Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Aston Villa

Bolton moved six points clear of the Championship relegation zone with a win over Aston Villa which dented the visitors' automatic promotion hopes.

Adam Le Fondre scored the only goal, prodding in Sammy Ameobi's low corner from close range.

Villa had chances but Jon Flanagan cleared substitute Scott Hogan's effort off the line from their best opening.

Steve Bruce's side remain seven points behind second-placed Cardiff City, who play Derby on Sunday.

The result means Villa, who are 13 points behind leaders Wolves following back-to-back defeats, also slip to fourth in the table behind Fulham on goal difference following the Whites' 2-2 draw with QPR.

Bolton, meanwhile, climb above Reading to 19th in the table with eight games to play.

The game was played in persistent snow at the Macron Stadium and there had been no sight of goal for either side before Le Fondre tucked the ball home after Darren Pratley flicked Ameobi's corner into his path.

Flanagan then saw an effort cleared off the line by Villa captain John Terry before the visitors threatened when Ben Alnwick saved from Jack Grealish's speculative 25-yard left-foot volley and Lewis Grabban's close-range effort.

Le Fondre fired wide with Bolton's best chance of the second half, but Phil Parkinson's side held on to claim a crucial win in their bid to avoid the drop as Alnwick saved from James Bree in the closing seconds.

Bolton boss Phil Parkinson told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I was very pleased with the win and the performance, and I thought we adapted well to the conditions and passed the ball well at times.

"Other teams played before us, which always adds a bit of extra pressure, but it was important that we just focused on what we had to do.

"It takes us into the international break in good spirits and we'll come back into training with a focus on an eight-game season.

"We know what mini league we're in and we've got to strive to be top of it."

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce told BBC WM:

"It was awful conditions out there and although you don't want to put any blame on that, it was a leveller.

"It was a night when you had to do the basics well and we didn't.

"We've had two or three decent opportunities but it was a difficult night and we'll kick ourselves because we've had a really disappointing three or four days."