Aston Villa progressed into the quarter-finals of the Premier League Cup courtesy of an emphatic 6-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers.
Kadan Young handed the Young Lions a dream start in the Round of 16 tie at Bodymoor Heath, before a well-taken brace from Omari Kellyman put the hosts three goals to the good at half-time.
Kobei Moore added a fourth in the 55th minute as Rovers, who hit the woodwork three times, reduced the arrears with Zak Gilsenan’s penalty.
Substitute Rory Wilson headed home a fifth for the Villans late on, with Gilsenan adding a consolation for the visitors in injury time.
And there was still time for Wilson to add his second of the evening to seal Villa’s place in the last eight of the competition in style.
Villa opened the scoring amid driving rain after just seven minutes as Rovers ‘keeper Jordan Eastham couldn’t hold Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba’s strike and Young followed up to convert from six yards.
Jimoh-Aloba went close before Rovers forward Harley O’Grady-Macken drilled against a post after 15 minutes as chances came at either end.
A high-tempo opening quarter saw Moore send a finish narrowly wide at the near post from Triston Rowe’s low cross.
Kellyman’s surging run and long-range effort then forced a good save from Eastham as he parried away, and from the resulting corner the Villa forward applied a well-taken finish to Todd Alcock’s corner to double the hosts’ advantage.
O’Grady-Macken struck the crossbar as Rovers proved a constant threat as the first period continued.
But it was soon 3-0 as Kellyman bagged his second of the night, driving forward and sending a low left-footed strike inside the near post from the edge of the area.
The Young Lions duly added a fourth within 10 minutes of the restart as Moore latched on to a ball over the top and coolly slotted past Eastham.
Blackburn hit the woodwork for a third time shortly afterwards as Connor O’Riordan picked up a loose clearance from Villa stopper James Wright and could only watch as his long-range strike rebounded off the crossbar.
Yet the visitors did get on the scoresheet on the hour mark as Gilsenan converted from the spot after Jimoh-Aloba brought down Leo Duru in the area.
However, Wilson restored the four-goal cushion when he leapt highest at the neat post to convert another Alcock corner and make it 5-1 in the 79th minute.
Gilsenan turned and fired into the bottom corner to register his second of the night in added time, before the final say of an entertaining encounter went to Wilson as he applied a smart finish to excellent work from fellow sub Chisom Afoka.
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