MIDFIELD dynamo David Dunn last night launched a scathing attack on referee Mark Halsey after Rovers suffered further away day misery at the hands of John Gregory's Euro flops.

Dunn -- back in the fold after a six week injury lay-off -- was fuming after the Welwyn Garden City official crucially waved away his penalty appeals following a first half clash with Villa's Mark Delaney.

Halsey angered Dunn and his Ewood team-mates seven weeks ago when he harshly pointed to the spot in Rovers' pre-season friendly with Barcelona after penalising Henning Berg as part of the FA's new crack-down on shirt-pulling.

But when the England Under 21 international was clearly the victim of a similar incident here Halsey failed to react as Graeme Souness's men slumped to their third away defeat in four outings.

"I was very disappointed we didn't get something -- I thought we should have taken at least a point out of the game," groaned Dunn.

"What's frustrating is it was the same referee who gave a penalty against Henning when we played Barcelona earlier in the summer.

"That day he came in and told us that any shirt-pulling in the box and he'd have to award a penalty so it's disappointing when he gives it one minute and then doesn't the next.

"If we'd have been given that then who knows what might have happened.

"But it's just one of those things and we have to live with it."

Rovers boss Graeme Souness was equally disappointed by the decision, especially given his bird's-eye view of the incident from his seat in the stand.

"It was a definite penalty. I was sat watching Doug Ellis's TV in the stand and their lad pulled Dunny's shirt so it was a black and white penalty.

"But don't start asking me about referees in case I say something I'll regret."

Halsey's failure to dish out the necessary punishment was clearly a contributory factor in another disappointing away performance.

But Rovers also contributed to their own downfall after a host of chances again went begging in the final third.

Missing seven key players due to injuries and suspensions, Souness was down to the bare bones but his patched-up side still did enough to take something back up the M6 against a Villa side who were there for the taking.

The fact they didn't, however, was due in part to the brilliance of Peter Schmeichel who produced two excellent saves at vital moments.

And even when skipper Garry Flitcroft managed to find a way past the giant Dane he looked to the sky in disbelief as his shot cannoned back off the bar.

It was one of those days.

Rovers called most of the shots but failed to administer the knock-out blow and then when they dropped their guard, they were flattened by the ultimate sucker punch.

Villa -- looking jaded following their UEFA Cup exit at the hands of NK Varteks -- played second fiddle for most of the first half as Flitcroft, Dunn and Tugay dictated proceedings in midfield.

But for all their neat approach play, Rovers again lacked conviction where it counts.

Matt Jansen -- such a revelation in the First Division last season -- looked a pale shadow of his former self as he was comfortably snuffed out by Villa centre-backs Steve Staunton and Alpay.

And with Ciccio Grabbi and Marcus Bent both unavailable, Souness was forced to call on back-up strikers Mark Hughes and Egil Ostenstad, who have managed just one goal between them in the last nine months.

Despite their endeavours, they never looked like improving on that record.

Villa, in contrast, looked sharp up front and in-form striker Juan Pablo Angel posed a constant threat, opening the scoring himself before playing a crucial part in the second.

The most significant statistic of the day, however, was the fact Villa mustered just two shots on target but still won 2-0 -- emphasising the importance of taking your chances when they come your way!

It had all started so promisingly for Rovers as a slick move carved the home side apart inside the opening three minutes.

Flitcroft fed Dunn on the left and he cut inside a defender before unleashing a venomous drive which Schmeichel brilliantly saved only for Jansen to fluff the rebound.

Then a scintillating run from Alan Mahon left Delaney on his backside but no-one in a Rovers shirt managed to get a touch on his raking low cross.

Villa rarely threatened as an attacking force in the opening 45 minutes, apart from a header from Angel which flashed over the bar.

However, the half ended in controversy when Dunn wriggled his way into the box but, as he prepared to deliver his cross, Delaney clearly tugged at his shirt only for the referee to point for a corner.

A half-time grilling from Gregory pepped Villa up and within 33 seconds of the restart they went 1-0 up.

Dunn lost possession on the left, the ball eventually found its way to Lee Hendrie and he picked out Angel, who darted into the box on the left before slotting a cool right-foot finish beyond Brad Friedel for only his third Premiership goal.

Hassan Kachloul then fired wide before Rovers responded with a instinctive effort from Flitcroft which rattled the bar with Schmeichel rooted to the spot.

But within a minute, it was 2-0 as the giant Dane sparked a lightning counter with a quick throw which released Hendrie who in turn found Angel.

His clever chip unlocked the Rovers defence and from Hendrie's volleyed cross there was Darius Vassell to slide home the second at the far post.

Still Rovers poured forward and Dunn could have pulled one back 60 seconds later when a pass from Flitcroft left him one-on-one but he tried to round Schmeichel only to have the ball pinched off his toes which summed up the day.

"I should have scored really but he's a great goalkeeper and he made himself look massive in front of me," said Dunn.

"He made me change my mind which I probably shouldn't have.

"Usually, I'd hit it a lot closer to him but he looked that big I felt I couldn't see the goal so I tried to take it round him.

"It's just one of those things. On another day I would have put it in."

RESULT: ASTON VILLA... 2 ROVERS ... 0

Angel 46, Vassell 72