Steve Bruce: Aston Villa draw feels like a defeat as playoff hopes ended

Top scorer Jonathan Kodjia looked to have put Villa on course for a fifth straight win when he fired them ahead inside three minutes at the Pirelli Stadium.

But Bruce's men failed to build on the advantage and former Villa youth teamer Lloyd Dyer earned the Brewers a deserved share of the spoils with an equaliser just past the hour mark.

The result leaves Villa nine points behind the Championship top six with only five games remaining.

Bruce conceded their hopes of bridging the gap are now over and admitted they had simply not been good enough.

He said: "It does feel like a defeat. We have to admit we were poor today. We lacked sharpness and a few of them looked a bit off it.

"In my experience, it's always the week after the international games.

"We've played two or three games and some of them were running on empty to be honest.

"It was frustrating but credit to Burton. They are good at what they do.

"We know that it is never easy coming here but after getting off to a good start, we have to take care of the ball better than we did.

"Moving forward we have to take better care of the ball that's for sure. It was there for everyone to see."

Dyer's goal was the first Villa had conceded in 442 minutes and Bruce's men had kept their top six hopes alive with a run of seven wins in eight games, prior to facing the Brewers.

But that manager admitted their overall performances - particularly when it comes to keeping possession - must improve if they are going to be a force in the division next season.

"We have got to improve on that and if we can't, then we are not going to be where we need to be," he said.

"We have got to look after the ball better and be a bit more progressive. We have tried to blow a bit of life back into the place and find a resilience.

"We certainly have that but we need to be better. If we are going to go forward as a group we need to be better than what we are."