How the Irish fared: Hourihane on target for red-hot Villa
Conor Hourihane proved the match-winner as Aston Villa continued their charge towards the Championship play-offs with an eighth successive win on Saturday.
Villa were already 1-0 to the good when Hourihane doubled their advantage with a clever finish and, though Bristol City pulled one back, the Championship’s most in-form team held on. “He could have had three or four today,” Villa boss Dean Smith said of the Bandon man.
“He was tiring but kept getting chances so I couldn’t take him off too early. He got the goal he deserved.”
Elsewhere in the Championship, John Egan was sent off for handball in Sheffield United’s 1-1 draw with Millwall. The Blades were leading 1-0 with five minutes to go when centre-back Egan showed he could have an alternative career as a goalkeeper with a stunning save to keep out a goal-bound header.
He saw red for his troubles but might have felt his indiscretion was justified when Millwall missed the resulting penalty. However, there was a late sting in the tail as Millwall equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
As a consequence, Sheffield United now trail Leeds by three points in the promotion race.
The promotion dream is all but over for Nottingham Forest after Martin O’Neill’s men lost 2-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers. The former Republic of Ireland boss accepts the play-offs are out of reach and is already preparing for next season.
“There are a number of areas to address in the summer,” he said.
“The play-offs are a distance away and we cannot talk about that any more. Now we will see what we have about us. Everyone will get a chance to show what they can do and we will get ready for next season.”
The game of the weekend took place in League One, where Jordan Shipley was among the scorers as Coventry won 5-4 at Sunderland.
In League Two, Pádraig Amond scored as Newport County won 3-0 at Cambridge United. Sam Foley was on the mark in Northampton’s 1-1 draw with Mansfield Town.
