Villa show true grit to help Bruce save face
Gabby agbonlahor resurrected his aston Villa career at the place where he has enjoyed some of his finest moments but Steve bruce was indebted to another local lad for taking a point on his return to St andrew’s.
Gary Gardner, an academy graduate who looks to be realising his potential after a number of injury- plagued years, scored his first senior goal to put Villa ahead.
David Davis produced an excellent equaliser and birmingham finished much the stronger, failing to convert a number of fine chances to leave their manager Gary Rowett shrugging his shoulders as he left the pitch to cheers. For bruce, his comeback to the ground where he was once lauded in a similar manner was an example of why Villa a appointed him. They would d likely have lost this gamee earlier in the season but dis--played creditable grit too extend bruce’s unbeaten n record to four games.
St andrew’s was a cauldron n of noise but thankfully therere were no signs of trouble, even n when agbonlahor’s appear- ance as a late substitute te reignited tribal chanting ng between the two sets of fans.
agbonlahor’s record of fourr goals in eight games against st Villa’s fiercest rivals fed intoto bruce’s decision to end an exile over fitness issues that hat dates back to March 19. ‘He’s e’s probably been in a dark place ace but let’s not forget he’s been n in the big league all his life, scororing goals,’ said bruce. ‘I would be foolish to just discard him. My job is to get the best out of him.’
Much focus was on bruce, back at the club where he brought two promotions in six years. In Villa hue all that was disregarded, with bruce booed as he strode down the touchline.
birmingham started brightly and in the 19th minute came close to going ahead when Clayton Donaldson headed against the underside of the bar and, according to birmingham’s players and thousands in the stands, over the line. assistant referee Simon Long disagreed and replays showed he was right.
Then, in the 29th minute and against the run of play, Villa struck. Jordan ayew curled a 40-yard free kick to the far post and Gardner rose to plant a superb header beyond Tomasz Kuszczak. He ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with the Villa fans while bruce jumped on to the pitch and punched the air.
birmingham redoubled their efforts after the break and should have equalised when Jacques Maghoma charged down alan Hutton’s clearance to run through but he dallied and Hutton got back to block before Pierluigi Gollini saved. Rowett’s team did draw level in the 71st minute. Substitute David Cotterill hit a cross that was cleared only to Davis, who jinked past Gardner and drove a low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. Davis celebrated by taking off his shirt as smoke bombs went off in the stand. birmingham oughtough to have gone in front five minutes later but Donaldson dragged his shot wide. agbonlahor was sent into the fray with nine minutes left and not long after birmingham had another glorious chance but Ryan Shotton fired over from four yards after Michael Morrison’s header was blocked by Gardner.
after the final whistle Rowett exchanged words with Jonathan Kodjia over alleged time-wasting and the birmingham manager cupped his ear to the Villa fans.
Rowett said: ‘I got a bit bored with the banter so I decided to give them a little bit back, which I think the blues fans appreciated. I’m not sure the police would have done!’
BIRMINGHAM (4-4-1-1): Kuszczak 6; Spector 6.5, Morrison 7, Shotton 7.5, Wiggins 7 (Robinson 90min); Davis 8, Gleeson 7, Kieftenbeld 7 (Cotterill 70, 6.5), Maghoma 7; Adams 7 (Jutkiewicz 65, 6.5); Donaldson 5. Booked: Kieftenbeld, Davis. Scorer: Davis 71.
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Gollini 6.5; Hutton 6, Chester 7, Baker 7, Amavi 6.5; Westwood 7 (Gestede 87), Jedinak 6, Gardner 7.5; Adomah 6 (McCormack 26, 6.5), Kodjia 6, Ayew 6 (Agbonlahor 81). Booked: Amavi, Westwood, Ayew. Scorer: Gardner 29.
Man of the match: David Davis. Referee: Mike Dean 7.