BLACKBURN Rovers' Unders 18s slipped to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of a rampant Aston Villa.
Gary Bowyer's young charges were overpowered by a more experienced Villa side, who built on a crushing 5-0 win over Liverpool the previous weekend by delivering another emphatic performance at Brockhall.
Gavin Gunning almost gave Rovers a dream start with a bullet header that was hacked off the goalline by a defender.
But then a lack of concentration at the back presented Villa with the opener in the 29th minute when a free kick was bundled home at the far post.
The visitors then doubled their advantage from a superbly executed free kick which gave keeper Andreas Arestidou no chance.
Rovers made more of a fight of it in the second half but, despite their best efforts to get back into the game, they shipped a third goal eight minutes from time.
Rovers: Arestidou, Ryan, Bateson, Gunning, Paterson, McCubbin, Keita (Roberts, 55), M O'Connor, Hall, Kennedy (Brierley, 65), Doran. Subs not used: Bussman, C O'Connor, Kavanagh.
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