Crash ’n’ Grab
‘WE’VE GOT THE PLAY-OFF POWER NOW’
LEWIS GRABBAN struck late to underline Steve Bruce’s claim that Aston Villa have the mental strength to reach the Premier League.
They will have to do it the hard way, via the stomachchurning play-offs – the most perilous but satisfying route back to the promised land.
And if this dress rehearsal of a potential semi-final, or Wembley final was anything to go by, the way Bruce’s players refused to accept defeat will ensure the Villa manager sleeps soundly until the post-season starts.
Grabban’s late equaliser was the very least Villa deserved for the way they forensically picked apart and mentally wore down Derby County after falling behind to Cameron Jerome’s fourth goal of the season. It was a display that backed up the claim
Bruce (left) – that they can handle the big-game pressure.m a d e about the likes of John Terry, Glenn Whelan, Robert Snodgrass and Co Grabban more than anyone could have shied away after fluffing his lines in this potential play-offs dress rehearsal – but he was on hand to ensure Derby’s nerves will be tested next Sunday.
He headed over from six yards, hit the bar with another effort, but was in the right place to pounce on Terry’s lay-off to equalise, after Conor Hourihane’s low shot was palmed away by Scott Carson.
“We were powerful in the second half and Lewis’s goal and all-round performance augurs well for us,” said assistant boss Colin Calderwood.
“From the psychological angles and everything else, the play-offs demand that you deal with the situation in front of you.
“We know we are there and we know we can have no negatives.
“Whether you go home or away, you go to win and be positive. The way we kept going here will help us in the play-offs.”
Derby came within six minutes of securing a second crucial win of the week, following Tuesday’s excellent victory over Cardiff.
Neil Taylor won’t want to see replays of his error-strewn part in the build-up, which gave Derby their lead.
The Villa leftback twice allowed Andreas Weimann to get the better of him, and the second time it resulted in the cross which set up Jerome to score the opener. Derby looked to have withstood all Villa could throw at them, thanks to Curtis Davies’ ability to head, kick and block everything that came his way.
They had their good fortune too, with Hourihane miss-kicking from six yards and Jonathan Kodjia hitting the post, but Grabban’s close-range finish was the least Villa deserved.
“You could sense we would struggle to hang on, but to get a draw was a fantastic effort,” said Rams boss Gary Rowett.
“It showed how much the players want the play-offs.
“We still have some work to do, but we have soundly beaten Cardiff and pretty much taken everything Villa can throw at us.”