Villa rescue a draw

Scott Carson saved a penalty whilst Ashley Young scored a late leveller to cancel out Roque Santa Cruz's early goal for Blackburn. Aston Villa's youngsters both impressed in front of Fabio Capello.

Rovers did go ahead when Carson parried David Dunn's shot and Roque Santa Cruz pounced to score from the rebound.

Young replied and Villa almost got a winner that would have put them fourth when Marlon Harewood hit the bar.

Winger Young is doubtless a player Capello was taking a keen interest in, as was Bentley.

Capello also got an unexpected chance to assess Gareth Barry, who handed Villa a big boost by returning from a pelvic injury.

The home side looked sluggish in the first half though, and Reo-Coker's needless foul on Bentley just inside the area handed Rovers a great chance to go ahead on 23 minutes.

But Carson dived to his right to keep out the resulting spot-kick from Derbyshire, who needed treatment after falling awkwardly while trying in vain to head in the rebound.

Villa continued to struggle after the interval, prompting boss Martin O'Neill to replace Stiliyan Petrov with striker Harewood and switch to three up front.

The change has some effect and Harewood registered Villa's first real attempt on goal when his 25-yard shot was well held by keeper Brad Friedel.

Just as O'Neill's side seemed to be getting their act together, they fell behind in the 67th minute.

Dunn swept past Curtis Davies and after the midfielder's effort was pushed away by Carson, Santa Cruz followed up and mis-hit his shot but did enough to scramble the ball home.

But Young hauled Villa level five minutes later, delightfully clipping the ball over Blackburn's defensive wall and into the corner of Friedel's net.

Villa then almost went ahead when Harewood leapt highest to meet Young's free-kick and headed against the woodwork.

Villa forward Gabriel Aagbonlahor latched onto Martin Laursen's flick-on and found the net but was rightly denied by an offside flag.