Blackburn moved up to fifth place in the Premiership after beating Aston Villa at Ewood Park.

Villa had some gilt-edged chances but went behind when Andy Todd pounced to poke in a shot after keeper Thomas Sorensen failed to gather a corner.

Milan Baros was Villa’s main culprit as he twice failed to convert one-on-one’s with Rovers keeper Brad Friedel.

Blackburn added a second firmly against the run of play when a Sorensen mistake let Craig Bellamy sidefoot home.

The match had got off to a promising start with both sides going close to taking the lead in the opening minutes.

A misunderstanding in the Blackburn defence allowed Gareth Barry through on goal but he was sent wide by on-rushing Friedel before shooting wide of the near post from a tight angle.

Bellamy was narrowly beaten to a low Florent Sinama-Pongolle cross by Sorensen but it was the visitors who posed the greater early threat.

Villa overwhelmed a lethargic home side and gave their opponents little respite as they created a flurry of chances.

The influential Kevin Phillips looked certain to give the visitors the lead only for a last-ditch Ryan Nelsen tackle to stop him tapping in Luke Moore’s pull-back.

Almost immediately, Baros had only Friedel to beat but shot too tamely and too close to the Rovers keeper, who saved low to his right.

The overworked Friedel then saved an Olof Mellberg header before Rovers were given a chance to catch their breath.

Villa were then made to pay for their missed chances shortly after the break when Todd scored after Villa failed to clear a corner.

Sorensen was angry Steven Reid had not been penalised for handball in the build-up to the goal before Todd was given the benefit of the doubt at the other end when a Barry shot struck his arm.

Villa breathed a sigh of relief when Nelsen had a header cleared off the line by Moore but emotions quickly turned to disbelief at Baros missing two glorious openings.

Baros again failed to convert a one-on-one with Friedel as well as heading high.

Villa had produced an impressive performance but went two behind when Sorensen spilled the ball after sliding out to gather and Bellamy sidefooted home.

*Aston Villa manager David O’Leary:*

“To sum it up Blackburn had two chances and scored while we had about 10 and missed them all.

“Our players are complaining about a handball before their first goal and a handball at the other end.

“But overall we should have won it by a mile if we had taken our chances.”