ACADEMY starlet Gavin Peers scored his first goal for Rovers reserves last night but his efforts were ultimately in vain as Villa maintained their flying start to the season.

Peers cancelled out Alex Bruce's first half own goal by applying a cool finish to a well executed free kick in the 54th minute.

But Villa then found moved up a gear and struck back with two goals in a nine minute spell to record their sixth straight win of the season - a result which strengthens their grip at the top of the FA Premier Reserve League (North).

It was the Midlanders who made the brighter start as Jonathan Bewers, Rob Edwards and the speedy Stefan Moore all went close to breaking the deadlock inside the opening quarter of an hour.

That pressure finally told in the 20th minute when Stefan Postma's long clearance caught the Rovers defence napping and Bruce somehow contrived to head the ball past his own keeper under pressure from Moore.

All the home side could offer in response was a shot from Jemal Johnson which Postma comfortably scrambled to safety.

Rovers emerged with more purpose after the interval and Alan Morgan was unlucky to see a rasping 25-yard drive flash just over the bar.

However, a classic set-piece routine led to the equaliser in the 54th minute.

Ciaran Donnelly whipped over an expertly-flighted free kick from the left and Peers timed his run to perfection, arriving undetected in the centre of the goal to beat Postma from six yards out.

That should have given the home side renewed impetus but instead it only served to draw Villa's sting.

Moore fired a warning with a measured lob that landed on the roof of the net.

Then they regained the initiative with a slick set-piece of their own in the 66th minute.

Stephen Cooke delivered an inch-perfect free kick from the right which Liam Ridgewell met emphatically with a thumping header past the helpless Kieron Renton.

Rovers could have struck back within four minutes but Morgan's fierce drive was superbly beaten away by Postma and that turned out to be pivotal as the visitors then made it 3-1 with 15 minutes remaining.

Cooke chanced his arm with an angled drive from distance and Renton only succeeded in helping it into the net via the aid of a post.

ROVERS RES...1

ASTON VILLA RES...3

ROVERS: Renton, Peers, Pelzer, Donnelly, Bruce, McEveley, Black, Nelson, Johnson, Gallagher, Morgan. Subs: Barker (for Johnson, 57), Corvino (for Pelzer, 77), Peter (for Black, 77) Not used: Byrom, Taylor, Drench

VILLA: Postma, Amoo, Jackman, Edwards, Ridgewell, Kinsella, Cooke, Foley, Moore (Luke), Moore (Stefan), Bewers. Subs: Hynes (for Foley, 81), Nix (for Bewers, 86), Cahill (for Amoo, 86) Not used: Henderson