Preston North End (0) 1 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Hume Maclaren Referee: D. Handley Attendance: 1,288 Blackburn Rovers won 3-1 on penalties Amidst the gloom that has enveloped Ewood Park in recent weeks, it was, once again, left to the club's younger contingent to provide a beacon of light. With the seniors and a number of reserves away in Hong Kong, Gary Bowyer was left with no option but to field a fairly young side against a Preston team that boasted several first-team regulars. On paper it should have been no contest, but fortunately football is not played on paper and with a slice of good fortune the Ewood youngsters were able to defy the odds and carry off the Lancashire Senior Cup. It is one of the anomalies of this particular competition that the final of the previous season's competition is now a curtain-raiser to the new campaign. Thus, Michael Potts, who had been a regular for the Reserves last season, was on duty with York City rather than collecting a winners' medal along with his former teammates. A large crowd had gathered at the Lancashire F.A. Headquarters at the County Ground, Leyland, with the majority of the support favouring North End. Amongst the impressive line-up that the Deepdale club paraded were former Manchester United 'keeper Roy Carroll, Clarke Carlisle, on a season-long loan from Burnley, and former Rover Keith Treacy. The Rovers took the game to North End from the very beginning and Carroll was quickly into the action making one or two decent saves. However, with the game barely ten minutes old it was North End who had the first clear-cut opportunity to open the scoring. Iain Hume flicked the ball on with his head for Neil Mellor to run onto the ball only to see his effort fly wide. Treacy then left young Jackson Ramm for dead with a deft piece of footwork, but, having broken free, his cross was rather too strong and flew harmlessly wide. Treacy was in the thick of it again when he played in a lovely ball that enabled Hume to get in behind the Rovers' defence. Matthew Urwin raced out of goal to meet him, but Hume took the ball round him only to see his shot blocked by Gavin Gunning, who was able to deflect the ball for a corner. It was an excellent piece of defending by the Irish Under-21 international. From the resultant corner Brian McLean met the ball perfectly and his powerful header seemed destined for the net until it struck the diving Urwin and flew out towards the edge of the area. Treacy immediately latched onto the loose ball and struck a fierce shot which hit the post and rebounded to safety. Undeterred by the increasing North End pressure, the Rovers' youngsters began to make their own opportunities thanks to their neat inter-passing. James Knowles and Robbie Cotton looked a formidable pairing in the centre of midfield, while Gunning gave an immaculate performance in the heart of defence. Indeed, the Rovers might well have taken the lead when the ball was played into the area for Cotton, who, on stretching to reach the ball, saw his shot fly over the bar. Both sides were unchanged at the start of the second half and Cotton picked up any early booking with a rash challenge in the middle of the park. Eleven minutes into the second half the Rovers took an unexpected lead when Knowles clipped the ball over the North End defence and found Jamie Maclaren, who had nipped in behind Carlisle, in acres of space. The young Australian showed an exquisite touch in controlling the ball before he blasted it past Carroll. The goal rocked North End and it took some time for them to regain their composure. However, Treacy and Nicholson both fired over as they gradually began to push the Rovers back. Hanley was the second Rover to go into the book for a rash, and somewhat unnecessary, challenge. Phil Brown brought on Danny Mayor to play on the right wing as he looked to up the pace of the North End attack. However, when the equaliser came it was Treacy who was, predictably, instrumental in the construction of the goal with a pin-point cross that found the head of Hume. The North End striker looped the ball into the far corner of the net. It was just reward for Hume, who was undoubtedly the one Preston player who really caught the eye with his non-stop running. A couple of minutes later North End ought to have taken the lead when the ball found its way to Mellor from a corner-kick. Despite being no more than three yards from goal and totally unmarked, the former Liverpool striker contrived to fire his shot well wide of goal. Brown