Blackburn 1 Aston Villa 1 - Report

The Republic of Ireland international lashed home a 25-yard free-kick to also ease the immediate pressure on boss Steve Bruce.

A fair portion of the 4,000 travelling support had called for the manager’s head after Bradley Dack had opened the scoring with 14 minutes to play.

But with Villa seemingly dead and buried, Hourihane curled in from distance when Jack Grealish was fouled.

Analysis

Hourihane scored 11 goals last season but his first of this campaign may well be his most vital for Villa yet, certainly for Bruce.

The boss had been facing up to a third straight defeat which would have prompted increased scrutiny over his future.

In truth, those questions still remain, after another game when Villa were well below-par.

Improvement is needed for back-to-back home fixtures against Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday, though things could have been much worse.

Having stewed for a fortnight following the 4-1 defeat at Bramall Lane, Bruce made three chances to the line-up.

It included a debut for Tammy Abraham, while Albert Adomah and Neil Taylor were also drafted into the team.

Mile Jedinak kept his place but was moved into a more familiar midfield role, with Axel Tuanzebe partnering James Chester in the heart of defence.

Yannick Bolasie was on a bench which also featured Anwar El Ghazi and top scorer Jonathan Kodjia.

Despite a shaky few weeks, Orjan Nyland kept his place in goal. Villa were soon indebted to the Norway international for preventing Rovers taking the lead.

Charlie Mulgrew’s tenth minute corner was cleared back out to the Scot, whose second delivery was directed towards goal by Lenihan, Nyland keeping the ball out with his legs.

Villa had enjoyed a bright start to that point but soon lost their way with Rovers dominating and Dack in particular catching the eye.

The playmaker was involved in the first talking point involving the officials when he headed Mulgrew’s free-kick, only to see the effort chalked off by an assistant’s flag despite Alan Hutton appearing to be playing him onside.

Villa were then left crying foul when they appeared to be denied a clear penalty. McGinn, who had earlier been booked for clattering into Nyambe, robbed the right-back and advanced into the box, where he appeared to be tripped by Smallwood. But referee Stephen Martin waved away the Scot’s appeals, though he declined to show him a second yellow card.

The incident did at least spark Villa into some kind of life and they fashioned another chance when McGinn crossed for Abraham but the striker’s header was too close to David Raya.

Abraham went close twice more early in the second period as the visitors finally began to find their stride.

First he brought a save out of Raya with a low shot from the edge of the box, before then sending a header wide of the near post from Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray introduced their new signing Ben Brereton off the bench just prior to the hour mark and he almost had an instant impact, seeing a shot blocked at close range.

Bruce introduced Kodjia off the bench and the Ivory Coast international in making the breakthrough, collecting a pass from Abraham before laying the ball off for his strike partner to place just wide of the post.

Instead, with 14 minutes remaining, it was Rovers who did break the deadlock.

Villa failed to clear a corner and as the ball pinged around their box, Graham’s shot was brilliantly redirected on target by Dack with his back to goal.

The visitors never looked like getting back into it until Grealish was brought down 25 yards out and Hourihane stepped up to salvage a draw.

Key Moments

27 - Bradley Dack thinks he has headed Rovers in front only to be denied by the assistant’s flag. A let-off for Villa.

30 - Villa are left crying foul when John McGinn appears to be tripped in the box by Richie Smallwood but the referee rules no penalty.

76 - GOAL Bradley Dack fires Rovers in front.

90 - GOAL Conor Hourihane levels for Villa.

Teams

Blackburn (4-2-3-1): Raya, Nyambe, Mulgrew ©, Lenihan, Bell, Evans (Brereton 58), Smallwood (Reed 67), Armstrong (Williams 73), Dack, Bennett, Graham Subs not used: Rothwell, Conway, Palmer, Leutwiler (gk).

Villa (4-1-4-1): Nyland, Hutton, Chester, Tuanzebe, Taylor, Jedinak (Hourihane 77), Elmohamady (Bolasie 77), Grealish, McGinn, Adomah (Kodjia 69), Abraham Subs not used: Bree, Whelan, El Ghazi, Moreira (gk).