Ten-man Rovers sink Villa with Dunn´s late penalty

David Dunn’s last minute penalty gave 10-man Blackburn a 2-1 win over Aston Villa at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Sam Allardyce’s side had fallen behind to an early strike from Gabriel Agbonlahor before Christopher Samba levelled for the hosts.

The match seemed to have swung Villa’s way when Vince Grella, Blackburn’s Australia midfielder, was sent off in the second half.

But Dunn stole the points, and lifted Blackburn out of the relegation zone, after Villa defender Richard Dunne handled.

Villa had made the perfect start as England international Agbonlahor score his fourth league goal of the season in the third minute.

James Milner headed the ball into the box where Agbonlahor was granted too much space by the Rovers defence and took full advantage to slot a low shot in off a post.

Blackburn responded well with Morten Gamst Pedersen crashing a rising effort over the bar.

Villa came close to adding a second in the 25th minute when Ashley Young beat Lars Jacobsen down the right and sent in a cross which was just too high for John Carew.

But Rovers snatched an equaliser in the 24th minute when Franco Di Santo chased down Ryan Nelsen’s long punt into the box and fed Samba, who slotted past former Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel.

Friedel reminded Rovers of his qualities when he pulled off a superb save to tip away Dunn’s close-range overhead kick.

Pascal Chimbonda almost handed Villa the lead before half-time when he carelessly gave the ball away to Milner but his shot from a tight angle was saved by Paul Robinson.

Blackburn started the second half in positive fashion and came close within two minutes of the restart when Di Santo headed wide from a cross by El Hadji Diouf.

Rovers’ hopes of pressing on to claim the three points were hit by the dismissal of Grella in the 68th minute for a second bookable offence after an unnecessary foul on Milner.

But Allardyce’s side were awarded a spot-kick in the 87th minute after Di Santo’s attempted overhead kick was handled by Richard Dunne and David Dunn stepped up to send Friedel the wrong way.

There was still time for Villa to push forward in search of an equaliser and Robinson was forced into a fingertip save to deny James Collins in injury-time.