*Jordan Hugill’s double helped Preston complete a strong second half fightback to claim a draw at Aston Villa.*

The hosts were in control at half-time as Albert Adomah first tapped home the opener and then converted a penalty after being fouled by Aiden McGeady.

But Hugill found the top corner after a mazy run and then headed in McGeady’s cross from close range to level.

Both clubs’ fans marked the passing of former Villa boss Graham Taylor before the game with a minute’s applause.

Villa dominated both possession and territory in the first half, and it was no surprise when Adomah made the breakthrough after ball broke when Gabby Agbonlahor and Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell raced to meet a Jack Grealish through ball.

Agbonlahor then had a header saved before Adomah claimed his second by sending Maxwell the wrong way from the spot, with Preston unhappy with the referee’s decision to award a penalty.

North End emerged re-energised for the second half and a point was no more than their second half performance deserved, although Villa also might have snatched victory late on but for a misplaced Grealish pass.

It meant a happy first visit as a boss for Simon Grayson to the club where he played between 1997 and 1999, while Villa remain the only side unbeaten at home in the Championship this season.
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*The Independent*
Sunday, 22 January 2017

*Steve Bruce criticises Ross McCormack after he misses Aston Villa training with ‘electric gate’ excuse*

The Villa boss has publicly questioned his striker’s commitment following his bizarre excuse

Ross McCormack will not be selected by Steve Bruce, the Aston Villa manager, until the striker’s “attitude towards training improves” after he was left out of the 2-2 draw with Preston.

McCormack, a £12 million signing from Fulham in the summer, has been linked with a loan move back to Craven Cottage but Bruce denies all knowledge of such a deal.

The Villa boss, though, has questioned the 30-year-old’s commitment to the cause after he missed training because the electric gates on his home would not open.

On the electric gate incident, Bruce said: “He has just not turned off. The latest excuse was that his gates had stuck but he couldn’t jump over a fence that was four feet six inches high.

“There has been too much indiscipline here at Villa. Not in 20 years in management have I ever gone down this route but I feel I have to make a stance because I will not put up with it on my watch.

“He has decided the team has picked itself. How can I pick him when he doesn’t come into training? His failure to turn up for training has happened more than once. Everyone can have an excuse but when it is more than once I will not accept it.”

According to a report in the Sunday Mirror, after the striker used the excuse to get out of training, Bruce drove to his home and took photographs in order to prove that McCormack could have scaled the fence in question and travelled to training.

Bruce was also perplexed to explain how his side relinquished the half-time lead to allow battling Preston to salvage a most unlikely draw.

Albert Adomah was twice on the mark for Villa in the first period but then Jordan Hugill snapped up two goals for a revitalised Preston in the second half to earn a point.

Bruce admitted: “We had a really great opportunity to put them to the sword. We were terrific for an hour and every time we went forward I thought we could score.”

Villa are now nine points adrift of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places while Preston are five points below sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday.