Wigan Athletic 0-2 Aston Villa

Goals from James Chester and Scott Hogan left managerless Wigan seven points adrift of safety as Aston Villa claimed their fifth win in six games.

In interim boss Graham Barrow's first game in charge, Omar Bogle should have put the Latics in front when he fired wide after rounding Sam Johnstone.

James Chester headed past Matt Gilks to give Villa the lead after the break.

Scott Hogan then nodded in from Albert Adomah's cross, his first goal for Villa since joining from Brentford.

Wigan, who dismissed manager Warren Joyce five days ago, should have taken the lead early on when Bogle hit the side netting from a tight angle.

Both the former Grimsby striker and Gabriel Obertan then fired wide as the hosts had the better of the first half.

Villa had gone close through Chester, who headed inches over just before the break, and it was the Welshman who broke the deadlock when he nodded home from close range with 17 minutes to go.

Johnstone then denied Bogle with his fingertips before Adomah's cross found Hogan, who headed in from close range.

Villa's form has dramatically improved in recent weeks but despite closing the gap on sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday from 17 to 11 points in their last two games, with just eight games to go a play-off spot for Steve Bruce's 12th-placed side remains unlikely.

Wigan interim manager Graham Barrow:

"There was a satisfaction about the game for so long. Then it was the old sucker punch and we only have ourselves to blame, for the first goal especially.

"Why we switched off so much, I don't know. But I was encouraged by the fact we did work their goalkeeper, probably more than we've worked any goalkeeper.

"There was a lot to be encouraged by across the board. I've asked a lot from the players this week and they've almost produced, but not quite enough."

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce:

"They gave us a really tough game, that's how difficult the Championship is.

"It's good to see us show a little bit of resilience. But, if we're being honest, we've got to be better than what we've been today.

"At least we stuck at it and we got a win, and that's what this league is all about."