Bruce laments ‘awful’ defeat

Steve Bruce described Aston Villa’s shock 2-1 home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday in the Sky Bet Championship yesterday as “a huge disappointment”.

The visitors took the lead through Marco da Silva’s 49th-minute goal. John McGinn levelled five minutes later with a spectacular volley, but Wednesday won it with Steven Fletcher’s 66th-minute goal. Villa have won just three of their opening nine league games. Bruce admitted: “We didn’t play well enough. It was one of those awful afternoons.”

Saido Berahino missed a stoppagetime penalty for Stoke City as Blackburn Rovers held on for a 3-2 victory at bet365 Stadium. The visitors were three goals up shortly after half-time. Gary Rowett’s men pulled one back with 12 minutes to play when substitute Berahino bundled into the net before Tom Ince tapped in two minutes later. Berahino won the penalty but thumped his kick off the bar.

Barnsley’s League One match at home to Burton was postponed after a volunteer fell ill. An air ambulance landed on the pitch and took him to hospital, where he was stable last night.