Second-half goals from captain Andy Todd and Craig Bellamy helped Blackburn maintain their push for European football next season and end Aston Villa’s bid for a place in the club record books.

Mark Hughes’s side have taken 19 points from their last seven matches at Ewood Park, lifting them up to fifth in the Barclays Premiership.

Villa have only themselves to blame for failing to equal a 101-year mark of nine successive unbeaten away games as they wasted numerous opportunities throughout the 90 minutes.

If Villa had taken the lead after just 25 seconds then it could have been an altogether different affair, with the chance spurned indicative of their performance as a whole.

Aaron Hughes delivered a raking ball that split covering defenders Michael Gray and Ryan Nelsen. The intuitive Gareth Barry, in spotting the opportunity, had made his way from left wing to collect the pass.

But after rounding goalkeeper Brad Friedel, Barry’s disappointing 15-yard shot struck the sidenetting.

Rovers quickly countered through Florent Sinama Pongolle, who whipped a low ball into the near post for Bellamy, but an alert Thomas Sorensen saved at the feet of the Wales international.

Rovers were ragged at the back as Villa cut them open, although were nevertheless initially indebted to Nelsen for first producing a stunning clearance from inside his own six-yard box with Kevin Phillips primed to tap home into an empty net.

Moments later a clean-through Milan Baros saw his attempted flick beyond Friedel nudged wide by the American’s outstretched right leg. That was swiftly followed by Friedel tipping a Mellberg header over the bar.

With the exception of one viciously curling free-kick that scraped the bar from Morten Gamst Pedersen, the first half petered out to a welcome interval whistle.

It was with relief the game then opened up in second half, with Todd controversially grabbing the opener from his side’s first corner for his third goal of the season, and first in the Premiership since the opening day.

Pedersen’s ball into the heart of the area was first touched on by Steven Reid - seemingly with his left hand — and then flicked goalwards by Bellamy.

With Sorensen failing to collect, it allowed Todd to stab home from a yard, much to the goalkeeper’s annoyance as he firmly believed he had been fouled.

Villa were further frustrated five minutes later when referee Dermot Gallagher turned away penalty appeals, as Barry’s thunderous shot was driven against the right hand of Todd.

Then came another few minutes of madness for Villa, wasting three more glorious chances in four minutes, ultimately proving their downfall.

On the hour Baros was again sent racing clear, but in wanting to shoot with his right foot, Friedel was able to cover the eventual shot with a fine blocking save. The Czech Republic international blew it again two minutes later, this time planting a stooping header over the bar from seven yards.

It was Baros who then teed up the fast-arriving Barry with a ball across the 18-yard box, but the left-foot shot fizzed past the post.

Villa were made to pay the price in the 71st minute, with Bellamy sealing the points with his 13th goal of the season.

The Welshman and Sinama Pongolle worked the opening inside the area, with the latter teeing up Pedersen, only for Sorensen to block at the feet of the Norwegian.

However, the ball sprang loose to Bellamy following in and he curled home the crucial second off the unfortunate Sorensen’s left arm.