Aston Villa 3-1 Cardiff City

Jonathan Kodjia has scored seven goals in 13 games for Aston Villa, since joining from Bristol City in August

Steve Bruce's unbeaten reign as Aston Villa manager was extended to seven games with victory over Cardiff City.

The hosts took the lead when Jordan Amavi crossed for Albert Adomah to tuck home his first Villa goal.

Rickie Lambert's calm finish when one-on-one levelled the score, but Jonathan Kodjia's header restored Villa's lead.

Cardiff dominated the second half, but saw Lee Peltier sent off for a second yellow, before Rudy Gestede netted a penalty after Jack Grealish was fouled.

The victory enabled Villa to break into the top half of the Championship table, while the Welsh side slipped into the bottom three after Blackburn's surprise win at Newcastle.

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But Neil Warnock's side will feel aggrieved not to have taken something from the match, having carved out the better of the chances in the second half.

Sean Morrison headed over the bar when well-placed on the hour mark, before substitute Frederic Gounongbe was guilty of heading straight at Pierluigi Gollini.

Peltier's second booking, for a late foul, plus Gestede's penalty eased the pressure for the hosts, who maintained the division's only unbeaten home record.

Villa manager Steve Bruce:

"This is is only the first shoots of a recovery. We are hopefully heading in the right direction because a club like Aston Villa needs to be at the top end of the division.

"Cardiff are difficult. They are right in your face and, if we hadn't shown the resistance we displayed, it could have been a difficult afternoon.

"You have to be brave facing a side like Cardiff. It was a typical performance from a Neil Warnock side."

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock:

"I could not fault them as they gave everything. Probably there was a lack of the quality that Villa possess, but when you pay £40 million you expect that to exist.

"I look at Souleymane Bamba and Junior Hoilett and I do not know what we would do without them. We need a couple more players like them to cause problems in other areas.

"In the second half Villa were concerned at 2-1 and the sending-off of Lee Peltier was a blow following a tackle on Jack Grealish.

"I was disappointed in Grealish shouting at the referee to get players booked."