Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce is refusing to be carried away after his side won the first leg of their playoff semi-final playoff win over Middlesbrough on Saturday at the Riverside Stadium.
Mile Jedinak scored from a header during the 15th minute of the game. Villa were the better team throughout and Boro were lucky that they did not go 2-0 down after goalkeeper Darren Randolph produced a fine save to deny Robert Snodgrass.
The two teams will meet again at Villa Park on Tuesday night.
As the Villains won the first leg away from home, they will now be the firm favorites to progress to the final which will be played at Wembley Stadium.
Bruce also has past experience in this kind of situation which will give Villa fans confidence.
The 57-year-old has previously helped Birmingham City win promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs in 2002 and he did the same with Hull City in 2016.
Nevertheless a modest Bruce said after the game: “We are pleased. Listen, all the cliches are going to come out, aren’t they? Of course. We know the Championship is riddled with strange things.
“We have given ourselves a little advantage, a small advantage, but we’re winning 1-0 at half-time.”
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