made two more changes as his side continued to press forward and Bowyer responded by adding the fresh legs of Jadan Hall to replace the tiring Osawe. With the game moving into the final five minutes, it looked as if North End had snatched a late winner. A cross from the right landed at the feet of Mellor and his first-time effort hit the underside of the crossbar and appeared to drop down behind the line before bouncing out and being cleared. The referee immediately looked at the linesman, who kept his flag down and waved play on. If Lady Luck smiled on the Ewood Park youngsters at that instant, it was fully deserved as they had given a battling performance which combined endeavour with no little skill. Full-time brought the added drama of a penalty shoot-out and the Rovers made the perfect start when Knowles planted his spot-kick into the back of the net. Hume took the first penalty for North End, but Urwin managed to keep it out to give the Rovers an early advantage. Unfortunately, Reece Hands, who has already scored three penalties this pre-season, saw his effort fly high and wide and when Nicholson powered his spot-kick into the back of the net, it was honours even. Gunning then took a fast bowler's run up before blasting the ball past Carroll. Carlisle then strode up, but smacked the crossbar with his effort to give the Rovers the advantage. Hanley, the under-18 full-back, sent his shot over the bar before Mellor completed a miserable afternoon when he saw Urwin make a fantastic save to keep his effort out. Maclaren stepped up in the knowledge that if he converted his spot-kick, the Rovers would be crowned Lancashire Senior Cup winners. Showing not the slightest sign of nerves, the young Aussie struck the ball into the net to give the Rovers an unlikely, but thoroughly deserved, victory. This was a team performance in every sense of the word, but a word of praise must go to the efforts of Knowles in midfield and Gunning at the back. Knowles was perpetual motion in the centre of midfield and constantly probed the North End defence with a series of telling passes. Gunning organised a young defence exceptionally well and, despite the odd error, gave an impressive performance in the centre of the back line. Again, regular watchers of the Reserves are left to wonder what the future holds for Gunning with the arrival of Myles Anderson. Gunning appears the superior and more experienced player and yet it is Anderson who is favoured with being in the first-team squad in Hong Kong. Others who caught the eye were Robbie Cotton and Matty Pearson, and, of course, Matthew Urwin proved the hero in the penalty shoot-out. Teams Preston North End Roy Carroll; Conor McLaughlin (Daniel Devine 81), Brian McLean, Clarke Carlisle, Reece James; Paul Coutts (Danny Mayor 72), Adam Barton, Barry Nicholson, Keith Treacy (Doyle Middleton 81); Iain Hume, Neil Mellor Subs not used: Dominic Comrie, Jamie Proctor Manager: Phil Brown Blackburn Rovers Matthew Urwin; Jackson Ramm, Matty Pearson, Gavin Gunning, Raheem Hanley; Micah Evans (Ryan Edwards 90), Robbie Cotton, James Knowles, Reece Hands; Osayamen Osawe (Jadan Hall 84), Jamie Maclaren Subs not used: Christopher Dilo (gk), Tom Paul Coach: Gary Bowyer Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Bamber Bridge (1) 2 – 1 (1) Rovers Reserves Jones 37, Mahoney (pen) 74 Hands (pen) 43 Referee: G. Salisbury After putting seven goals past Kendal Town, in their first outing of the season, a rather young Reserve side came down to earth with a bump at the QED Stadium, Bamber Bridge, on Tuesday night. In truth, Gary Bowyer's youngsters struggled to get to grips with the home side throughout the game and were fortunate not to go behind as early as the ninth minute. Matty Pearson found himself on the wrong side of Alex Porter and fouled the Brig winger in the box. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, but Matthew Urwin spared Pearson's blushes when he dived to his left and palmed Porter's spot kick away. Urwin's heroics appeared to spark some life into his teammates and for a time the Rovers began to move the ball about with increased confidence. Goulon, with his languid style, gradually began to have more influence in the midfield and was unfortunate to see a fierce shot go narrowly wide. The home side had Osawe well contained, but Jamie Maclaren caused a number of problems with his energetic running and the young Australian was desperately unlucky to see Lee Dovey turn one effort over the bar from almost point-blank range. The Rovers