Sam Johnstone calls on Aston Villa to maintain momentum as play-offs loom

Saturday’s emphatic 4-0 win at ten man Ipswich was the fourth victory in five games for Steve Bruce’s men, though their hopes of a top two finish are now hanging by a thread and will be extinguished completely if Cardiff win at Derby tomorrow night.

Goalkeeper Johnstone believes it is vital Villa do not let up the pace regardless over their two remaining fixtures, to ensure they enter the end-of-season shoot-out high on confidence.

“We had to pick it up our form and we’ve got a few results,” he said.

“There are two games left. If it’s play-offs, then there are another two games after that and then the final. Hopefully our run takes us to the end, to the final and we get promoted. We went on a good run, had a dip. But it looks like we are back on that winning streak.

“To go into the play-offs on a high, full of confidence, scoring goals. That is something we need to do. We need to carry it on.”

Villa’s win at Portman Road came courtesy of two goals from Lewis Grabban, who has now netted seven in 13 games since joining on loan from Bournemouth in January.

Conor Hourihane and Henri Lansbury were also on the mark in a game which saw Ipswich’s Grant Ward sent-off for a high challenge on Neil Taylor.

The victory was Villa’s first in four away games, with assistant boss Colin Calderwood admitting the barren run had been a cause of serious frustration.

“We’ve won a good number away. We just haven’t taken points away from home in a period where it would have made a big difference to us,” he said.

“It’s no disrespect to the teams we have played - but we have to be better.

“We think better of ourselves away from home and believe we can win.

“Because of that, we’re disappointed with the (recent) results.”