THE CHAMPIONSHIP

ASTON VILLA maintained their recent revival under Steve Bruce with an impressive win over Cardiff City at Villa Park.

In chalking up their 11th win in 13 games against Cardiff, Villa increased their unbeaten run to six games to dramatically improve their league position.

They were indebted to leading marksman, Jonathan Kodjia, who notched his seventh goal of the season. He headed home a firsthalf effort after Cardiff had battled back to get into the game with a Ricky Lambert equaliser cancelling out a Albert Adomah opening goal in the 24th minute.

Villa sealed the win with an 88th-minute penalty from substitute Rudy Gestede after Jack Grealish had been brought down.

Villa’s success means they remain the only team in the Championship with an unbeaten home record.

It was not a happy day for Cardiff boss, Neil Warnock, who has now not won any of his seven games playing against Villa with four different clubs.

Warnock was not impressed when Lee Peltier was sent off for a foul on Grealish in the 83rd minute and 10-men Cardiff succumbed. THE pressure on Norwich manager Alex Neil increased further as his team crashed to a fifth consecutive defeat at Derby.

Former Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson settled a tight game with a second-half strike from 20 yards as the hosts earned their fourth straight victory.

Derby had the first effort on target in the 16thminute when Darren Bent’s clever pass gave Tom Ince a chance from 20-yards, but his drive was straight at Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy.

But Norwich were not playing like a team on a bad run and had a fine chance in the 50th minute when Steven Naismith was denied by Scott Carson.

Ruddy made an even better save at the other end six minutes later to keep out Bent. But Derby made the breakthrough in the 65th minute, when Will Hughes set up Johnson, whose precise strike from 20 yards arrowed into the bottom-left corner.

Johnson’s celebrations were muted, but it was a goal that could have serious consequences for Neil. PRESTON came from behind to salvage a point against Burton in a draw in the first-ever meeting between the two sides.

Burton had not scored an away goal for 406 minutes, but came close twice early on when Ben Turner thumped a header against the bar, before Jackson Irvine’s shot was pushed over by Chris Maxwell.

And they did grab their first goal in five away games after 23 minutes, when Irvine picked up a loose ball and fired low under Maxwell.

Preston had a chance to equalise through Callum Robinson, who was denied when oneon-one by keeper Jon McLaughlin. However, Robinson did deliver the equaliser in first-half stoppage time, sliding in at the near post to poke home from three-yards.

Preston started the second half as they had finished the first and tested McLaughlin within the first minute via Alex Baptiste’s effort.

Simon Grayson’s side came close to the lead after 52-minutes when Tom Clarke rose highest at a corner, but his header landed on the roof of the net.

Aiden McGeady tried his luck late on, but his effort was deflected into the arms of McLaughlin, as the visitors held on to the point.