Aston Villa kept their automatic promotion bid alive with a convincing 4-0 victory over 10-man Ipswich at Portman Road.

After Conor Hourihane opened the scoring in the 25th minute, former Norwich striker Lewis Grabban bagged a second-half brace before Henri Lansbury - another ex-Canary - wrapped up the points.

Town played the whole of the second half with 10 men after Grant Ward was shown a red card by referee Simon Hooper for a high challenge on Villa defender Neil Taylor just before the break.

The Suffolk side made a bright start and in the fourth minute a cross from the right by Ward fell to Myles Kenlock just outside the six-yard area but with the goal at his mercy he struck his shot horribly wide.

Eight minutes later Town midfield Luke Hyam fouled Villa playmaker Jack Grealish and from the resulting free-kick home keeper Bartosz Bialkowski fell awkwardly while punching the ball clear, although he was fine to continue.

Villa then went ahead in fortunate circumstances. Grabban turned Jordan Spence on the edge of the penalty area and his goalbound shot took a deflection off Cole Skuse and hit a post before rebounding out for Hourihane to tap home.

Clever play between Ward and Bersant Celina led to an Ipswich corner which was initially cleared but Skuse picked up the ball and crossed for centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers, who headed over.

Ipswich then found their task even harder as they were reduced to 10 men with Ward given his marching orders after catching Taylor high up on his left leg.

Kenlock lost the ball just outside the Ipswich penalty area in the 49th minute and the ball ran through to Villa midfielder Birkir Bjarnason, whose shot went wide of Bialkowski’s right-hand post.

Grabban then received the ball in the penalty area and laid it off to Josh Onomah, whose shot was parried wide for a corner.

The Villa forward bagged a second goal for the visitors in the 57th minute when he turned Jonas Knudsen magnificently in the penalty area to rifle home.

Grealish then played Bjarnason clear on goal in the 69th minute but his effort hit the side-netting but Grabban claimed his second in the 78th minute.

It followed a mix-up in the Ipswich defence with Onomah squaring the ball for the Villa striker to easily beat Bialkowski.

Villa made it 4-0 when a cross from the left from Bjarnason was headed home by substitute Lansbury.

Scott Hogan, another sub, had a wonderful chance to make it five for Villa in injury-time but he hit his shot high over the bar.

*Villa assistant manager Colin Calderwood*

”We don’t know how helpful that is for the automatic position but it helps us having a nice rhythm and good form going into whatever may happen come the end of the season.

“We have got to be ready (for the play-offs) and the big games that we have had the atmosphere has been rare and intensified and that gives us confidence and hopefully that will give supporters the belief.”