LEWIS GRABBAN rescued a deserved late point for Villa but failed to save their automatic promotion bid.
Sixth-placed Derby clung on to Cameron Jerome’s opener for 70 minutes and the draw means they will seal a play-off spot if they beat Barnsley next weekend.
Villa are certain to finish fourth as they sit five points behind Fulham and sixth adrift of second- placed Cardiff, who won 2-0 at Hull.
And they dominated a possible play-off dress rehearsal as Grabban and Jonathan Kodjia hit the bar, while Conor Hourihane wasted a glorious chance.
Yet Villa – who will finish fourth – were forced to come from behind after Jerome’s 14th-minute opener.
Former Villa striker Andreas Weimann robbed a dawdling Neil Taylor on the right and crossed for Jerome to sweep in his third goal of the week.
It was sloppy from Villa but they should have at least levelled before the break.
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Grabban wasted a gaping chance with his head after 25 minutes when Albert Adomah left Richard Keogh trailing.
Then Scott Carson saved midfielder Jack Grealish’s low effort.
The hosts remained on top, with Derby reliant on Tom Lawrence to conjure an opening.
And Grabban nearly levelled in first-half injury time when his glancing header clipped the top of the woodwork.
Villa continued to press after the break but a leveller was proving elusive.
Grealish fired over and Carson claimed Hourihane’s free-kick, before the Republic of Ireland international missed Villa’s best opening so far with 20 minutes left.
The playmaker was in the right place when the ball looped into his path six yards out but he somehow volleyed wide.
Weimann then almost made his former side pay when he went through but saw James Chester block his shot.
Villa immediately went up the other end and Kodjia saw his 74th-minute header come back off the bar.
But Steve Bruce’s side finally levelled with eight minutes left when Grabban pounced after Carson denied Hourihane.
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