Goals from Nikica Jelavic and Dame N’Doye – making his first start – secured Hull’s first league win since New Year’s Day, and sent Villa into the bottom three.
The victory comes days after a morale-boosting 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, and Bruce believes his side are moving in the right direction.
"We took a bit of confidence from the weekend [against City],” he told BBC Sport. "It was nice to beat a team that was in and around us.
"Psychologically it's good for everybody.
“That was more like what I've been used to seeing for the last two-and-a-half years. We've given ourselves a good chance [of staying up]."
Hull face another of their relegation rivals next weekend as QPR make the trip to the KC Stadium, the manager-less strugglers also buoyed by a win on Tuesday – over Sunderland.
'I love my job. I love being able to play this sport. In the end, there’s something addictive in winning for me' Alexia Putellas speaks about what drove her back from an ACL injury to lift the World Cup
Alexia Putellas: "We’re already the only club to have won the men’s and women’s Champions League, so the only thing even more historic to do than that would be to win it in the same season"
