Sheffield Wednesday 2 Aston Villa 4 - Report and pictures

Steve Bruce’s promotion-chasers twice came from behind before Hourihane and Snodgrass - with a stoppage time penalty - stunned their Hillsborough hosts.

Sean Clare put Wednesday in front and though Lewis Grabban levelled for Villa, Lucas Joao headed the home side back ahead in first-half stoppage time.

Glenn Whelan dragged Villa level again with his first goal since 2011 before Hourihane struck in the 87th minute and Snodgrass then sealed it from the spot.

Analysis

This was far from Villa’s best performance of the season.

Yet it was, undoubtedly, their finest win of the campaign to date, both in its manner and the timing, at the end of a week where their push for automatic promotion appeared to be faltering.

For much of the afternoon this looked like being another setback as Bruce's side played second fiddle to the hosts, particularly during an opening half when they found themselves frequently on the back foot.

But Villa hung on as Wednesday missed chance after chance - twice hitting the post - before winning it late on.

Whelan drew them level midway through the second period with his first goal since November 2011 before Hourihane put them ahead three minutes from time.

Snodgrass then sealed it from the spot in stoppage time, as most of the home crowd directed their ire toward referee Neil Swarbrick.

The official had earlier ruled in favour of John Terry when the Villa skipper lunged in to dispossess Atdhe Nuhiu as the striker raced toward goal.

It was a decision which, had it gone the other way, would perhaps have seen Terry shown a red card and just one of numerous flashpoints on a breathless afternoon.

Despite the win, Villa still remain a point behind second-placed Cardiff. But with games against struggling QPR and Sunderland ahead, there is a real chance to restore momentum ahead of a run-in which promises to contain even more twists and turns.

More importantly, this was a win born out of sheer bloody-mindedness and determination which will have restored confidence at the end of a testing week.

With Albert Adomah (hamstring) and Jack Grealish (calf) once again unavailable, Bruce made three changes from the line-up which drew 1-1 with Preston in midweek.

One was enforced, with Ahmed Elmohamady replacing Axel Tuanzebe at right-back as the on loan Manchester United defender missed out with a hamstring injury.

There was also a full Villa debut for striker Lewis Grabban following his maiden goal for the club against the Lilywhites.

Bruce also opted to recall Whelan for his first start in more than a month, the Republic of Ireland international replacing Birkir Bjarnason in midfield.

Wednesday remain the only team to have won in the league at Villa Park this season, a game in which Adam Reach opened the scoring after just 19 seconds.

The Owls skipper tried a repeat with three minutes on the clock here, this time the effort sailing well over the bar.

Reach should have done better soon after when he could only head Jack Hunt’s cross wide, after fine work by Joao down the right.

But on 13 minutes Clare made no mistake to put the hosts ahead. A finely worked move ended with Nuhiu chesting George Boyd’s cross into the path of the midfielder, who rifled home a left-footed shot into the bottom corner for his first Wednesday goal.

Villa were looking shaky at the back and Reach should have done better than drag a shot wide from 20 yards out as the hosts attacked on the counter.

Yet Bruce’s men were able to rally and on 21 minutes drew level as Grabban got his second goal of the week.

It was a case of third time lucky, the on loan Bournemouth star forcing the ball home from a yard out after John Terry’s header, from Hourihane’s free-kick, had been saved by Wednesday keeper Joe Wildsmith and Scott Hogan’s initial follow-up blocked.

Having got level, Villa were unable to wrestle control as chances continued to arrive, in the main for the hosts.

Joao should have put Wednesday back ahead when he arrived to meet an inviting Boyd cross but could only head over.

The lively Boyd then drilled a shot off the post - Villa eventually hacking the ball clear after the ball had ricocheted off goalkeeper Sam Johnstone - while Clare saw another effort deflected wide.

Villa’s best chance fell to Snodgrass but he sent a free header straight at Wildsmith from Hutton’s looping cross.

But it was still Wednesday asking most of the questions and their pressure eventually told with just seconds remaining until the break.

Johnstone reacted smartly to push a dipping Clare shot wide of the post but, from the corner, Joao was left completely unmarked to head the hosts back in front from six yards out.

Villa’s cause was not helped when Hutton was forced off with injury early in the second half, being replaced by Neil Taylor.

At that point the visitors looked most threatening from set pieces, Wildsmith saving from Grabban at close range after a round of head tennis in the Wednesday box ended with Terry teeing up the striker.

Bruce introduced Keinan Davis off the bench to try and give his team a spark but few could have guessed the identity of the man who would bring Villa level for the second time in the game.

Alex McLeish was still in the Villa dugout and Barack Obama in his first term as President the last time Whelan found the net.

But on 67 minutes it was the Ireland international who got his head on the end of Snodgrass’s teasing cross to level things up once more.

Villa had done a better job of keeping the home side quiet than in the first-half but the defensive fragility of the opening period then returned when Frederico Venancio sent a corner clattering off the post and the visitors somehow hacked clear.

More drama followed as Terry - according to Swarbrick - got a toe on the ball to rob Nuhiu as Wednesday looked to break. Nuhiu then brought another strong save out of Johnstone after breaking into the right-hand side of the box.

But Villa clung on and with three minutes to go Hourihane put them ahead in dramatic circumstances. A corner from the left was only cleared as far as the Republic of Ireland international, who lashed home from 12 yards out.

Snodgrass then beat Wildsmith from the spot in stoppage time, after he had been brought down, to cap a hectic afternoon.

Key Moments

13 GOAL Sean Clare fires Wednesday ahead after a well-worked team move.

21 GOAL Lewis Grabban brings Villa level, firing home at close range after John Terry and Scott Hogan are both denied.

45 GOAL Lucas Joao restores the home side’s advantage, heading home at a corner.

67 GOAL Glenn Whelan scored for the first time since November 2011 to bring Villa level again.

87 GOAL Conor Hourihane puts Villa in front.

90+3 GOAL Robert Snodgrass seals Villa’s win from the spot.

Teams

Wednesday (3-5-2): Wildsmith, Venancio, Pudil, Fox, Hunt, Pelupessy, Clare, Reach, Boyd, Nuhiu, Joao Subs not used: Jones, Rhodes, Butterfield, Loovens, Baker, Stobbs, Dawson (gk).

Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Terry ©, Hutton (Taylor 51), Snodgrass, Whelan, Hourihane, Onomah (Davis 60), Grabban, Hogan (Jedinak 83) Subs not used: Lansbury, Bjarnason, Hepburn-Murphy, Bunn (gk).