introduced Reece Hands for the injured Matty Pearson on 35 minutes and within a couple of minutes the home side had taken the lead. It was a simple affair — a straightforward cross from a corner enabled Matty Jones to tower above the visiting defence and power a header into the back of the net. As half-time approached, the Rovers found an equaliser thanks to a perfectly weighted pass from Goulon that allowed Hands to race into the centre of the penalty area. However, before he could get his shot away, Gavin Clark brought him down. Once again the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Hands, who had scored two penalties for the Under-18s last week, picked himself up and promptly hammered the ball high into the net. As the second half began, there was an expectation that the superior fitness of the Rovers' youngsters would eventually tell and enable them to go on and win the game. However, it was the home side who took control of the game, thanks largely to the impressive Danny Mahoney, who dominated the play whenever he was on the ball. It was the Brig who began to dominate possession although the Rovers still proved dangerous on the break. Both sides made a number of changes during the second period, but it was the home side who continued to have the upper hand. With the game entering the final 15 minutes, it was the Brig who edged ahead thanks to another penalty decision. A long ball found Marlow cutting in from the left wing and, as he moved towards goal, Christopher Dilo raced out to meet him and collided with the winger as he fired the ball across the goalmouth. The referee again wasted no time in pointing to the spot and Danny Mahoney coolly sent Dilo the wrong way and slotted the ball home from the spot. The Rovers could, and should, have escaped with an unlikely draw, but Ryan Edwards fired over from almost point-blank range before John Cass struck a shot against the angle of crossbar and post. In terms of the coming season there was little to learn from this game with regard to the first team. While there is no doubt that we have some excellent prospects coming through the ranks, the fact remains that many of them are still some way short of being ready for the senior team. However, the Rovers appear to be continuing their policy of fast-tracking players into the Reserves and it will be interesting to see how these youngsters do in the coming months in the newly restructured Premier Reserve League. Teams Bamber Bridge Lee Dovey (Danny Woodhead 71); George Bowyer, Luke Atherton (Connor Crossley 71), Matty Jones, Gavin Clark; Ally Waddecar, Matt Mahoney (Josh Draycott 68), Mike Galliers (John Cass 62), Alex Porter (Chris Marlos 53); Danny Mahoney; Greg Johnson (Phil Jackson 62) Sub not used: Neil Reynolds Manager: Neil Crowe Blackburn Rovers Reserves Matthew Urwin (Christopher Dilo 61); Matty Pearson (Reece Hands 35), Ryan Edwards, Gavin Gunning (Tom Paul 61), Jackson Ramm; Jadan Hall (Micah Evans 61), Robbie Cotton, Daryll Goulon (James Knowles 61), Raheem Hanley; Jamie Maclaren, Osayamen Osawe (Jadan Hall 89) Coach: Gary Bowyer Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Wolverhampton (0) 2 – 3 (3) Blackburn Rovers O'Hara 73, Hunt 87 Roberts 22, Emerton 38, Hoilett 45 + 1 Referee: Howard Webb Attendance: 29,009 [caption id=attachment_2345" align="alignright" width="224" caption="Image courtesy of cn174 ][/caption] A long and turbulent season finally ended with victory, survival and huge relief for the travelling Ewood fans who were packed into angst-filled Molineux. For once, in this troubled season, the emotional roller-coaster was not being ridden by the hordes from Lancashire but their counterparts wearing the famous "old gold" colours of Wolves. A pulsating and scintillating first-half performance from the Rovers had quickly banished any thoughts of relegation as the team took a firm grip of an all-important Premier League life-line. Steve Kean opted to stick with the formula which has served him so well in recent weeks and with no injury problems he was able to keep an unchanged side in the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation. Mick McCarthy recalled England international Matt Jarvis to the right-hand side of his midfield. Statistically, prior to the game, there were various scenarios with regard to who would be relegated, but the players knew that victory for either side would ensure another season of Premier League football. [caption id=attachment_2344" align="alignright" width="218" caption="Image courtesy of cn 174][/caption]Both