Villa fought back bravely for a point in a very physical encounter.

Roque Santa Cruz had the easiest of tap-ins to give the visitors the lead but Ashley Young hit back for Villa with a wonderful 20 yard free-kick.

Scott Carson was the hero of the first half as he saved a Matt Derbyshire penalty.

Nigel Reo-Coker was adjudged to have fouled David Bentley in the box. From the resultant spot-kick, Carson dived to his right to clear the striker's low effort.

There was plenty of effort from Villa going forward in the first 45 minutes but they were unable to create many clear-cut chances.

Laursen made an excellent last ditch tackle on four minutes to deny Dunn as the former Birmingham man broke into the penalty box.

Young swung in a dangerous cross on 17 but Friedel did well to come and gather.

Petrov floated in a wonderful ball from the right a minute later, looking for Barry but Ooijer cleared with the England star ready to pounce.

Blackburn earned a penalty on 23 as Reo-Coker fouled Bentley inside the box but Carson did brilliantly to save to his right from Derbyshire's spot-kick.

Young again swung in a cracking ball from the left and it ricocheted off Laursen and was cleared by Reid on 32.

It was Barry's turn to swing in a super ball from the left hand side on 35 but this time it was Warnock who headed it clear.

Bouma made a great last-ditch tackle on Derbyshire on 39 as the striker broke forward.

Carew tried to breach the Blackburn defence on 43 but his dribbling move was cut out by Ooijer.

Villa started the second half in much more determined mood as they created plenty of chances, with Young sparking to life.

Barry caused problems down the left on 53, twisting and turning down the channel, before finally laying the ball off to Bouma. His delivery was good but too close to Friedel.

Carson did brilliantly to save Pedersen's corner-cum-shot on 57, tipping the ball over the bar.

Harewood replaced Petrov on 60 as Villa looked for the breakthrough.

Harewood made an immediate impact on 63 with a direct run and shot but his effort was well saved by Friedel. The chance certainly lifted the crowd.

Santa Cruz opened the scoring on 66 with the easiest of tap-ins after Dunn's initial shot was well parried by Carson.

Carew saw an ambitious header fly over the bar from Bouma's well-flighted cross on 68.

Young flighted a magnificent free-kick from 20 yards that flew past Friedel to level the scores.

Harewood was so close to giving Villa the lead on 78 as his close-range header cannoned off the crossbar.

Emerton managed to break forward from his right-back role to fire in a left footed effor for Blackburn on 83 but Carson was equal to it.

Ooijer headed over from close-range a minute later when he really should have done better. Jason Roberts replaced Matt Derbyshire on 88.

Reid fired over the bar on 90 as Rovers looked for a late winner.

Young nearly won it at the death when his angled effort from the left sided free-kick went marginally over the bar.

VILLA: Carson; Mellberg, Laursen, Davies, Bouma; Petrov (Harewood, 60), Barry, Reo-Coker, Young; Carew, Agbonlahor. Subs: Knight, Taylor, Harewood, Gardner, Osbourne.

Blackburn: Friedel; Ooijer, Warnock, Samba, Pedersen; Emerton, Bentley, Reid BOOKED, Dunn; Derbyshire (Roberts, 88), Santa Cruz. Subs: Brown, McCarthy, Khizanishvili, Berner, Roberts.