If I was to rate the players performances out of 10 I would give them all 10 (apart from Seremet because he hardly had to do anything!).
FIRST HALF
The Rovers kicked off playing towards the Town end.
Both teams started well, but Rovers showed that they could match Villa man for man. On 10 minutes, Rovers took the game to Villa and forced the first of the many corners. Foster got his head on the ball but Sorensen punched away, Rovers eventually winning another corner. Aston Villa counter attacked down their left with Barry crossing to the far corner of the penalty area for Angel to shoot wide past the far post.
The Rovers continued to press going down the left with McIndoe and Mulligan linking up well to give Mulligan a shot from the byline that Sorensen held well. It was 15 minutes before the Villa gained their first corner, which was cleared. The home team came again, with Guy putting McIndoe through on the left but his low shot drifted past the far post. The constant pressure by the Rovers paid off on 19 minutes when Ridgewell handled in his penalty area. The linesman signalled a penalty and McINDOE stepped up to do the necessary and put the Rovers in front. Barry put in a cross shot, which flashed inches wide of the far post. Back came the Rovers with Coppinger having a cracking shot well held by Sorensen. Baros, for Villa, put over an inswinger from the left that skimmed off Barry's head and just wide.
On 32 minutes, Samuel got in a timely block to stop a terrific shot from Thornton, the ball going downfield for Barry to get in a shot from the left that was intercepted by Mulligan. As the ball rolled towards the goalline, Seremets dropped on it to save. Time ran down to the break, with the Rovers steadying the pace as the Villa looked to get forward. Barry had a shot go well over the bar and Milner fired wide from 30 yards. With the last kick of the half Thornton hi9t a 25 yarder just wide. The Rovers went in with a one goal lead that was fully justified.
Second Half
The second half started with the Villa showing their intentions but it was the Rovers who realised their intentions when HEFFERNAN was played in and rifled the ball past Sorensen for a second goal to the Rovers. Coppinger came in for some heavy punishment from first Davis and then Samuel, who was booked for his misdemeanour. Ravenhill shot just wide from 30 yards, McIndoe was also only just wide from 25 yards and then a succession of corners to the Rovers followed as the pressure on Villa built up. The Villans weathered the storm and battled back having introduced Kevin Phillips to their attack. They had a shout for a penalty refused when Baros was brought down but the Rovers went straight down the field, played the ball to THORNTON, who worked his way past a defender and slammed a cracker into the corner of the net for a third goal after 79 minutes. Although the Villa tried to hit back they still couldn't trouble Seremets unduly. The referee added on three minutes but still the Villa could not break down a resolute defence and the Rovers ran out superb winners by outplaying a Premier League side.
Thornton was made Man of the Match by former Rovers stalwart, Brian Makepeace and he deserved it. He was the best man on the field by a long way but the rest of the Rovers team weren't far behind him. A fantastic win and another big game to come.