Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Aston Villa: Conor Hourihane free-kick snatches draw for visitors

Conor Hourihane's sublime stoppage-time free-kick earned Aston Villa a deserved draw against Blackburn.

Bradley Dack's well-executed flick from Danny Graham's miscued shot looked to have set Blackburn on the way to victory, before substitute Hourihane curled in left-footed from 25 yards.

Despite saving themselves to grab a late point, Villa have now gone five Championship matches without a win.

Both sides have taken 10 points from their first seven Championship games, with Blackburn - promoted from League One last season - now certain to go a full calendar year without losing a league match at home.

It had earlier appeared that Rovers and Villa would both be left aggrieved with officials' decisions during a goalless first half.

Dack had a header ruled out for offside when he appeared to be level with Villa's last defender Alan Hutton, while the visitors broke forward almost immediately and saw claims for a penalty rejected.

Scotland midfielder John McGinn was tripped by Richie Smallwood in the box, but referee Steve Martin thought otherwise and waved away Villa's fierce protests.

England international Tammy Abraham played the full 90 minutes on his debut for the visitors following his loan deadline day move from Chelsea.

He forced Rovers goalkeeper David Raya to keep out a first-half header, nodded off target at the near post after half-time and then shot wide from 18 yards after a neat interchange with substitute Jonathan Kodjia.