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*David Dunn’s late penalty earned 10-man Blackburn victory over Aston Villa in an entertaining match at Ewood Park.*

Gabriel Agbonlahor’s mishit shot put Villa ahead on three minutes before Christopher Samba poked Rovers level half-way through an even first half.

Rovers were getting the upper hand when midfielder Vince Grella was sent off for a second bookable offence.

But in the dying stages Richard Dunne handled a Franco di Santo shot and Dunn netted the penalty to seal victory.

Agbonlahor came into the game with a record of three goals in as many games, and within three minutes of the kick-off he had improved that tally to four in four.

Brad Friedel launched a huge clearance straight down the middle, which was flicked on by James Milner.

Agbonlahor failed to connect with the ball cleanly but did enough to steer it to the right of goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who could only watch forlornly as it struck the base of the post and trickled in.

Di Santo did his best to get Rovers back on terms, only to see his goal-bound shot blocked by the intervention of Villa’s former Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock.

John Carew failed to connect with a far post header which would surely have made it 2-0 to Villa before another route one goal pulled Rovers level on 23 minutes.

Ryan Nelsen lofted in a high ball from near the halfway line, and Villa defender Dunne inadvertently got his head on the ball to set it up perfectly for Samba to poke home from close range.

Rovers’ plan of attack was direct but effective, and it very nearly paid dividends around the half-hour mark.

Villa struggled to clear Morten Gamst Pedersen’s long throw from the left and after a game of head tennis Dunn connected with an overhead kick, but the unsighted Friedel made a superb instinctive one-handed save.

The contrast between Villa’s pace and slick passing and Blackburn’s more direct approach could hardly have been greater, but both sides played their part in a lively and entertaining first half.

Villa wasted a great chance to regain the lead in the dying minutes of the half when Pascal Chimbonda’s lazy backpass gave possession to Milner in a dangerous position, but the former Leeds player seemed caught in two minds and it was an easy save for Robinson.

Blackburn began to dominate after the restart, and could well have gone ahead when substitute Emile Heskey lost his footing allowing Dunn to work his way through the defence to the edge of the box, where he claimed he was fouled by James Collins.

Rovers were incensed by the referee’s lack of interest and Villa capitalised on their disarray by getting the ball down the other end of the pitch in a move which ended with Agbonlahor flashing the ball inches over the bar.

With the temperature of the game rising, Rovers found themselves reduced to 10 men, when Grella, who had been booked in the first half for a foul on Agbonlahor, earned a second yellow card for a foul on Milner.

Going a man down just seemed to inspire the home side, however, with Brett Emerton drawing a fine save out of Friedel.

But with just one minute to go, di Santo’s overhead kick was blocked by the hand of Villa defender Dunne.

Blackburn’s Dunn stepped up to put the ball past his former team-mate Friedel, to end Villa’s run of four straight Premier League wins and earn his side a deserved victory.

*Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill:*

“I’m naturally very disappointed to have been in the game the whole time and to not get anything out of it.

“For the most part we coped very well, when there was opportunities to get it down and play, we did that.

“I thought we were never out of the game, I’m naturally disappointed to have conceded so late on and not had an opportunity to get back into it.

“The early goal gave us a boost of confidence and momentum was high - I was hoping we might be able to go on and consolidate but here it’s difficult and there’s always the possibility that something like what happened at the end of the game could happen.”