Preston 0 Aston Villa 2 - Report

Last season's dire 2-0 defeat at Preston led to the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo with Villa rooted at the wrong end of the Championship.

Almost exactly 13 months on, first half goals from James Chester and Robert Snodgrass saw them record a sixth win in eight to clamber back into the top five.

Things might not always have run smoothly for Di Matteo's successor, Steve Bruce. Yet there is no denying Villa are in better shape than they have been for some time.

This was their third win in five away games, a further sign the travel troubles which derailed last season are a thing of the past.

Villa’s last 12 league fixtures, meanwhile, have delivered 25 points and while a stuttering start to the campaign means they remain short of the top two, they are closing the gap.

A defensive crisis which left the home side short of centre-backs, coupled with the sense the Lilywhites might just be coming off the boil after an excellent start to the season, cannot be ignored.

But this was still an excellent performance from Villa, who wrestled control early and never looked like relinquishing it, their cause helped by excellent performances from Josh Onomah and Keinan Davis, the latter of whom never gave the home defence a moment's peace.

Davis's inclusion in place of the injured Jonathan Kodjia was the only change from the team which started Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Blues.

The 19-year-old almost enjoyed a dream start as he brought a fine save out of Preston keeper Chris Mawell inside the opening ten minutes.

A fine pass from Alan Hutton, who kept his place in the team despite Bruce having Neil Taylor back available following suspension, sprang Albert Adomah down the left flank.

The winger cut inside before pulling the ball back to Davis, whose first time shot was fierce but perhaps a little too close to Maxwell, allowing the keeper to save.

Villa would get their noses ahead on 12 minutes as Chester bagged his first goal of the season. The centre-back too advantage of some slack marking from the home side to flick home Snodgrass's corner despite the best efforts of Ben Pearson to keep it out on the line.

Stung, the hosts pushed forward in search of a quick leveller. Villa skipper John Terry was forced to head over his own bar after Jordan Hugill had redirected a cross in the direction of an unmarked Tom Barkhuizen.

Hugill then sent a Sean Maguire cross sailing wide of the post, with Villa keeper Sam Johnstone a relieved spectator.

Preston were without no fewer than five defenders through injury and suspension, meaning boss Alex Neil handed a first league outing of the season to Andy Boyle at centre-back.

The Irishman looked rusty, at one point dawdling on the ball long enough for Onomah to dive in and win it 25 yards out. The Tottenham loanee appeared not to see an unmarked Davis, screaming for the ball, as he launched a shot over the bar.

Soon after, however, Onomah would make no mistake as he set-up Villa's second. He pounced on a loose Pearson pass raced to the edge of the box and, with two defenders following Davis's near post run, coolly rolled the ball across for Snodgrass, charging in from the right, to finish from 12 yards out.

The two-goal cushion seemingly had Villa in complete control and only once prior to the break did the hosts threaten again, Tom Barkhuizen firing a shot across the face of goal as the visitors briefly found themselves on the back foot.

Preston boss Neil made an attacking switch at the start of the second half, sacrificing Calum Woods in order to bring on Paul Gallagher.

Yet it was again Villa who threatened first, Terry stooping to direct a Snodgrass free-kick over the bar.

Davis was continuing to cause havoc, almost setting up Adomah with a well weigthed through ball which the winger just failed to control.

The half was almost 20 minutes old by the time Preston registered their first effort, a rushed half-volley from Hugill which sailed well over the bar. Substitute Gallagher did marginally better with a dipping long-range effort soon which was collected on the bounce by Johnstone.

Davis was shown a yellow card for a clumsy aerial challenge on Boyle and with the youngster showing no sign of adapting his physical game, Bruce opted to take him off as a precaution as the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes, Scott Hogan the man coming on.

Preston were now enjoying their best spell since midway through the first half as Villa dropped deeper.

The visitors remained a threat on the counter and Adomah squandered the chance to seal it when he fired over after being sent through by Conor Hourihane.

Adomah sank to his knees in despair but needn't have worried as Villa saw things out in relative ease.

Preston (4-2-3-1): Maxwell, Fisher, Boyle, Woods (Gallagher HT), Earl (O'Connor HT), Pearson (c), Johnson, Barkhuizen (Horgan 77), Browne, Maguire, Hugill Subs not used: Harrop, Mavidi, Robinson, Hudson (gk).

Villa (4-4-1-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Terry (c), Hutton, Snodgrass (De Laet 88), Whelan, Hourihane, Adomah, Onomah (Jedinak 67), Davis (Hogan 71) Subs not used: De Laet, Samba, Taylor, Bjarnason, Steer (gk).