A season that started with a dismal home defeat ended in exactly the same fashion for Aston Villa as Richard Dunne’s own goal six minutes from time gave Blackburn Rovers a rare away victory. Liverpool’s failure to win at Hull City meant that Villa held on to sixth place but this felt like a highly unsatisfactory way to finish a campaign that had promised so much but ended up being a story of ifs, buts and maybes.

In truth, this never had the makings of a classic and for long periods in the first half it was easy to forget that a football match was actually taking place. Paul Robinson made a fine save to thwart James Collins in the seventh minute but it was just before the interval when Villa threatened again, the same player skidding a raking shot which the Blackburn goalkeeper pawed into the path of Gabriel Agbonlahor before smothering at the striker’s feet.

Blackburn had offered little before the break but there was renewed belief to their play after the restart and Steve Bennett should have pointed to the penalty spot when Collins clearly brought down David Dunn. Instead the referee waved away the appeals and, with the incident no doubt playing on his mind, sought to even things up at the other end when Christopher Samba fouled John Carew in the penalty area.

The game was edging towards a goalless draw at that point but one more Blackburn flurry down the Villa right brought late reward. Martin Olsson found the space to deliver an inviting cross and as Dunne sought to get in front of Junior Hoilett, the central defender, who picked up the players’ player of the year award on Wednesday night, sent a diving header beyond Brad Friedel.

Premier LeagueAston VillaBlackburn RoversStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk

Will this be Martin O’Neill’s last game as Aston Villa manager? That is the question on the lips of just about every Villa supporter although whether they will get an answer on Sunday remains to be seen. O’Neill is expected to hold talks about his future with Randy Lerner, the Villa chairman, next week and a third successive top-six finish, which a victory over Blackburn Rovers will guarantee, would strengthen his hand. The Villa manager’s body language at the final whistle promises to be much more interesting than the match itself. Stuart James

Venue Villa Park, tomorrow 4pm Tickets £19-£38 (0800 612 0960) Last season Aston Villa 3 Blackburn 2 Referee S Bennett

This season’s matches 28 Y106, R5, 3.96 cards per game

Odds Aston Villa 3-5 Blackburn 11-2 Draw 3-1

Aston Villa

Subs from Guzan, L Young, Beye, Sidwell, Heskey, Delfouneso, Reo-Coker

Doubtful None

Injured Davies (groin, Jul), Harewood (foot, Aug), Delph (knee, Jan)

Suspended None

Form guide LWWWDW

Disciplinary record Y58 R2

Leading scorer Agbonlahor 13

Blackburn Rovers

Subs from Brown, Jones, Linganzi, Emerton, Jacobsen, Chimbonda, Hoilett, Kalinic, Di Santo, Bunn, Basturk

Doubtful None

Injured N’Zonzi (teeth, Jun), Diouf (tonsils, Sep)

Suspended None

Form guide WDLDDW

Disciplinary record Y58 R2

Leading scorer Dunn 9

Match pointers

• This will be the fifth meeting between these sides this season with Villa winning three of the games but Rovers victorious in the reverse Premier League fixture

• The Aston Villa defender James Collins has made more defensive blocks this season (43) than any other Premier League player

• There have been five goals scored in the last five minutes of the last five Premier League matches between Blackburn and Villa

• Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored in his last three Premier League appearances against Blackburn

Aston VillaBlackburn RoversPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk

As far as the Wolves supporters were concerned, it was an “I was there” moment. With nine minutes remaining, and just when the home team seemed certain to make it five games without a goal — and five in a row at home — Sylvan Ebanks-Blake nodded Stephen Ward’s cross beyond Paul Robinson and saw it bounce off the post and over the line.

The eruption around the ground was one of sheer relief, though despite the idiotic ground invasion at the end, Wolves are not yet safe. If Burnley win all three of their remaining games, and Wolves lose both of theirs, they may yet go down.

And while it would be unfair to suggest that the fact they probably will now stay up is down to the failings of others, their impotence in front of goal in the last three months inevitably takes some of the gloss off an otherwise praiseworthy season.

For that, surely, the manager, Mick McCarthy, has to take his share of the blame, for all that the Yorkshireman deserves credit for Wolves’ survival. Playing one up front, with one of a five-man midfield sweeping in front of the back four, is acceptable away from home, but in front of their own supporters it has led to a series of sterile and sometimes, as on this occasion, fruitless matches. Next season they will almost certainly have to offer more.

Inevitably, given the formations, the match developed as so many at Molineux have this season, with Wolves organised primarily to frustrate — or, as McCarthy would no doubt prefer, to be solid — and chances at either end at a premium.

It took almost 20 minutes for the first to arrive, when Rovers came within a post’s width of taking the lead in a manner that would have driven McCarthy up the wall. Nikola Kalinic was up against three Wolves defenders when Basturk swung in a cross from the left, but the Croatian forward got in front of George Elokobi and was unlucky to see his header come back off Marcus Hahnemann’s left-hand post, with the American goalkeeper well beaten.

It was 25 minutes before Wolves first threatened. Kevin Doyle’s cross was headed for a corner, which eventually resulted in David Jones shooting into the side-netting.

Three minutes later Rovers went ahead. Morten Gamst Pedersen’s corner to the far post badly misjudged by Hahnemann, and Ryan Nelsen, arriving late, kneed it into the empty net.

With his team yet to create an opportunity worthy of the name, McCarthy gave Doyle some support in the shape of Chris Iwelumo, but their only genuine chance of the half fell to Jody Craddock, who was coming in at the far post when Jones’s volleyed cross cleared the Blackburn defenders. The defender’s shot went well wide.

The second half was an improvement of sorts, as it had to be. Paul Robinson almost fumbled a simple save from Jones, and Craddock volleyed over from close range after Elokobi’s throw was flicked on by Iwelumo.

For Rovers Pedersen and Keith Andrews shot straight at Hahnemann, but just when the crowd had given up, McCarthy put on Ebanks-Blake, and the substitute obliged. Even then Rovers spurned three good opportunities to score a winner.

Premier LeagueWolverhampton WanderersBlackburn RoversRichard Raeguardian.co.uk