Aston Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman denied Blackburn the chance to move up to fourth place in the Premiership table in a disappointing goalless draw.

The Finn's miskick against Birmingham as well as his dismissal against Southampton has given him a torrid introduction since he took over the gloves from Peter Schmeichel.

But he more than made amends for those gaffes in this game with important saves at the start of each half to keep Villa on level terms.

First Andy Cole guided a header towards the top corner but Enckelman somehow managed to palm the ball onto the angle of post and bar.

Four minutes after the break, Damien Duff feinted to cross and shot towards the near-post.

His marker Mellberg was fooled but the Finnish keeper just managed to stick out a leg to prevent the ball going in.

In a tepid first half Cole threatened again after a mix-up in the Villa defence but Olof Mellberg took the ball off the Blackburn striker's toe just as he was about to shoot into an empty net.

On the half-hour some extravagant skills by David Thompson left Jlloyd Samuel and Gareth Barry chasing shadows, but his cut back was skied over the bar by Garry Flitcroft.

A Dunn volley was more accurate, but Thompson got in the way despite trying to fling himself out of the path of the shot.

Thompson was then himself guilty of wayward shooting when presented with sight of goal.

As half-time approached Angel flicked a header a yard past the post, then shot straight at Brad Friedel.

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Short, Taylor (Tugay 76), Johansson, Thompson, Dunn (Gillespie 65), Flitcroft, Duff, Cole, Yorke (Ostenstad 65).
Subs Not Used: Grabbi, Kelly.

Booked: Duff.

Aston Villa: Enckelman, Delaney, Staunton, Mellberg, Samuel, Leonhardsen, Taylor, Kinsella, Barry, Dublin (Crouch 76), Angel (Moore 70).
Subs Not Used: Hitzlsperger, Johnsen, Postma.

Booked: Moore, Barry.

Attendance: 23,004.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).