sides announced their intentions from the start with Jermaine Jones firing an early effort wide for the Rovers while Paul Robinson had to deal with a cross-cum-shot from Stephen Ward for the home side. Junior Hoilett then bamboozled Jody Craddock on the dead-ball line but his low cross was cut out by Wayne Hennessey. The Rovers had made an excellent start and seemed totally devoid of nerves as they continued to press forward. The opening goal, on 22 minutes, was the result of some wonderful football on the part of the Rovers. Brett Emerton, in the old inside-left position, floated a superb cross-field pass to Hoilett, who had found space on the right of the penalty area. As two defenders converged to close him down, he quickly controlled the ball and slipped it back into the path of the oncoming Michel Salgado. The former Real Madrid star fired the ball towards goal and Jason Roberts was on hand to redirect it into the back of the net. It was an instinctive piece of finishing by Roberts which gave the Rovers a lead that they thoroughly deserved. The Rovers began to take a stranglehold on the match and on 38 minutes they doubled their lead. Stephen Hunt fouled Steven Nzonzi virtually on the half-way line. Paul Robinson launched one his trademark free-kicks deep into the Wolves penalty area and although it was headed clear it fell invitingly to Brett Emerton, just a few yards outside of the area. The Australian international wasted no time trying to control the ball and his first-time volley flew into the back of the net. The two-goal margin was a fair reflection of the total dominance which the Rovers enjoyed during the opening period. Jermaine Jones and Nzonzi proved an inspirational pairing in the centre of midfield as they hunted down the Wolves players, never giving them a moment to settle on the ball. The Rovers almost scored a third after Jamie O'Hara was caught in possession by Nzonzi and Jermaine Jones picked up the loose ball and fed Hoilett, who had drifted into space on the left of the penalty area. The young Canadian fired a shot towards the far post only to see Hennessey get his fingertips to the ball and divert it narrowly wide of goal. From the resultant corner, Chris Samba towered above his marker and was unfortunate to see his effort cleared by Steven Fletcher. [caption id=attachment_2345" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Image courtesy of cn174][/caption]As half-time approached, the home side continued to be rocked by the incessant pressure that the Rovers had put them under. However, the Rovers were almost caught out when Jarvis broke on the right and Samba was forced to move across and impede his run at goal. It earned the skipper a booking but, nonetheless, it was a timely intervention on his part. As the first half moved into injury-time, Craddock blazed an effort over the bar and it was from the resultant goal-kick that the Rovers scored their third goal. Once again, Robinson launched a long ball deep into the opposition half and it found its way to Roberts on the edge of the "D". He, in turn, laid the ball off to Hoilett, who cut inside two defenders and then fired the ball past Hennessey. As the Rovers left the field to a standing ovation from their fans, a cloud of despondency settled over Molineux as the home supporters faced up to the very real possibility of relegation. With goal difference likely to play a part in deciding the fate of the home side, McCarthy shuffled his pack and introduced another striker for the second half with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake taking the place of Michael Mancienne. As one might expect, it was Wolves who enjoyed most of the early possession in the second period as the need for a goal became increasingly imperative for McCarthy's men. However, it was the Rovers who created the first clear-cut chance of the half when another excellent cross-field pass from Emerton wasn't dealt with by Kevin Foley. The ball fell to Roberts and with the goal at his mercy he attempted to curl it inside the far post. Unfortunately the shot seemed under-hit which gave Hennessey the opportunity to make a fine save. At 4-0 it's doubtful that Wolves would have recovered, but on such narrow margins are fortunes won and lost in football. The narrow escape seemed to incentivise the home side to redouble their efforts, and news from other grounds underlined the need for Wolves to get on the scoresheet. With a commanding lead, the Rovers settled for a slightly more defensive approach in the second