His pace was a recurring problem for Leeds especially for Harte but Blackburn’s problem was the lack of a striker to

His pace was a recurring problem for Leeds, especially for Harte, but Blackburn’s problem was the lack of a striker to take advantage of his incisive approach work. He twice prised opened the Leeds defence in the first half and Lars Bohinen should have reacted quickly enough to get a shot on target.With Alan Shearer departed – and his return to the North-east fits all too neatly into the over-familiar tune of “Football’s Going Home” – and Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher injured, Rovers fielded a makeshift partnership of Graham Fenton and, until he limped off to be replaced by Flitcroft, Paul Warhurst.Neither players looked like capitalising upon Donis’s incursions, although Flitcroft went agonisingly close in the second half, meeting the Greek’s centre with a header that came back off the crossbar.Despite that, Leeds were always the more dangerous and convincing side. Lee Sharpe curled his free-kick to the far post where Harte directed a firm header past Tim Flowers.
There was an irony in Leeds’ 19-year-old left-back being the scorer, because he had been the player in danger of embarrassment by the one individual who was Blackburn’s intermittent bright spot. It was Rovers’ due reward for a performance that lacked both punch and polish. The deciding goal was partly of Blackburn’s own making, their substitute, Garry Flitcroft, marking his entry with a clumsy and obvious foul on Mark Ford on the edge of the box within seconds of coming on. Substitutes not used: Limpar, Hottiger, Ebbrell, Gerrard (gk).Aston Villa (3-5-2): Oakes; Ehiogu, Southgate, Staunton; Nelson (Scimeca, 89), Townsend, Curcic (Taylor, 76), Draper, Wright; Milosevic (Johnson, 85), Yorke. Ian Harte’s 40th-minute goal at Ewood Park last night left them with just one point from their first four games in the process of giving Leeds a well-deserved away win.

Substitutes not used: Bosnich (gk), McGrath.Referee: M Bodenham (East Looe, Cornwall).. What always threatened to be a most difficult season for Blackburn is living up to all its promise. “They are very tight.” He will not be the last to say that this season.Everton (4-4-2): Southall; Barrett, Short, Unsworth, Hinchcliffe; Kanchelskis, Grant, Parkinson, Speed; Ferguson, Stuart (Rideout, 66). If spirits began to sink, they submerged just before the interval.

Kanchelskis scorched past Wright and even when Michael Oakes saved at his feet the chance had not evaporated because the ball flew to Duncan Ferguson. The Scotland striker had an instant to react and, in the circumstances, did well to get anywhere near the target, but with the goal unguarded he hit the post.The tide turned immediately after half-time, Dwight Yorke thumping a shot against the bar that hit the line and bounced clear. The Russian winger was quick and elusive, but his final ball fell short of his strengths elsewhere and he was also guilty of missing two opportunities one on one with the Villa goalkeeper.It may have dawned on the home side that it might be not their night as early as the 12th minute when the 5ft 4in Alan Wright climbed high enough to clear Gary Speed’s header off the line. The reprieve was short-lived, however, as Ehiogu swept in Yorke’s header in the 63rd minute.”On the evidence of that they are the best team we’ve played,” Joe Royle, the Everton manager, said. But we’ve come to a hard place like this and won and a lot of teams will get nothing.”Everton’s chance went in a first half in which Andrei Kanchelskis threatened to tear the visitors to pieces and somehow failed to deliver.

It was secured by a second-half goal from Ugo Ehiogu against opponents who had been unbeaten hitherto and who also fancy their chances of a serious tilt at honours. Everton, who hit a post and had another effort cleared off the line, will feel aggrieved but such was Villa’s quiet authority you suspect they will not be unique.
“It was close,” Brian Little, the Villa manager, conceded “More than one goal would have flattered us. Substitutes not used: Filan (gk), Williams, Strachan.Liverpool (3-4-1-2): James; Wright, Matteo, Babb; McAteer, Thomas, Barnes, Bjornebye; McManaman; Collymore, Fowler. Substitutes not used: Warner (gk), Ruddock, Redknapp, Berger, L Jones.Referee: G Poll (Berkhamsted).. There were optimistic noises about Aston Villa before the season started and they will not diminish in the light of this result Wins at Goodison Park are not trifles these days.