BLACKBURN PUNISH MISFIRING VILLA

By Ryan Ghee
March 12 2006

Milan Baros was the Villan of the piece at Ewood Park as Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers punished Villa for failing to take their chances with two second half goals to end Villa's run of nine away league games without loss.

Villa striker Milan Baros spurned numerous chances, including three one-on-ones with Brad Friedel, before Andy Todd and Craig Bellamy struck to move Blackburn up to fifth in the Premiership table.

Villa started the match brightly with Barry firing wide from a narrow angle after taking the ball around Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel in the opening 30 seconds.

Kevin Phillips was then handed an open goal by Luke Moore but the striker failed to react quickly enough and Ryan Nelson flew in with a superb last-ditch challenge to deny Villa an opening goal.

Just a few minutes later, with Villa camping in the Blackburn 18-yard box, Milan Baros was sent through on goal and with the easiest of tasks facing him, the striker tamely poked his effort straight into the legs of Friedel as it started to become clear that this wasn't to be Villa's day.

With Blackburn failing to create any chances at all, Mellberg attempted to provide Villa's breakthrough but the Blackburn keeper kept out his header to somehow keep the game level at half-time.

At the start of the second period the visitors were made to pay for their lacklustre finishing.

Just two minutes in, with the help of Steven Reid's hand, two seemingly blind officials and a coward-like attempt at a save by Thomas Sorensen, the ball fell kindly to Andy Todd who poked home from all of a yard.

Minutes later, the officials proved earlier allegations of blindness as Andy Todd punched Barry's goal-bound effort to safety only for the ref to wave play on.

With Villa still creating numerous openings, Milan Baros missed two more gilt-edged chances to get Villa back on level terms.

Firstly the striker drilled the ball straight at Friedel after a free run on goal and then headed over from six-yards when completely unmarked; the sort of recent form which has convinced O'Leary to keep faith in the striker who has simply failed to justify his £6.5m price tag.

Following Baros' pathetic efforts at goal, Craig Bellamy popped up at the other end to compound Villa's misery.

Thomas Sorensen decided to give the fans a re-enactment of his earlier error by spilling the ball straight to the feet of the one-time Villa transfer target who obliged by drilling the ball inside the far post to leave Villa, and Baros in particular, regretting their earlier squandered chances.