Ince joy as Chilean scores on Blackburn Rovers debut

1:20pm Thursday 28th August 2008

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By Suzanne Geldard »

PAUL Ince described Carlos Villanueva as a ‘special talent’ after the Chilean international inspired Blackburn Rovers to a 4-1 Carling Cup win on his debut.

The 22-year-old has been ruled out of the opening two Premier League games after suffering a bout of chicken pox soon after his arrival on a season-long loan from Audax Italiano.

But he made his bow at Ewood Park last night and impressed in scoring the equaliser, after Rovers conceded an early goal to League Two Grimsby Town, and creating a host of other chances.

“The lad was different class,” said Ince. “I've said before he's a special talent.

“He's still not as fit as I'd like him to be but for his first game, considering he had chicken pox about three or four weeks ago I thought he was sensational, and Keith Treacy as well.

“He (Villaneuva) has had a hard situation with his chicken pox and being away from his family, but it was just nice to see him out there, enjoying his football. All the lads, in the second half, played ever so well.

“I made the lads aware, looking at the results the night before with Bolton getting beat (by North-ampton), Crewe beating Bristol City, it was always a game which could potentially have been a banana skin, and I suppose after 20 minutes it looked that way.

“We looked out of sorts until Carlos created a bit of magic and got us back to 1-1, and I think once that went in, I felt a lot more at ease then.

“It was a good response because I thought we started off really slow, but we could have had about eight or nine to be honest, and that's not being disrespectful to Grimsby because they came here and had a go at us and at times caused us problems.

"Coming out for the second half they could have made it 3-2 but Jason Brown made a great save. If it's 3-2 it's a different story then because then we're under pressure.

“But they got tired, which you'd expect being a League Two side, and I think our quality showed through in the end, and it could have been eight or nine to be honest.”