Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce hailed the inspirational impact of match-winner Gabby Agbonlahor after he came from the bench to help beat Birmingham City 1-0 in the Second City derby on Sunday.

The 30-year-old took less than 10 minutes to have his say after being introduced, turning to fire high past Tomasz Kuszczak in front of a jubilant Holte End with his first goal in over a year.

That helped the Villans to extend their proud unbeaten league record against the Blues to 10 games since a last defeat in March 2005 and moved them into 12th.

Bruce, speaking in his post-match press conference, admitted on Agbonlahor: "We needed something like him. It lifted the crowd. His first two minutes, he's roaring into a challenge.

"You can talk about tactics and this and that, but the supporters want to see exactly what he's just done, in a derby match, where it means something.

"He's had his critics and criticisms, but since I've been here in five months he's been terrific. It's a shame he got a hamstring injury against Preston because in that game he was looking in really good knick again.

"[He has] A big summer and a big challenge [ahead] now. You can't just prepare all winter for Birmingham, but his record is incredible.

"To get the winner, and it was a scrappy goal to say the least but what a great finish, to turn and get it out of his feet and put it in the top bin. Good on him."

Bruce: I hope my ex-club Birmingham don't go down

Agbonlahor's goal was his fifth in 10 matches against bitter rivals Birmingham and asked jokingly whether Agbonlahor would be sad to see the Blues relegated, ex-Birmingham manager Bruce added: "He's not the only one.

"I hope for the city [they don't go down], we want to see occasions like this. It was fabulous, absolutely fabulous. The Second City needs a derby. We should be in the other league but we're not, that's where we find ourselves.

"In terms of a spectacle, everybody loves it. It's the worst game of football probably of the season, the ball was screaming at it at one time: 'Please don't bash me again!'

"But it doesn't matter. 45,000 have gone home happy. It doesn't matter how the team have played."

"Agbonlahor has to earn new contract"

Bruce also hailed how hard goalscorer Agonlahor has worked to get himself back to peak fitness and laid down the challenge to earn a contract extension with his performances.

"I said to him he has got to go on a fitness programme and shed the timber. He did that," the Villa boss revealed.

"He was getting himself back in contention when I needed him in January when [Jonathan] Kodjia was away and unfortunately hurt his hamstring against Preston and it was a bad one.

"He's got a big summer ahead but a fit Gabby Agbonlahor, certainly at this level, has still got something to offer. I'm convinced of that.

"In the five months I've had him, he was impeccable for two months, lost something like 10 kilos then had a horrible hamstring [injury]. It's a hugely important summer that he keeps himself in some knick.

"Pre-season's huge for him, he's now got to earn himself a contract next year for the first time in a lot of years. When you get to 30, winning a contract is like winning the lottery."

Villa boss hopes Redknapp can stave off relegation with Birmingham

Bruce also insisted that Harry Redknapp is the man to keep Birmingham up "if anybody will keep them up", the 70-year-old having only taken on the job earlier this week after Gianfranco Zola's sacking.

"We've just seen them play, I know it's a derby but it was as if their lives depended on it," he continued.

"They've got to take that into the next two games. Harry's brought a bit of confidence into them and been on the block a long, long time. He got off his armchair to give them a hand so I hope he achieves it."