HOW’S this for romance, Lancashire style? Forget a weekend in Paris, a dozen red roses or having an aeroplane write someone’s name in the sky. “Order your personalised Valentine’s Day brick”, flashed the ad on Ewood Park’s big screen. In football love is ... three points. Aston Villa do not do much to woo neutrals but their manager, players and supporters are besotted with each other. And why not? Martin O’Neill waved fondly at the fans before beginning an orgy of hugging with his players.

At full-time, before Liverpool kicked off, Villa were joint-second in the Premier League having equalled a club record for successive away victories; better than a candlelit dinner.

Chelsea were overtaken yesterday, Arsenal are now eight points distant. A few more weeks of this and Liverpool’s status as Manchester United’s chief challengers will be under threat.

“They’re good with the ball but even better out of possession,” said Sam Allardyce.

The second goal — via Gabriel Agbonlahor — was not scored until the fourth official was raising his board to signal stoppage time, but Villa’s victory should have been sealed much earlier, not least when James Milner pulled his shot wide of the far post from just four yards out. This was his only blemish.

His play was clever, skilful, penetrative and enhanced by physical commitment and good positioning — a textbook exposition of the modern wide role. In the first half, Milner scored in eye-opening style. Gareth Barry tapped him a short corner and from the edge of the box, at an angle from which he wasn’t expected to shoot, he arrowed the ball between keeper Paul Robinson and Morten Gamst Pedersen on the far post.

O’Neill has constructed his team so expertly, making every signing count and if it lacks the flair players possessed by Big Four clubs, and is unembarrassed about sometimes passing the ball long.

Barry, Ashley Young and Stilian Petrov are as intelligent as Milner.

Agbonlahor streaked through on Paul Robinson but could not get the ball past the goalkeeper and covering Christopher Samba, either with his first attempt or on the rebound. Milner, striking the ball beautifully on the half-volley, drew a fine save from Robinson just before half-time and soon after the interval Agbonlahor missed when teed up by Petrov and Stephen Warnock cleared Heskey’s header off the line.

Blackburn improved and had a plausbile penalty claim rejected when Barry strongarmed Samba. Roque Santa Cruz — mystifyingly excluded from the Rovers starting XI — went close with a late volley.

In the 90th minute Villa were trying to run the clock down by taking short corners and Diouf won the ball and gave it to Warnock but he gave it straight to Agbonlahor, who cut into the box and drove home goal No 2, aided by Ryan Nelsen’s deflection. “We must keep this momentum going,” said O’Neill. Upcoming games against Chelsea and Liverpool now seem momentous.

Star man: James Milner (Aston Villa)

Yellow cards: Blackburn: Tugay, McCarthy

Referee: S Bennett

Attendance: 24,267

BLACKBURN: Robinson 7, Ooijer 5, Samba 6, Nelsen 6, Warnock 5, Pedersen 6, Grella 5, Andrews 5 (Tugay h-t, 6), Dunn 5 (Diouf h-t, 6), McCarthy 5, Roberts 5 (Santa Cruz 74min)

ASTON VILLA: Friedel 7, Cuellar 6 (Gardner h-t, 6), Davies 6, Knight 7, L Young 6, Milner 8, Petrov 6, Barry 8, A Young 7, Heskey 6 (Carew 70min), Agbonlahor 8

Seven in a row for Villa

Aston Villa’s 13th match without defeat includes a club-record seven straight away wins. Villa’s top scorers during this current run are Gabriel Agbonlahor and, strangely, ‘own goal’ with four each. Two of those own goals have proved to be winners, including one from Lucas Neill, inset, which helped them to a 1-0 victory at West Ham