David Gold and David Sullivan will hope to witness more affirming occasions than their first home game as West Ham’s freshly ensconced joint-owners.

The pair had entered once the strains of Any Old Iron, Run Rabbit Run and various other cockney melodies had faded. Yet after a rousing reception for what was billed as “Home At Last” by the West Ham programme, the two Davids saw an encounter imbued with a reserve game’s quality and atmosphere until the closing 20 minutes.

West Ham may have about edged possession during the opening period, but the “highlights” boiled down to the odd corner plus too few chances from the teams, who had lined up 4-5-1, and with a seemingly identical intent to cause stupor in the stands.

On 33 minutes Alessandro Diamanti’s free-kick from the right at least worried Paul Robinson, requiring England’s ex-No1 to punch to safety.

Blackburn’s best effort appeared to have also derived from a free-kick on the angle. Morten Gamst Pedersen swung this one in from the left on a low parabola. The ball was allowed to bisect the box, before it was shinned away.

Thankfully, some genuine premium fare did arrive, two minutes before the oranges and teas. This time Pederson lined the free-kick up 25 yards from Robert Green’s goal, and the Norwegian’s sweet left-footed shot rasped the ball beyond the keeper, only for it dip against the bar.

The game stirred after Carlton Cole made a second entrance since recovering from the knee injury that had kept him out since November. He was quickly followed by Jason Roberts, whose opening contribution was to remove James Tomkins with a playground body swerve before the striker unloaded straight into Green’s midrift.

Earlier Gaël Givet would have scored had Cole not cleared off the line. His expertise, though, had been required in front of the opposing goal.

Robinson also tipped over from Diamant but David G and David S retired to their executive lounge knowing West Ham have to start winning soon.

Premier LeagueWest Ham UnitedBlackburn RoversJamie Jacksonguardian.co.uk

A game that for the most part did little credit to a great competition ended in victory for Villa, but it should have been far more clear-cut after goals from the 18-year-old striker Nathan Delfouneso and the centre-half Carlos Cuéllar, followed by the sending off of Rovers’ El Hadji Diouf, put them in a comfortable position at half-time.

Instead, Nikola Kalinic’s close-range finish shortly before the hour ensured Villa’s progression remained uncertain until Gaël Givet upended John Carew in the Rovers’ penalty area a minute from time, and the Norwegian sent Jason Brown the wrong way from the spot.

With the teams also due to meet in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final at Ewood Park on Tuesday, it was not entirely surprising both would make changes, though seven for Villa, and a remarkable nine for Rovers, spoke volumes.

The Blackburn players’ unfamiliarity, particularly at the back, was obvious as early as the second minute, when Delfouneso mistimed a free header inside the six-yard box. He made up for it quickly enough, glancing Ashley Young’s cross from the left past Brown.

Rovers should have equalised when Nigel Reo-Coker fouled Steven Reid in the Villa penalty area, but Brad Guzan dived to his left to save David Dunn’s spot-kick.

Villa’s second was almost a carbon copy of their first other than that this time it was Cuéllar rising to head Young’s cross from the left past Brown.

Shortly before half-time Diouf, having lost the ball, lunged in on Habib Beye sufficiently recklessly in the view of the referee Howard Webb to deserve a straight red card.

The substitutions of Franco di Santo before half-time, and Dunn soon after the restart – arguably Rovers’ two most creative players – appeared to effectively signal the visitors had abandoned all ambition, but Guzan dropped a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner at the feet of Kalinic to ensure the final half hour or so had an unexpected edge. Soon afterwards the Croatian missed a wonderful chance to equalise after Beye had lost possession, running clear only to shoot wide from an angle.

FA CupAston VillaBlackburn Roversguardian.co.uk