Hat-trick hero Conor Hourihane calls for Aston Villa to kick-on after Norwich win
Hat-trick hero Conor Hourihane has called for Villa to kick-on after Saturday’s 4-2 win over Norwich got their season up and running.
The 25-year-old bagged a treble as Villa downed the Canaries and later described it as the best moment of his career to date.
Victory lifted Steve Bruce’s men off the bottom of the Championship table and eased the pressure which had built up during a disappointing opening fortnight.
“It’s massive, we needed that first win," said Hourihane. "It’s off our backs now. We needed that home win. Our home form was decent last season and we’ve had a draw and a win now.
“There’s high expectations on us and as a team so we have to carry that on our shoulders. It’s been a big pressure off us today.
“It gives us breathing space. We have to get momentum now and take it forward.”
Hourihane fired Villa ahead in the 22nd minute before netting two long-range strikes in the second half.
The Republic of Ireland international now has four goals for the season, having scored his first in last week’s 2-1 defeat at Reading.
“It’s my favourite moment by a long way," he said. "To get my first hat-trick for a special club like this in a fantastic arena, I feel like I have got goals in my game and hopefully more will be coming now.
“Through the last five or six seasons I’ve always hit double figures but I was disappointed with last season’s tally of seven if I’m being honest.
“I work hard in training, I do extras every single day. I do shooting from inside the box and outside the box and stuff that people don’t see. When I go out there and do what I’ve did on Saturday it makes all the effort worthwhile.”
Villa now host Wigan on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup second round, before heading to Bristol City on Friday to resume their Championship campaign.
Boss Bruce said: “We still have a bit to do. I can’t change it round in two transfer windows but you are judged on results purely.
“It just shows you the fragility of the club when we are lurching into a crisis after a week. Middlesbrough have just dropped out of the Championship, they have lost two games.
“They won’t be engulfed, I am sure, with the crisis that has just engulfed us.”
