Blackburn 2 Aston Villa 1: Dunn caps comeback for 10-man Rovers

27 September 2009 01:02
A long, slow smile creased the normally lugubrious features of Sam Allardyce as he said: 'Days like this are why we do this God-forsaken job. I'll have a good night now.'[LNB] He has known the good times and bad, lifting Bolton way above expectations in four years at the Reebok and driven out of Newcastle before he had the chance to shape the club. [LNB]The current challenge is to find respectability in the Premier League. This win takes Blackburn out of the bottom three and was achieved against a sharp, well-organised Aston Villa team with ambitions to be regular Champions League contenders.[LNB] [LNB]Gift of the Gab: Agbonlahor celebrates his fifth goal in five games[LNB] Blackburn, reduced to 10 men when Vince Grella was sent off after 68 minutes for two yellow-card offences, won because of their hard work and resilience. [LNB]But if Allardyce can afford to indulge in a glass of red wine he might spare a thought for a man whose party was ruined. [LNB]Brad Friedel came back to his old club in Villa's goal and the locals remembered all those match-winning saves over seven years and more than 350 appearances. [LNB]He was at it again, making gravity-defying leaps and punches to defy Brett Emerton, David Dunn and Chris Samba among many. [LNB][LNB] Level pegging: Samba strikes to equalise for Rovers[LNB]When Gabriel Agbonlahor gave Villa the lead inside three minutes it seemed Friedel was set for a day to enjoy. [LNB]The goal came from Blackburn's only defensive blemish as they allowed Agbonlahor to glide freely on to a flicked header from James Milner. The shot was low and true across goalkeeper Paul Robinson and into the bottom corner.[LNB] Behind and unhappy, Blackburn had to find something out of the ordinary. Morten Gamst Pedersen has a habit of obliging and his long throw caused pandemonium in the Villa defence. [LNB][LNB] Three-pointer: Dunn hails his winning penalty[LNB]No one could get a foot on the ball but Samba, a big central defender, was there to volley in from close in. [LNB]  Blackburn's sense of industry was admirable. They pushed on, testing Friedel, but it seemed that 1-1 would be the final outcome, a score that would have satisfied Allardyce, he said, especially as they were playing with 10 men late on. [LNB]Two minutes from normal time Richard Dunne was adjudged to have handled when Franco Di Santo's shot struck his raised arm at close range. [LNB]Dunn rattled home the penalty and Villa manager Martin O'Neill was left to lament: 'I felt we should have taken something from the game.' [LNB]Few would argue with that but the overwhelming reflection was that Allardyce may soon be stepping out the way he did in those four memorable years down the road at Bolton.[LNB] Blackburn v Aston Villa: The action as it happenedReal Madrid? I made my name on the beach at Margate, says Blackburn Rovers' new boy Michel SalgadoAndy Townsend's Boot Room: Martin O'Neill is making plans for Nigel Reo-Coker Stephen Warnock keeps fingers crossed Blackburn fans will forgive his Aston Villa move on return to Ewood ParkBLACKBURN ROVERS FC

Source: Daily_Mail