sanjsingh
01-21-2010, 07:06 AM
Aston Villa made heavy work of overhauling ten-man Blackburn to book their place in the Carling Cup final.
A Nikola Kalinic brace had Rovers ahead, but Stephen Warnock slotted in before Christopher Samba saw red.
James Milner converted the subsequent penalty and a Steven Ngonzi own-goal and Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey's strikes seemed to seal it.
Volleys from Martin Olsson and Brett Emerton gave Rovers hope before Ashley Young curled home to wrap up the win.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill reached the League Cup final three times in four years while in charge at Leicester City, but the presumption he would be heading to Wembley on 28 February was tested early on.
The visitors gave warning of their aerial threat when Morten Gamst Pedersen's flighted corner was tipped away by Brad Guzan with Samba lurking menacingly.
The goalkeeper, who has started all of Villa's cup ties this season, looked even more uncertain as the visitors took the lead.
David Dunn's corner tempted the American into an ill-advised attempt to punch and Kalinic, who hit the post twice in the first leg, comfortably outmuscled Warnock to nod home.
Four of Kalinic's five goals since arriving at Ewood Park in the summer have now been in the League cup and he forced James Collins into a lunging block soon after as wriggling free down the left soon after.
The Croatian then started and finished the move that put his side ahead for the first time in the tie.
After laying the ball into the path of Pedersen, he continued his run into the box and was on hand to tap home after Guzan had done well to push away Olsson's header.
Villa needed an immediate response to lift their fans and Warnock provided it inside four minutes, ruthlessly dispatching a finish after Ashley Young's cross cleared a tumbling Ryan Nelson.
The momentum was with O'Neill's side and the match swung decisively the hosts' way as Agbonlahor's pace took him clear of Samba in the race for a long ball over the top.
The defender's desperate sliding challenge only succeeded in earning him a straight red and conceding a spot-kick.
Milner confidently converted once referee Martin Atkinson had waved Rovers' protests.
With Carlos Cuellar and Warnock pushing forward, Villa soon had the depleted Blackburn rearguard stretched.
Samba's absence was notable as his team-mates failed to deal with Downing's inswinging corner and Ngonzi put the ball into his own net just before Richard Dunne could.
Five minutes later Milner's fierce shot deflected off the arm of the cowering Agbonlahor to beat Robinson's dive and prompt the unfurling of the free flags distributed to the home supporters.
When Heskey was slipped in by Milner's cute pass and rounded Robinson to score the final third seemed to be set for a procession, but Olsson's strike kept the encounter competitive.
The young Swede flung himself into the air to send a spectacular overhead volley past Guzan before loudly exhorted more of the same from his side.
Robinson made superb saves from Heskey and Agbonlahor before Emerton's apparently harmless volley found its way past Guzan to breathe life into their faint hopes with six minutes remaining.
But the required onslaught never came and Ashley Young curled a finish past the outstretched Robinson to put Villa into their first final since 2000's FA Cup showpiece.
A Nikola Kalinic brace had Rovers ahead, but Stephen Warnock slotted in before Christopher Samba saw red.
James Milner converted the subsequent penalty and a Steven Ngonzi own-goal and Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey's strikes seemed to seal it.
Volleys from Martin Olsson and Brett Emerton gave Rovers hope before Ashley Young curled home to wrap up the win.
Villa manager Martin O'Neill reached the League Cup final three times in four years while in charge at Leicester City, but the presumption he would be heading to Wembley on 28 February was tested early on.
The visitors gave warning of their aerial threat when Morten Gamst Pedersen's flighted corner was tipped away by Brad Guzan with Samba lurking menacingly.
The goalkeeper, who has started all of Villa's cup ties this season, looked even more uncertain as the visitors took the lead.
David Dunn's corner tempted the American into an ill-advised attempt to punch and Kalinic, who hit the post twice in the first leg, comfortably outmuscled Warnock to nod home.
Four of Kalinic's five goals since arriving at Ewood Park in the summer have now been in the League cup and he forced James Collins into a lunging block soon after as wriggling free down the left soon after.
The Croatian then started and finished the move that put his side ahead for the first time in the tie.
After laying the ball into the path of Pedersen, he continued his run into the box and was on hand to tap home after Guzan had done well to push away Olsson's header.
Villa needed an immediate response to lift their fans and Warnock provided it inside four minutes, ruthlessly dispatching a finish after Ashley Young's cross cleared a tumbling Ryan Nelson.
The momentum was with O'Neill's side and the match swung decisively the hosts' way as Agbonlahor's pace took him clear of Samba in the race for a long ball over the top.
The defender's desperate sliding challenge only succeeded in earning him a straight red and conceding a spot-kick.
Milner confidently converted once referee Martin Atkinson had waved Rovers' protests.
With Carlos Cuellar and Warnock pushing forward, Villa soon had the depleted Blackburn rearguard stretched.
Samba's absence was notable as his team-mates failed to deal with Downing's inswinging corner and Ngonzi put the ball into his own net just before Richard Dunne could.
Five minutes later Milner's fierce shot deflected off the arm of the cowering Agbonlahor to beat Robinson's dive and prompt the unfurling of the free flags distributed to the home supporters.
When Heskey was slipped in by Milner's cute pass and rounded Robinson to score the final third seemed to be set for a procession, but Olsson's strike kept the encounter competitive.
The young Swede flung himself into the air to send a spectacular overhead volley past Guzan before loudly exhorted more of the same from his side.
Robinson made superb saves from Heskey and Agbonlahor before Emerton's apparently harmless volley found its way past Guzan to breathe life into their faint hopes with six minutes remaining.
But the required onslaught never came and Ashley Young curled a finish past the outstretched Robinson to put Villa into their first final since 2000's FA Cup showpiece.