Aston Villa eased the memory of their midweek UEFA Cup failure yesterday by recording a victory that maintains their unbeaten Premiership record and puts them on course for a place in Europe's premier competition.
And ironically, after a first-half performance that suggested Villa were suffering from their exertions at Southampton on Monday and against NK Varteks three days later, it was the player judged to be surplus to requirements in Croatia who breathed life into their poverty-stricken display.
Juan Pablo Angel's two goals in the home leg against Varteks had kept Villa afloat in the tie, but, inexplicably, he was not included in the starting line-up for the return.
By scoring one goal and playing a pivotal role in the creation of Villa's second against Rovers, the Colombian striker put his case for a permanent starting role most eloquently.
Yet Rovers should have gone into the interval a goal or two to the good after having the best of the first half. They welcomed back David Dunn for his first game since injuring a knee in the season's opener, and the midfielder wasted little time in making his presence felt.
Barely two minutes had elapsed when Dunn ended a typically purposeful run by shooting from the edge of the Villa penalty area. The effort, although straight at Peter Schmeichel, packed a powerful enough punch for the Danish goalkeeper to spill the ball and the rebound fell compliantly for Matt Jansen.
But for once the alertness and close control that typifies the striker's game deserted him with the ball bouncing off his knee for a goal kick.
Rovers were later denied a penalty when Mark Delaney attempted to swap shirts with Dunn an hour prematurely, and more misfortune was to follow in the second period when Gary Flitcroft's effort from distance cannoned to safety via the crossbar.
By then Rovers were a goal adrift after failing to heed a warning served by Angel just before the interval, when he headed Moustapha Hadji's right-wing free-kick just over Brad Friedel's bar.
Until then the Colombian's distribution and ball control had not been matched by Villa's ability to provide the service for him to demonstrate his speciality: goalscoring.
All that changed within seconds of the restart, however, when Lee Hendrie's through-ball put Angel clear in the inside left channel and he responded with more of a right-foot pass than a shot across Friedel and into the far corner.
Villa's second followed in the 71st minute, within moments of Flitcroft's near miss, and, with Schmeichel stranded, Delaney clearing off the line after the scramble that followed. And it was the Danish goalkeeper who began the manoeuvre that, in terms of build-up rather than a spectacular killer blow, will surely be one of the contenders for move of the season.
Schmeichel's quick, long throw found Hendrie who in turn found Angel; all seemed lost when the Colombian tangled with Stig Inge Bjornebye, but the move was back on again when he scooped the ball over the defender and into the path of Hendrie whose volleyed cross was slid home by Darius Vassell.
ASTON VILLA: Schmeichel, Delaney, Staunton, Alpay, Wright, Hendrie, Boateng, Hadji, Kachloul (Samuel 84), Vassell, Angel (Dublin 84). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Ginola, Balaban. Booked: Hadji, Vassell. Goals: Angel 46, Vassell 72.
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Berg, Tugay, Bjornebye, Flitcroft, Dunn (Hignett 81), Johnson (McAteer 67), Neill, Mahon, Jansen, Hughes (Ostenstad 60). Subs Not Used: Filan, Greer. Booked: Bjornebye, Flitcroft.
Referee: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
