Villa brush aside Rovers

Second-half goals from Stefan Moore and Juan Pablo Angel earned Aston Villa their first Premiership away win since January at Blackburn.

Young midfielder Moore put the visitors ahead on the hour, capitalising on some scrappy defensive play from Rovers.

And in-form Colombian Angel made the points safe after 75 minutes, guiding home a Jlloyd Samuel cross.

Villa’s win pushes them clear of the relegation zone and leaves Blackburn teetering above the bottom three.

The pattern of an entertaining first half was set quickly at Ewood Park, with both sides taking it in turns to attack.

Rovers youngster Paul Gallagher had dropped into midfield to accommodate Andy Cole.

But he took every opportunity to surge forward, sweeping in an eighth-minute cross which Dwight Yorke could only head over the bar.

Moments later, Villa should have opened the scoring when Lucas Neill’s mistake let in Lee Hendrie, who spurned his one-on-one against Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel.

The chances continued to come and go.

Brett Emerton had a drive deflected wide before Cole’s thundering effort was blocked by the midriff of Samuel.

And at the other end, Mark Delaney made a regular nuisance of himself, fizzing a cross-shot agonisingly wide of Thomas Sorensen’s post.

The half-time break however lulled both teams into lethargy and shots were scarce after the interval, until Villa pinched the lead on 62 minutes.

Sloppy defending presented Hendrie with the ball in the Blackburn penalty area and the midfielder fed Moore, who calmly slotted home.

The visitors doubled their lead 15 minutes from time following good link-up play between Darius Vassell and Samuel, whose cross picked out Angel.

A bad miss from Cole did little to lift Blackburn’s ebbing spirits.

And Villa fans will be the happier going into Christmas, their side having leapfrogged Rovers in the Premiership table.