Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn Rovers: Agbonlahor, Heskey & Bent give Alex McLeish first win since taking charge

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Aston Villa created the first opening through Gabriel Agbonlahor on the 10 minute mark when he used his pace to get past Michel Salgado to cross towards Darren Bent, but Ryan Nelson cleared for a corner. From the corner, a scramble in the area lead to Richard Dunne volleying high over the bar.

However, Villa didn’t have to wait long as they opened the scoring after just 12 minutes. Agbonlahor received the ball from Darren Bent on the right. He cut inside past Salgado but this time curled it beautifully past Paul Robinson to give Villa the lead and open his account for the season.

Villa seemed to grow in confidence after the goal, with the home fans starting to enjoy what they were seeing. They was a break in play though in the 17th minute when Blackburn’s David Dunn appeared to stamp on Luke Young after a coming together. Referee Stuart Atwell took no action choosing to calm down the two players, but on another day, Dunn could have seen red.

Shortly after, Blackburn had their best chance of the half when David Goodwillie, making his first start since his £2.8 million move from Dundee United, went close as he picked up a David Hoilett cross and hit a thumping strike which went just over the bar.

Villa were still the dominant side though and doubled their lead on 25 minutes. Fabian Delph picked out Agbonlahor who was able to slide the ball across the box and despite falling over, Heskey produced a low shot past the helpless Robinson. The goal was Heskey’s 110th Premier League strike and Villa fans will be hoping for more of the same this season from the former Wigan man.

Hail Heskey | Striker scores Villa's second as they cruise to victory over Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn looked continually fragile at the back without the influential Christopher Samba who is still sidelined through injury and had to contend with wave after wave of Villa attacks. Agbonlahor went close again on 39 minutes when he received a floated cross from Young at the far post but his looping header went narrowly over.

Rovers needed to start the second half with a goal to get back in the game and that is just what they did. In the 51st minute, Hoilett was able to move freely down the left before crossing for Pedersen to nod in from close range past Shay Given.

Albrighton, who came on for Agbonlahor, was unlucky not to restore Villa’s two-goal lead as he was allowed time and space by the Blackburn defence to shoot from distance which narrowly crept past Robinson’s right-hand post in the 63rd minute.

Villa did restore their two-goal lead shortly after though as captain Stiliyan Petrov shot from distance, Greg Hanley was able to block the shot but it rebounded off him to Bent who made no mistake, smashing it past Robinson into the net.

This seemingly killed off Blackburn’s comeback as Steve Kean tried to change his team round by making a double substitution with Mauro Formica coming on for Roberts and new signing Radosav Petrovic making his debut, replacing Pedersen.

It made little difference though with the only effort coming from Formica in the last five minutes but the Argentine's shot from distance went well over Given’s bar as Villa comfortably played out the game.