A much-improved performance from a much-changed Wednesday saw us get back to winning ways with a fine 2-1 victory at Villa on Saturday afternoon.
It takes us to 14 points and back up into tenth place – two points off the play-offs – ahead of next Friday’s home Yorkshire derby with Leeds.
Jos Luhukay made five changes after the poor midweek display at Forest and we began in a much sharper and more aggressive mood than at the City Ground, matching Villa in a first 45 minutes of few clearcut chances at either end.
The game burst into life early in the second half with Wednesday taking the lead on 49 minutes when Adam Reach’s square ball found Marco Matias and he drilled the ball low into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.
However, the lead lasted less than five minutes with John McGinn smashing an unstoppable 20-yard volley into the top corner of the net after a miscued defensive header from Ash Baker caused problems at the back.
Villa then put us under heavy pressure for the next few minutes but, having survived a few scares, we regained our composure and began to threaten the home goal again.
Steven Fletcher headed wide and then saw another effort blocked by a last-gasp tackle from Alan Hutton.
However, the striker was not to be denied and he sent the travelling 2,600 Wednesday fans wild when he headed us back into the lead on 67 minutes from Joey Pelupessy’s cross.
As to be expected, Villa pushed forward in search of a second equaliser but Wednesday stood firm and we could – and should – have made it 3-1 late on when Reach played sub Lucas Joao through, only for the Portuguese striker to get himself crowded out after a poor first touch.
Dawson, Baker, Lees, Hector, Pudil, Penny, Pelupessy, Bannan, Reach, Matias (Joao 83), Fletcher (Nuhiu 76).