Bolton 1 Aston Villa 0 - Report

Adam Le Fondre's first-half goal was enough to earn the Trotters a win to ease their own relegation fears in wintry conditions at the Macron Stadium.

Lewis Grabban and Scott Hogan both went close to finding an equaliser for the visitors - while home keeper Ben Alnwick brilliantly denied James Bree at the death.

But the defeat - Villa's second in the space of five days - means their chances of claiming a top two finish are fading fast.

Analysis

Steve Bruce's men are now relying on Derby beating Cardiff tomorrow to keep their deficit to the second-placed Bluebirds at seven points.

Even then it would take a monumental effort over the final seven games to erase the gap.

They are at least unlikely to face conditions such as those at the Macron, where snow covered the pitch and large portions of the game were played in blizzard-like conditions.

Bolton unquestionably handled the environment better, particularly in the early stages when Le Fondre bundled them ahead.

Villa enjoyed plenty of possession but failed to find a way through a resolute home backline, who used their physicality to negate the threat posed by Jack Grealish and the visitors other attacking stars.

Bruce made two changes from the team beaten 3-1 at home by QPR on Tuesday.

One was expected, with Bree handed his first Championship appearance since September in place of the injured Neil Taylor.

The other saw Birkir Bjarnason replace Mile Jedinak in central midfield, as Bruce aimed to inject fresh legs into a team which looked tired against the R's.

With snow swirling and most of the pitch coloured white at kick-off, the opening stages of the game were unsurprinsingly error-strewn.

And it was a catalogue of mistakes by Villa which led to Le Fondre giving the hosts a 19th minute lead.

An uncharacteristically rash challenge by James Chester on Will Buckley earned the Villa man a yellow card and the hosts a free-kick which would have been cleared but for a rare miscontol from Jack Grealish putting the ball behind for a corner.

From there Ameobi's delivery was touched on by Pratley for Le Fondre to stab home at the far post.

Things almost got worse for Villa when miscommunication left Pratley free to shoot from eight yards out, his effort blocked by a host of players on the line.

The hosts were winning the physical battle in the early stages, though their aggressive style sometimes came close to crossing the line, with Andy Taylor a little fortunate to escape censure for a late lunge which left Bjarnason in a heap.

Villa's first attempt came from a spectacular left-footed Grealish volley which Bolton keeper Ben Alnwick, back-pedalling, touched over the bar.

Albert Adomah then rose high at the far post but was unable to direct a deep Robert Snodgrass cross on target.

Villa's best chance of the half would fall to Lewis Grabban but he was unable to beat Alnwick from close range after Grealish, Adomah and Bree had combined to good effect down the left.

With his team still searching for a leveller, Bruce introduced Hepburn-Murphy off the bench nine minutes into the second half.

Yet while Villa began to dominate possession, it was the hosts who had the second period's first big chance when Chester slipped but Le Fondre, with just Johnstone to beat, sent his volley wide of goal.

Bruce opted for an even more attacking approach by bringing on Hogan and he almost found a leveller with 13 minutes to go, only for Flanagan to somehow keep the effort out on the line, the loose ball dropping neatly into the arms of Alnwick.

The keeper then brilliantly denied Bree in stoppage time as Villa's efforts ended in vain.

Key Moments

19 GOAL Adam Le Fondre prods home at the far post after Villa fail to deal with Sammy Ameobi's corner.

Teams

Bolton (4-2-3-1): Alnwick, Flanagan, Beevers, Burke, Taylor, Henry, Osede, Ameobi, Pratley (c) (Vela 26), Buckley (Robinson 81), Le Fondre Subs not used: Vela, Noone, Wilbraham, Wheater, Clough, Howard (gk).

Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Terry (c), Bree, Bjarnason, Snodgrass (Davis 81), Grealish, Hourihane (Hepburn-Murphy 54), Adomah (Hogan 72), Grabban Subs not used: Lansbury, Jedinak, Onomah, Bunn (gk).