period as Wolves poured forward with increasing desperation. Once again, the hand of fate intervened on behalf of Wolves when Jermaine Jones was harshly penalised for a foul on Hunt. Jones was vehement in his protests that he had won the ball, but Howard Webb, who in fairness had an excellent match, thought otherwise. As the players lined up at the far post, expecting Hunt to float the ball in that direction, O'Hara dropped off the line and the Irishman simply played the ball for the Tottenham loanee to turn and fire the ball past a startled defence into the corner of the net. It was a well-worked free-kick that caught the Rovers defence completely flat-footed. Within minutes, Wolves might have scored a second, but Robinson pulled off a superb save to turn a Fletcher header over the bar. [caption id=attachment_2383" align="alignright" width="226" caption="Image courtesy of cn174][/caption]As the game moved into its final stages, news filtered through that Birmingham had equalised at White Hart Lane while Wigan had taken the lead in the Potteries against Stoke. Wolves, once again, found themselves in the dreaded relegation places. However, another goal would lift them above Birmingham and with the home crowd chanting "one more goal" Hunt duly delivered. With three minutes remaining, Wolves saved their Premier League lives with a goal that was straight out of the Rovers' own play-book. Hennessey launched the ball deep into the Rovers half and the ball found its way to Hunt on the left of the penalty area. In an instant he controlled the ball and curled a delightful effort into the top far corner of the net. Molineux erupted as the home side had, once again, grabbed a vital life-line for survival. As the game drifted into injury-time, both sides were more than happy to settle for what they had and so, for the second week running, we had the surreal sight of a Rovers team passing the ball along the back line and the opposition standing off allowing them to run down the clock. Both managers gave Howard Webb a knowing look and the official duly took the cue to blow the final whistle. The Wolves supporters flooded onto the pitch while the Rovers players came over to celebrate with the travelling contingent from Lancashire. As the Rovers players tried to make their way through the throng of home supporters, they were warmly congratulated by Wolves fans who hugged them as if they were their own players. As the home fans congregated in front of the fans from Blackburn, both sets of supporters were able to celebrate their survival together. Steve Kean later remarked that the Rovers had saved the best until last and none of the Ewood faithful would disagree with that viewpoint. It was an outstanding team performance and the manager got his tactics spot on from the very start. Survival Sunday had provided a feast of football and underlined the reasons why the game in general and the Rovers in particular are so dear to our hearts. [caption id=attachment_2384" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Image courtesy of cn174][/caption] Teams Wolverhampton Wanderers Wayne Hennessey; Kevin Foley, Michael Mancienne (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 46), Jody Craddock, George Elokobi; Matt Jarvis, Karl Henry (Adlene Guedioura 85), Jamie O'Hara, Stephen Hunt; Stephen Ward, Steven Fletcher (Christophe Berra 90 + 1) Subs not used: Marcus Hahnemann (gk), Richard Stearman, Sam Vokes, Nanad Milijas Manager: Mick McCarthy Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Chris Samba, Phil Jones, Gael Givet; Steven Nzonzi, Jermaine Jones; Brett Emerton, David "Junior" Hoilett (Morten Gamst Pedersen 85), Martin Olsson; Jason Roberts (Mame Biram Diouf 80) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), David Dunn, Keith Andrews, Benjani, Roque Santa Cruz Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Wolverhampton Wanderers – Karl Henry, Jody Craddock, Stephen Hunt Blackburn Rovers – Christopher Samba Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 1 – 1 (0) Manchester United Emerton 20 Rooney (pen) 73 Referee: Phil Dowd Attendance: 29,867 [caption id=attachment_2203" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="Pre-Match Huddle (Photo from cn174)][/caption] Rarely, in its long and illustrious history, can Ewood Park have witnessed the spectacle that was laid before spectators during the final 15 minutes of this vital encounter. With the scores level, both sides seemed to opt to keep what they had and engaged in an exercise of keep-ball which might