MX23RW : Sunday, August 1 03:37:15| >> :120:21103:21103:
Jan 1, 2018 at 5.30pm UK at Villa Park
Attendance: 32,604
Aston Villa
5-0
Bristol City
Hogan (23'), Snodgrass (34', 60'), Bjarnason (72'), Hourihane (85')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Result: Aston Villa thrash Bristol City to close gap on rivals

Result: Villa thrash Bristol City to close gap
© Offside
Bristol City lose 5-0 to Aston Villa at Villa Park to see the gap on their promotion rivals reduced to just three points.

Aston Villa have defeated Bristol City 5-0 at Villa Park to make it two wins in a row and close the gap on their automatic promotion rivals.

The Villans ran riot in the West Midlands, scoring twice in the first half and adding a few more in the second 45 minutes.

A sixth victory in seven home meetings with the Robins lifts Villa up to fifth place in the Championship standings - three points behind their opponents, who have now suffered back-to-back losses.

City made a bright enough start to the contest, with Marlon Pack flashing a shot wide and Josh Brownhill doing likewise from a similar position.

Scott Hogan opened the scoring for the hosts a quarter of the way into the match, though, as he climbed highest to direct a header beyond replacement goalkeeper Luke Steele.

Villa had a penalty shout rejected soon after when the ball hit Bailey Wright's hand, but they did not have to wait long for a second as Robert Snodgrass scored his first of the evening by firing home from the rebound after Hogan's attempt was saved.

Jack Grealish then curled the ball against the bar as Villa's quality continued to show, though it was so nearly game on when Aden Flint had an effort cleared off the line by Mile Jedinak.

The hosts took back control of the match and added a third and fourth goal, with Snodgrass cutting inside and placing the ball out of Steele's reach, while substitute Birkir Bjarnason kept his composure after being played through by Alan Hutton.

Conor Hourihane rounded off the scoring in the final five minutes, latching on to a loose ball and sending a deflected shot beyond Steele's reach.

Aston Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone; Elmohamady, Elphick, Chester, Hutton; Jedinak; Snodgrass, Hourihane, Grealish (O'Hare 80'), Adomah (Bjarnason 70'); Hogan (Hepburn-Murphy 83')

Bristol City (4-4-1-1): Steele; Wright, Flint, Baker, Magnusson (Kelly 46'); Brownhill, Smith, Pack (Taylor 46'), Bryan; Reid; Paterson (Woodrow 79')

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Aston Villa manager Steve 'Cheggars' Bruce gestures on the touchline during his side's Championship clash with Birmingham City on October 30, 2016
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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina22131247
United StatesUnited States19201352
JapanJapan175830
AustraliaAustralia1331430
Olympics flagOlympic Athletes from Russia11151137
Great BritainGreat Britain9101231
Today's Olympic highlights header

Sunday's key events


GOLF
· The men's golf reaches its conclusion, with plenty of players still in medal contention. Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama is one shot off Xander Schauffele's lead, while Great Britain's Paul Casey is another shot further back and Tommy Fleetwood is also in the mix (11.30pm-8am)

CYCLING - BMX
· Great Britain have already made history in the BMX events in Tokyo, something Charlotte Worthington and Declan Brooks will be looking to add to in the women's (2.10am) and men's (3.10am) freestyle finals

SWIMMING
· The final day of swimming action begins with the men's 50m freestyle final. Ben Proud could add to a medal-laden Games in the pool for Team GB so far, although he is up against USA's Caeleb Dressel, who is going for his fourth gold in Tokyo (2.30am)
· From sprint to endurance, Great Britain's second medal hope of the day comes through Daniel Jervis in the men's 1500m freestyle final (2.44am)
· Team GB will again be among the heavy favourites for gold in the last swimming event of the Games - the men's 4x100m medley relay final - having won the mixed event in a world record time on Saturday (3.36am)

BOXING
· Already guaranteed at least a bronze, Pat McCormack takes part in the men's welterweight semi-final against Ireland's Aidan Walsh with a spot in the gold medal final at stake (4.03am)
· Ben Whittaker is also in the semi-finals of the men's light heavyweight and will be looking to continue Team GB's success in the ring (4.51am)

TENNIS
· There will be a surprise on the top of the men's tennis podium after Novak Djokovic missed out on a medal altogether. Alexander Zverev takes on Karen Khachanov in the second match on Centre Court at the Ariake Tennis Park (7am-2pm)

SAILING
· Alison Young will be going for gold in the women's laser radial medal race (7.33am)

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
· Team GB's Max Whitlock will look to defend his 2016 Olympic title in the men's pommel horse final (10.41am)

ATHLETICS
· The men's high jump final includes GB's Tom Gale, although his chances of a medal look bleak (11.10am)
· So often the blue-riband event of the Olympics, the men's 100m final takes place as the world's fastest bid to be crowned Usain Bolt's successor. Three Brits have made it into the semi-finals (11.15am-11.32am), and the final looks wide open after an underwhelming display by favourite Trayvon Bromell on Saturday (1.50pm)

HOCKEY
· Great Britain face India in the men's quarter-final (1pm)

> Today's schedule in full
Todays Game Header Right
EFL Cup
Scottish Premiership
Taca da Liga
Pre-Season Friendlies
Belgian Pro League
Swiss Super League
Russian Premier League
Ukrainian Premier League
Swedish Allsvenskan
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Belarusian Premier League
2.Bundesliga
Major League Soccer
Brasileiro
Copa Diego Maradona
Uruguayan Primera Division
Liga MX
Tables

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