Express & Star

Ipswich 0 Aston Villa 4 - Report

Villa equalled their best away win of the season as they cruised past ten man Ipswich.

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Conor Hourihane broke the deadlock for the visitors with his 11th goal of the season, before Grant Ward saw red for the hosts for a high challenge on Neil Taylor.

Lewis Grabban then netted twice after the break to put Steve Bruce's men in complete control, with substitute Henri Lansbury netting the fourth late on.

The result means Villa, who were already guaranteed a play-off place, can finish no lower than fourth in the Championship table.

It also kept alive their slender hopes of a top two finish, although those will be ended should Cardiff record wins over Nottingham Forest and Derby in the coming days.

Even if his team are destined for the play-offs, Bruce can at least take comfort in the fact they are heading towards them with momentum restored.

This was Villa's third straight win and clean sheet. It was also their first victory on the road in four matches - equalling the 4-0 win recorded at Burton back in September.

In truth, the result rarely looked in doubt from the moment Hourihane had prodded them into a 25th minute lead.

Ward's dismissal, three minutes before the break, only made the task tougher for an Ipswich side who sit mid-table and surely can't wait for the season to end.

In the second half Villa moved through the gears and in truth could and perhaps should have won by more.

Bruce will take encouragement from impressive performances from the likes of Josh Onomah and particularly Lewis Grabban, who has now netted seven times since joining the club on loan in January.

The boss was also able to take the luxury of resting key players, including Robert Snodgrass, for the bigger battles which lie ahead.

Villa's team contained two changes from the one which defeated Leeds 1-0 eight days previously.

Birkir Bjarnason and Hourihane were both restored to the starting line-up, with Jonathan Kodjia and Snodgrass the men to make way. Kodjia's absence had been expected, with the striker having only recently returned from a serious ankle injury.

Snodgrass's presence on the bench meanwhile ended a run of 37 consecutive starts for the Scot, dating back to September. Villa skipper John Terry again missed out with an ankle injury.

The absence of Snodgrass and Albert Adomah saw Josh Onomah and Jack Grealish begin the game in wide roles.

Perhaps understandably, Villa took time to find their stride and they might have trailed as early as the fourth minute had Myles Kenlock been able to make a clean connection with a Ward cross at the far post, instead of scuffing his finish horribly wide.

Ipswich continued to look the more menacing outfit in the early exchanges and Cole Skuse saw a shot deflected wide after Villa keeper Sam Johnstone had tried to punch clear another Ward cross.

Gradually Villa began to find their feet. Skuse was twice in the right place himself to block long-range Hourihane efforts.

The home skipper's third such intervention would lead to Villa going ahead. This time Grabban cut in from the right and fired a shot, which hit Skuse and then the post before falling to Hourihane to prod home from three yards out.

Villa rarely looked in danger of losing their lead prior to the break. Indeed, Hourihane had the first-half's final effort on goal when he whistled a 25-yard free-kick over the bar.

With three minutes of the half remaining, Villa's stranglehold on the game was increased further when Ward saw red.

The wing-back's challenge on Taylor was clumsy at best, catching the Villa man high on the shin. Referee Simon Hooper wasted no time in producing the red card, despite the Ipswich man protesting his innocence.

Bjarnason fired wide early in the second period as Villa searched for the second to increase their dominance.

Onomah came close to supplying it but found Bialkowksi equal to his low drive, with the keeper tipping the effort round the post.

But the impressive Ipswich stopper was given no chance when Grabban did increase Villa's advantage, 12 minutes into the half.

The on loan Bournemouth striker collected Onomah's pass, before turning Jonas Knudsen with ease and firing a finish across goal and in off the far post.

Ipswich were increasingly starting to resemble a beaten team and only alert defending from Luke Hyam prevented Grabban from providing substitute Scott Hogan with a goal soon after his introduction.

Bjarnason fired into the side-netting, before Onomah had Bialkowski scrambling with a thumping long-range effort which whistled wide of the post.

The third goal eventually arrived with 12 minutes and involved the same protagonists as the second.

This time Onomah pounced on a loose Carter-Vickers pass before teeing up Grabban to sweep a finish off the same post from 12 yards out.

By this stage it was almost too easy for Villa, who took only four minutes to strike again, Lansbury nodding home Bjarnason's right-wing cross.

Key Moments

25 GOAL Villa take the lead when Conor Hourihane prods home, after Lewis Grabban's deflected effort strikes the post.

42 RED CARD Ipswich are down to ten man after Grant Ward is shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Neil Taylor.

57 GOAL It's two for Villa. Lewis Grabban shows good strength to hold off Jonas Knudsen's challenge and drill a shot in off the far post.

78 GOAL Grabban gets his second of the game, sweeping home after Onomah pounces on a loose pass.

82 GOAL It's four for Villa. Substitute Henri Lansbury glances home Birkir Bjarnason's cross.

Teams

Ipswich (3-5-2): Bialkowski, Knudsen, Carter-Vickers, Spence, Ward, Skuse (c), Hyam (Folami 76), Nydam (Connolly 73), Kenlock, Celina, Waghorn Subs not used: Gleeson, Carayol, Smith, Crowe (gk).

Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester (c), Jedinak, Taylor (Hogan 64), Whelan, Onomah, Grealish, Hourihane (Lansbury 74), Bjarnason, Grabban (Adomah 83) Subs not used: Samba, Snodgrass, Bree, Bunn (gk).