*Former Chelsea and England captain John Terry scored his first Aston Villa goal to help them beat Fulham and move into the Championship play-off places.*

The defender nodded in a fine Conor Hourihane delivery, but Stefan Johansen equalised with a curling free-kick.

Villa regained the lead when Jonathan Kodjia’s mis-kick fell for team-mate Albert Adomah to net at the back post.

Floyd Ayite shot at Sam Johnstone as Fulham rallied, while Kodjia was denied a penalty after being bundled over.

Steve Bruce’s Villa side are yet to lose at home in the league this season and rose to fifth place, while defeat ended Fulham’s four-game unbeaten run and left them in mid-table.

Villa skipper Terry, 36, joined the Midlands club this summer, and his header was the 68th club goal of his career - and the first not in a Chelsea shirt.

Norway international Johansen levelled against the run of play for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, but the hosts deserved the luck that led to what proved to be the winning goal.

Fulham should have left with a point, but Ayite could not beat Johnstone from close range after a classy cutback from Ryan Fredericks.

It means Villa have only lost one of their past 17 home league games against Fulham - a 2-1 Premier League defeat in April 2014.

*Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce:*

“We are just about starting in the Championship for me. The winter is upon us and the marathon is starting. But we have made progress from where we were 12 months ago.

“We would like some more points after a poor start but we have dug deep and have only one defeat in 10 games. We are going in the right direction.

“I thought John Terry played very well and he is always going to chip in with a few goals.”