nice as well.

“We have to look forward as we have good games coming up against Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest away – we can go toe-to-toe with those sides.

“A lot has been said about our early season form when we went toe-to-toe with those teams.

“There is nobody in this league that we should fear and if we get an opportunity like we did today to go and press Villa, then we have to go and do that against every team.”

WIGAN: ASTON VILLA: