Nottingham Forest 0-1 Aston Villa

Scott Hogan (left) has scored in consecutive league matches for Aston Villa

Aitor Karanka's first match as Nottingham Forest manager ended in a Championship defeat by Aston Villa.

Six days after knocking holders Arsenal out of the FA Cup, mid-table Forest were beaten by Scott Hogan's first-half goal at the City Ground.

Hogan stooped to nod in a Robert Snodgrass cross after 18 minutes, while Villa captain John Terry headed against the crossbar before the interval.

Villa's third successive league victory lifted them up to fourth in the table.

Steve Bruce's side matched the results of Cardiff and Derby, who were both victorious earlier on Saturday, to stay five points behind the second-placed Rams.

• Relive Saturday's EFL action

The quality of Snodgrass' deliveries from wide positions was outstanding throughout, with his curling right-wing cross converted by Hogan for the striker's second goal in two league games.

Snodgrass also provided the centre for Terry's chance and tested Forest goalkeeper Jordan Smith with a powerful free-kick just after half-time.

Karanka, who was appointed as Mark Warburton's successor on Monday, watched his team put in a spirited performance but Forest rarely threatened the Villa goal.

The defeat was their 15th in the league of the season - only 23rd-placed Birmingham have lost more Championship games this term.

Nottingham Forest manager Aitor Karanka told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"It's the first game and I knew there would be a lot of expectations, especially after the game against Arsenal, but today Villa were an experienced team and a very organised.

"We have a lot of potential up front but we are young and need to improve.

"We have to be more aggressive, more intense, more organised.

"We haven't had time to prepare for the game the way I like to prepare for games. Now we have an entire week to do everything and I'll keep encouraging them."

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce told BBC WM:

"We looked a good side, we looked well-balanced and I thought defensively we were rock-solid against a Forest team that had thumped Arsenal last week and had a new manager in situ.

"It had all the ingredients of being a very difficult game, which we expected, which it was to a degree, but I honestly thought that we were comfortable.

"We were in my opinion by far the better team and we just needed the second goal and that didn't come.

"So long as it gets like that we were a little edgy, but overall I was very pleased with the performance."