Kevin Gallacher blasted a brilliant hat-trick as Blackburn signalled their
intention that the Premiership title race is far from over.
Rovers blew Aston Villa away at Ewood Park and the Scot was in dazzling form
as he took his goal tally for the season to 16.
Captain Tim Sherwood scored Rovers' first and Stuart Ripley a terrific fifth
as Blackburn climbed to second in the Premiership, five points behind Manchester
United.
The champions have a game in hand and play at Southampton on Monday, but
Rovers are refusing to hoist the white flag over Ewood Park.
Rovers had taken just two points from their last three matches but they put
that indifferent form behind them as they recorded their eighth home win of the
campaign.
Villa had no answer to rampant Rovers in a game which was embarrassingly
one-sided.
Villa were booed off in midweek after their unconvincing FA Cup win over
Portsmouth and today the chants of "what a load of rubbish" and "you're not
fit to wear our shirts" were heard from the livid Villa fans.
Rovers have now scored nine goals past hapless Villa in their two league
meetings this season after they won 4-0 at Villa Park in August.
That night Chris Sutton scored a hat-trick and his partnership with Gallacher
has brought 30 goals.
Rovers went close to breaking the deadlock after 20 minutes when Damien Duff's
header was nodded back by Sutton and touched on by Sherwood for Colin Hendry to
unleash a drive which was deflected over the bar.
From the resulting corner in the 21st minute they went one better when
Flitcroft flicked on Duff's near-post corner for Sherwood to score his sixth
goal of the season from close range.
After 27 minutes Ripley played the ball into the path of Sutton but his shot
was held by Mark Bosnich.
But Blackburn doubled their lead on the half hour when Sherwood turned from
goal-taker to goal-maker for Gallacher. Sutton played the ball forward and
Sherwood flicked it on for Gallacher to score.
Rovers were now flying and after 32 minutes Jason Wilcox, who had replaced
Gary Croft at left-back, threaded Sutton through and his shot went narrowly
wide.
UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Villa have won just twice on their league travels
this season and on this first-half display it was not hard to see why.
Flitcroft went close with two shots just after the interval when Gallacher set
him up for a drive, which was blocked by Bosnich, and he then fired a second
effort over the bar.
Gallacher directed a header just over the top from Jeff Kenna's cross in the
51st minute but the Scot scored Rovers' third with a superb piece of individual
skill on 53 minutes.
Gallacher latched on to Hendry's long clearance and turned Steve Staunton
inside out before slotting home inside the far post.
Savo Milosevic had a chance to pull one back four minutes later but he blazed
wide.
Gallacher duly completed his hat-trick after 68 minutes when he headed home
Ripley's corner from close range.
The 31-year-old striker was substituted four minutes later and left the pitch
to a standing ovation from the home supporters.
But Rovers were not finished yet and 10 minutes from time Ripley cracked home
a 25-yard drive for their fifth goal and his second of the season.
To complete Villa's miserable day Tim Flowers, a spectator for virtually all
of the match, denied Stan Collymore a late consolation goal with a fine save.
Teams
Blackburn: Flowers, Kenna, Sherwood, Hendry, Ripley,
Gallacher (McKinlay 72), Sutton, Wilcox, Flitcroft (Croft 72),
Henchoz, Duff.
Subs Not Used: Pedersen, Beattie, Fettis.
Booked: Henchoz.
Goals: Sherwood 21, Gallacher 29, 54, 68, Ripley 81.
Aston Villa: Bosnich, Staunton, Ehiogu, Taylor, Draper,
Milosevic, Yorke, Collymore, Wright, Nelson, Grayson.
Subs Not Used: Charles, Joachim, Hendrie, Hughes, Oakes.
Booked: Taylor.
Att: 24,834
Ref: K W Burge (Tonypandy).
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