Half Time Changes Bring Rewards

[Alan75]

Rovers appeared to be suffering from a hangover, this afternoon, after their exploits in Europe on Thursday night and were lucky to go in on equal terms at half time.

If City had converted their first half chances there would have been no coming back for Rovers.

Rovers took the lead twice in the first half, firstly in the 18th minute City’s Sinclair headed Pedersen’s free-kick into his own net and secondly in the 44th minute with a Pedersen’s free kick. However on each occasion City equalized, firstly when Barton ran through the Rovers defence in the 39th minute to give Friedel no chance and secondly in the dieing minutes of the second half when Corradi, who appeared off side, shot was deflected by Ooijer in to the Rovers net.

Half time 2-2

At the start of the second half Rovers made to changes, with Mokoena for Tugay and Nonda for Jeffers.

It was either the changes or harsh words by Hughes at half time, possibly both, but it changed the game with Rovers taking full command of the game they were rewarded in the 66th minute when Richard Dunne lost concentration during a throw-in allowing Nonda to find Pedersen, who got to the byline and cross allowing McCarthy to slide the ball past Weaver in the City goal.

In the final minute of normal time, substitute Paul Gallgher had the Blackburn End in raptures when he fired home an Emerten low cross, after excellent work by the Australian full back.

Full time Rovers 4 City 2