Chris Sutton produced a one-man show at Villa Park last night that recaptured the spirit of Blackburn's championship-winning season and put them back on top of the Premiership. Sutton put two nightmare seasons behind him with his first hat-trick - inside 20 minutes - since Rovers walloped Coventry 4-0 on August 27th 1994.
A fourth goal in the second half, credited to Kevin Gallacher although he knew little about the deflection he put on to Stuart Ripley's 30-yard pile-driver, completed Villa's misery and ruined Stan Collymore's home debut.
Sutton's first goal came after 21 minutes when he took Ripley's long throw from the right on his chest with his back to goal before swivelling and volleying past Michael Oakes from point-blank range.
He struck again less than four minutes later, drilling a powerful 25-yard drive low to the net.
In the 41st minute Ripley sent Jason Wilcox attacking down the left again and his early cross was meat and drink for Sutton as he applied the killer punch with a simple tap-in.
Aston Villa: Oakes, Nelson, Wright, Ehiogu (Taylor 45), Southgate, Grayson, Townsend, Draper, Milosevic (Joachim 45), Yorke, Collymore. Subs Not Used: Scimeca, Charles, Crichton. Blackburn: Filan, Kenna, Hendry, Ripley (Bohinen 81), Gallacher, Sutton, Wilcox, Flitcroft, McKinlay, Valery, Henchoz. Subs Not Used: Dahlin, Andersson, Pearce, Watt. Booked: Flitcroft, Sutton, Valery, McKinlay. Goals: Gallacher 71, Sutton 21, 25, 41.
Referee: P E Alcock (Redhill).
