Premier League: Blackpool 1 Aston Villa 1

Aston Villa held on for a point against Blackpool in an entertaining 1-1 draw at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

Gabriel Agbonlahor gave the visitors a 10th minute lead but they were ahead for just four minutes with Elliot Grandin heading home Blackpool’s equaliser.

And when Cameroon midfielder Jean Makoun was sent off for a reckless late challenge, Villa were desperately hanging on in a tense finish.

Ian Holloway’s side could not make the breakthrough but he will be grateful that their five-game losing streak came to an end.

Darren Bent, who scored in midweek for England, should have put Villa ahead inside five minutes but the striker dwelled on the ball and when he finally got his shot away, Ian Evatt was able to block.

In the 11th minute, Bent played in Agbonlahor who rounded Blackpool goalkeeper Richard Kingson and squeezed the ball in from a tight angle.

Blackpool were back on level terms within four minutes when an unmarked Grandin headed home Charlie Adam’s near-post corner.

Chances were coming thick and fast at both ends with Villa’s Stuart Downing going closest twice for the visitors. Kingson denied him with a smart save with his legs before the England winger rattled the woodwork with a 25-yard drive.

DJ Campbell went close at the start of the second half but fired inches wide from Luke Varney’s low cross.

Villa were reduced to 10 men when new signing Makoun was shown a straight red by referee Howard Webb for a two-footed challenge on Campbell.

And Blackpool piled forward but could not find a winner, while Villa almost caught them on the break but Ashley Young fired wide late on.