Cometh the Hour to save Bruce
ASTON VILLA made a belated move up the table with a nervous win over Nottingham Forest.
It was far from a conclusive victory despite taking a first-half lead through Albert Adomah.
Daryl Murphy scored a well- merited second- half equaliser only for Irishman Conor Hourihane to clinch the points with a 60th-minute winner from a free-kick.
The visitors, beaten in four of their previous five games in all competitions, played with some early confidence with Barrie McKay their chief play-maker.
Surprisingly Villa found themselves on the back foot, unable to stamp any authority on the proceedings to the growing annoyance of manager Steve Bruce.
But Forest were caught out of position by a piece of sublime play in the 15th minute when Jonathan Kodjia slipped the ball inside Matt Mills to Adomah. Jordan Smith had to dash from his line in an attempt to avert the danger, but Adomah sidestepped Forest’s keeper to slide the ball into an empty net. Kodjia was accorded a wonderful opportunity to increase Villa’s lead only to fumble an accurate rightwing cross from Robert Snodgrass. Tendayi Darikwa should have produced a better finish for Forest with an effort he fired into the sidenetting as he caught Villa’s defence on the retreat.
Forest finally found the mark in the 53rd minute.
The ball bounced off a Villa player and Murphy was on hand to take advantage of a gift opening to grab the equaliser. The goal visibly upset Villa’s defence which went into panic mode as Forest realised they had a real chance of taking control.
Villa, however, bounced back to regain the lead with Hourihane scoring direct from a free-kick on the hour.
Kodjia went on a solo run only to be impeded by Ben Brereton who was given a yel l ow card. Previously Snodgrass had taken Villa’s free-kicks, but the Irishman stepped up to curl home.