GRABBAN KEEPS VILLANS IN CHASE
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AN EMPHATIC win over ten-man Ipswich is exactly what Aston Villa needed to keep their confidence growing as they look to clinch automatic promotion, according to assistant manager Colin Calderwood.
Villa controlled the match and were in front thanks to Conor Hourihane’s routine tapin when Grant Ward was shown a straight red for a clumsy high foul on Neil Taylor just before the break. Two second-half goals from Lewis Grabban and a fourth from Henri Lansbury completed a comfortable afternoon’s work.
The win keeps Steve Bruce’s side within touching distance of second-place with two games remaining but Calderwood thinks maintaining his side’sconfidence ahead of a potential play-off campaign is crucial.
“We don’t know how hopeful that win is for automatic promotion,” he said. “But you like to make [other teams] win promotion rather than fall over the line. I think, in some ways, it helps us, having a nice rhythm and being in good form going into whatever comes come the end of the season.
“You’ve got to clear the final hurdle. You can still win promotion and have a really joyous day. We’d like to finish it in a fortnight and we’ll try for that but we’ve got an insurance policy of games after that, which would be exciting for everyone, but we’d like to watch them.”
Villa’s opener came in fortunate circumstances as Grabban’s shot from the edge of the area hit Cole Skuse and deflected onto the left post, with Hourihane reacting quickest to tap into an empty net.
The major turning point came when Ipswich were reduced to ten men with four minutes remaining in the firsthalf.
Ward raked his studs down Neil Taylor’s planted leg whilst trying to control a high-ball and that made his dismissal an easy decision for referee Simon Hooper.
With Ipswich depleted, a second Villa goal ended the contest.
Grabban’s low-drive across goal went in off the post 12 minutes into the second half and the visitors bagged a third when a loose pass was inter- cepted by Josh Onomah, with the Villa player quickly finding Grabban, who guided a firsttime shot in off the left post – for the second time in the game – from nine yards.
As the Ipswich defence began to collapse, Villa struck again four minutes later. This time, Birkir Bjarnason’s left-wing cross was headed into the ground and up into the topright corner by Lansbury to end a tough day at the office for the Tractor Boys.
This was Ipswich’s second loss in a row following the early departure of Mick McCarthy but caretaker manager Bryan Klug thought the result could easily have been different.
“I thought, up until the sending off, we were in the game,” he said. “We were against a very good team and we had a plan for the game but when something like that happens, it goes out the window.
“It was right in front of us and I don’t think there was any malice in the challenge but he did catch him high and it gives the referee a chance to do that, so I’ve got no real complaints about it really.
“It did look like he was hurt but I don’t think he was, but that’s no criticism of him because I don’t think Grant saw him.”