Villa stormed to sixth in the table with a comprehensive victory at Ewood Park.

Goals from John Carew, Gareth Barry (pen), Ashley Young and Marlon Harewood secured a third straight away win - a fourth successive victory in total.

And Villa deserved plenty of credit for weathering an early Rovers storm before roaring to victory.

The hosts were reduced to ten men as Ryan Nelsen felled Agbonlahor for the penalty on 52, but there could be no argument with the decision.

Villa made a solid start as they went in search of a third straight away win.

Barry's angled left-foot drive was charged down by Nelsen on five, before Young's follow up was collected by Friedel.

Carson did well to deny Dunn on nine, palming a low right-foot drive away to safety.

The Villa keeper then blocked a low left-foot effort from Nelsen on 12 as Bentley's right-wing corner was only half cleared.

Santa Cruz fired high over the bar as he cut in from the right a minute later.

Carson produced another impressive save to deny Bentley on 16, tipping the midfielder's dipping 25-yard free-kick over the bar.

Friedel raced off his line to beat Carew to a Barry through ball on 24.

Villa had the lead on 29 as Young swung over a free-kick from the left and Carew rose to head past Friedel.

Bouma broke down the left two minutes later, but his near post cross was headed behind by Nelsen.

Carew fired straight at Friedel on 36, after great work down the right from Petrov.

Agbonlahor might have doubled Villa's lead on 43 as he raced onto Carew's flick from a Carson clearance, but Friedel raced off his line to block a rising shot.

Knight deflected Bentley's rising drive wide for a corner in stoppage time.

Bouma bravely blocked a McCarthy volley on 49 as the hosts made a promising start to the second-half.

Samba headed wide from a left-wing corner two minutes later.

Villa had a penalty on 52 as Nelsen felled Agbonlahor and was dismissed for the foul. Barry made no mistake from the spot and put Villa 2-0 up.

Carson comfortably gathered Bentley's low angled drive on 58. Santa Cruz then headed wide from Bentley's left-wing centre.

Barry might have added to Villa's lead on 73, but his left foot drive hit Carew.

Young appeared to be felled by Samba on 78, but Villa penalty appeals were ignored this time.

Young added Villa's third on 81, firing a rising drive past Friedel after a mazy run down the right from Mellberg.

Carew fired straight at Friedel on 87 as he raced onto a clever ball from the industrious Reo-Coker.

Dunn dragged a low right foot drive past the post as her cut in from the left moments later.

Harewood made it 4-0 on 89 as Friedel denied Carew, but the Villa sub followed up and fired into the roof of the net.

Blackburn: Friedel, Ooijer, Warnock, Samba, Nelsen, Emerton, Santa Cruz, McCarthy, Bentley, Mokoena, Dunn. Subs: Brown, Savage, Pedersen (for Bentley 83), Reid (for Mokoena 67), Roberts (for McCarthy 67).

VILLA: Carson, Bouma, Mellberg (booked 49), Knight, Laursen, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Taylor, Harewood (FOR Agbonlahor 85), Davies, Berger, Gardner (for Petrov 82).