Stefan Moore and Juan Pablo Angel fired Aston Villa to their first Premiership
away win for almost a year as Blackburn paid the price for a series of
blunders.
Rovers had already escaped with the skin of their teeth from a couple of
mistakes at a wet and slippery Ewood Park when Lee Hendrie took advantage of
defensive dithering to set up Moore for an easy goal.
Angel then made sure of their first league away win since January 28 - the
last one was 15 away trips previously, a 5-2 triumph at Middlesbrough - as
Blackburn's defence failed to cut out a threatening cross and the Colombian
pounced to fire home.
Defeat was bitter for Rovers, who had been enjoying something of a renaissance
after a bad start to the season, but it was the manner of the loss which will
have infuriated manager Graeme Souness.
Buoyed by their win in the Carling Cup over Chelsea, David O'Leary's Villa
looked impressive as a unit with Angel an especially dangerous customer on the
break.
In terms of possession, Blackburn dominated the first half. Brett Emerton
hooked in an accurate cross that was just behind Dwight Yorke and he could only
flick a header over the bar.
Moore, Villa's 20-year-old striker, showed his own threat with a smart turn on
the edge of the box but could not find the same quality with his shot, which was
all too easy for Brad Friedel.
Villa should have opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Lucas Neill
failed to intercept a straightforward through ball and Hendrie was in on goal in
a flash. His shot could hardly have been better but Friedel produced a
magnificent diving save to tip the ball past the post.
Blackburn looked not to have learned their lesson when Craig Short was caught
napping by Angel, who set up Peter Whittingham for a low shot which flashed
wide.
The home side then enjoyed a promising period as Emerton had a low drive
deflected wide off Dion Dublin, then Andy Cole hit a thunderous strike from
Yorke's lay-off which Villa were relieved to see go straight into Jlloyd
Samuel's lower midriff rather than the net.
Dublin then nearly gifted Blackburn a goal when Emerton's cross skidded off
his boot but Mark Delaney scrambled the ball away with Rovers' strikers
preparing to pounce.
Angel, providing some respite, showed top-class trickery to evade a couple of
challenges before stinging Friedel's hands.
Boosted by this, Villa launched some more attacks and Delaney's cross-shot
whistled wide, but begging for a crucial touch. Gareth Barry was next to try his
luck, but once more Friedel was in the way.
Neill was having a minor nightmare in his unaccustomed left-back spot and
Delaney once more took advantage of a slip and burst down the flank before
drilling in a low cross that Andy Todd did magnificently well to clear.
Barry Ferguson went down in the box under a Samuel challenge, but though he
looked around hopefully it seemed the defender had won the ball fairly.
Blackburn's back four continued to look vulnerable though and once again
Friedel was the saviour when he somehow kept out Angel's flick from Delaney's
driven cross, then Gavin McCann glanced a header just wide.
The second half was all about Villa and Barry did a bit of hip-swivelling on
the edge of Blackburn's box before hammering a right-foot drive a yard wide.
Angel then packed some tremendous power into a shot from 15 yards but it flew
just wide of the angle.
There was a calamitous goal from Blackburn's point of view in the 62nd minute.
Dublin's long free-kick was headed on by Angel and as the ball bounced into the
penalty area Friedel and Gresko both hesitated, but not Hendrie who nipped in to
head across goal and leave Moore with the easiest of finishes from close range.
Substitute Darius Vassell nearly made it 2-0 when he connected with Barry's
cross six-yards out but Friedel made a goal-line block.
Villa were not to be denied though as Vassell crossed from the left and Angel
nipped in front of his marker to steer the ball past Friedel and start the
congas among the travelling fans.
<
Teams:
Blackburn (0) 0 Aston Villa (0) 2
Blackburn Friedel, Babbel, Todd, Short, Neill (Jansen 68),
Gallagher (Gresko 45), Ferguson, Tugay (Flitcroft 61), Emerton,
Cole, Yorke.
Subs Not Used: Martin Taylor, Enckelman.
Booked: Short.
Aston Villa Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg, Dublin, Samuel,
Moore (Vassell 67), Hendrie (De la Cruz 89), McCann,
Whittingham, Barry (Hitzlsperger 78), Angel.
Subs Not Used: Johnsen, Postma.
Goals: Moore 62, Angel 75.
Att: 20,722
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
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