The former Bradford player was deployed as a lone striker for much of the third-round tie but was instrumental as the Lancashire outfit sent the Premiership side tumbling out of the competition. He was unfortunate to see his penalty well saved by Thomas Sorensen, but by that time Blake had already teed up Graham Branch for the opening goal on eight minutes.
The penalty miss could have been a major blow to Steve Cotterill’s side, but they responded well and took a two-goal lead midway through the second half when Mo Camara headed Tony Grant’s rasping cross. And, although Juan Pablo Angel's late header gave the visitors hope, Jean Louis Valois also added a spectacular third to the seal the win on 86 minutes.
O'Leary had selected the strongest team available with Liam Ridgewell making an earlier than expected return to the starting eleven, but they never really looked as passionate as their Burnley counterparts. After Branch had taken the early lead, Villa were always chasing and it was only after the 73rd-minute introduction of Luke Moore for the ineffective Nolberto Solano, that the team looked remotely zestful.
The youngster crossed for Angel's consolation header after 81 minutes, and left many wondering why O’Leary did not blood more fringe players, if the senior team members, and lets face it, the fans, struggle to drum up the enthusiasm for the competition. He himself admitted after the game that the performance had been: "embarrassing, the worst since I arrived at the club."