ROVERS extended their unbeaten Premier League run to six games on an afternoon of what might have been for Mark Hughes' side.

Matt Derbyshire had the opportunity to net his second goal in as many games, only to be denied by Scott Carson from the spot after David Bentley had been upended inside the box midway through the first half.

Rovers did take the lead on 67 minutes when Roque Santa Cruz fired home the rebound after David Dunn's individual effort had been saved.

But Aston Villa secured a share of the spoils when the impressive Ashley Young curled home a delightful free-kick

Before the game, Hughes made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 at home to Middlesbrough last weekend.

Brett Emerton replaced the injured Ryan Nelsen, with captain-for-the-day Andre Ooijer moving into the heart of the defence, and Derbyshire preferred to Jason Roberts in a more attacking role.

In a slow start to the proceedings, Dunn's superb solo run into the box was brought to a halt by a well-timed last-ditch tackle, whilst a Young free-kick at the other end was unconvincingly punched clear by Brad Friedel, as Villa looked to make the most of their evident aerial advantage.

At the midway point of the half, Rovers looked to pose their own threat from a ball into the box, as Morten Gamst Pedersen just couldn't get onto the end of Bentley's first-time cross.

And two minutes later, the England international, who was being watched by new national team coach Fabio Capello, handed Rovers the ideal opportunity to open the scoring.

Derbyshire did well to win a throw out on the right, which he took quickly to Bentley himself and the 23-year-old midfield man was clipped as he advanced into the area and referee Howard Webb wasted little time in pointing to the spot.

Derbyshire, whose quick thinking had engineered the attack, stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his poorly-struck shot was fired almost straight at Carson and the young Rovers striker then landed awkwardly as he rose to meet the rebound.

In front of the Holte End, another inswinging Young free-kick was headed off his own line by Steven Reid, but by-and-large it was the visitors who were enjoying more of the ball.

As the half drew to a close, Gabriel Agbonlahor, who won a soft penalty in the reverse fixture at Ewood Park, again threw himself to the ground inside the Rovers box under pressure from Ooijer, but the referee was alert enough not to award the game's second spot-kick.

Slight injury scares to Stephen Warnock and Dunn were the only incidents of note in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, as the game again took time to get going.

Rovers again looked the more likely of taking the lead and they almost did in bizarre circumstances on 58 minutes, when Pedersen's curling corner from the right very nearly found the opposite top corner of the net, only for Carson to tip the ball over the bar.

Just past the hour mark, Martin O'Neill brought on Marlon Harewood for Stiliyan Petrov to add an extra attacking threat and the substitution almost paid immediate reward when the ex-West Ham striker robbed Steven Reid in the final third, but after skipping past a couple of challenges, his low drive was comfortably saved by Friedel.

However, with Rovers' very next attack, they did break the deadlock. Dunn did excellently down the left, riding a challenge inside the box before seeing his crisp strike well kept out by Carson, but Santa Cruz was on hand to side-foot a bobbling effort over the England keeper and into the empty net.

Unfortunately for the side in blue and white, their lead lasted just six minutes. Reid was guilty of a soft foul on the edge of the Rovers box and Young stepped up to curl a right-footed free-kick over the head of Friedel and into the top left-hand corner of the net.

The goalscorer almost turned provider minutes later, when another dangerous Young set-piece was headed onto the bar by Harewood.

The game ebbed and flowed in the closing stages, with Pedersen and Reid both trying their luck from long range, whilst Agbonlahor thought he'd won it for the home side in the 89th minute, only to be denied by the linesman's offside flag.

Four additional minutes were played, but neither side could find the winner, as the game ended in disappointment for Rovers - doubly so following a last minute booking for Chris Samba, his 10th of the season, which rules him out of the next two games.

ASTON VILLA: Carson, Mellberg, Davies, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov (sub Harewood 61 mins), Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor.
Subs not used: Taylor, Knight, Osbourne, Gardner.

ROVERS: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Derbyshire (sub Roberts 88 mins), Reid, Dunn, Pedersen, Bentley, Santa Cruz.
Subs not used: Brown, Khizanishvili, Berner, McCarthy.

BOOKED: Reid, Samba (Rovers).

Attendance: 39.602