have been more fitting for the training ground rather than a Premier League stadium. In fairness, Sir Alex Ferguson's men had the point they needed to claim a record-breaking 19th championship, while the Rovers seemed more than happy to settle for a point against the champions elect. Sadly, subsequent news of results from Bloomfield Road and the Stadium of Light quickly took the gloss off a hard-won point and the Rovers now travel to Molineux in the knowledge that their Premier League life is still in the balance. On a chilly afternoon at Ewood Park both sides made changes for this vital game. Michel Salgado and Phil Jones were restored to the Rovers' defence, which, in turn, enabled Brett Emerton and Martin Olsson to occupy the positions on the wings. With Mame Biram Diouf being ineligible and Morten Gamst Pedersen dropping down to the bench, Steve Kean opted for the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation. Sir Alex Ferguson made three changes to his line-up with the introduction of Tomasz Kuszczak, Nani and Jonny Evans to his team. It was the visitors who started the more brightly of the two teams with the Rovers sitting back and allowing United to dominate the opening stages of the match. The Rovers received an early warning when Wayne Rooney's cross caught out Chris Samba and Nani crashed a header against the bar after four minutes. It was a poor piece of defending by Samba, who was badly out of position, and reflected the nervous start that the Rovers had made against a United team who seemed determined to clinch the title as quickly as possible. The opening period found the Rovers somewhat hesitant in possession as they struggled to gain a foothold in the match. United's intricate passing and movement threatened to overrun the Rovers for a time. Slowly, the tide began to turn as the Rovers started to enjoy a greater share of possession. Junior Hoilett, drifting between midfield and attack, started to cause problems, while Olsson began to find space on the left flank. On the opposite wing, Salgado and Emerton launched one or two promising moves that suggested the United defence could be caught out. The first real chance for the Rovers came on ten minutes when a cross from Hoilett found Samba in the area. Unfortunately, the big central defender was unable to adjust his body shape to get over the ball and he blazed his effort over the bar. [caption id=attachment_2206" align="alignright" width="350" caption="Rovers celebrate Emerton's goal (Photo from cn174)][/caption] As the Rovers continued to press forward, it was clear that Kuszczak looked increasingly nervous in the United goal. On twenty minutes the Rovers took the lead from a splendid piece of football. Salgado won a header in defence and set Jermaine Jones away down the right. The American international played a delightful through ball to Emerton, who had found some clear space to run into behind the United defence. He floated the ball towards the far post only to see it touched away by Kuszczak without any great conviction. The ball fell to Olsson on the byline and he quickly exchanged passes with Hoilett before picking out Emerton with a perfect cross. The Australian international wasted no time in sweeping the ball into the net with his left foot. The goal not only lifted the crowd but the Rovers players grew in confidence and began to enjoy a larger share of the play. Although the visitors continued to threaten, the Rovers looked more assured in defence and, indeed, might well have extended the lead on 37 minutes. Once again it was Salgado who was the architect of the move when his glorious cross from the right found Olsson running into the left-hand side of the area. The young Swede met the ball on the full but, unfortunately, his first-time effort flew wide. The second half began with United on the offensive and the Rovers looking to hit the visitors on the break. In an attempt to inject more creativity into the visiting attack, Paul Scholes was introduced at the expense of Fabio. The veteran midfielder was quickly into the action giving away a couple of free-kicks as he tried to stamp his authority on proceedings in the middle of the pitch. Within minutes of Scholes entering the fray, the Rovers might well have doubled their lead when Emerton's right-wing cross found the head of Olsson after 65 minutes. The Rovers' left-winger out-jumped his marker, but his header thumped against the post with Kuszczak well beaten. Unfortunately, the Rovers were to pay dearly for this missed opportunity just a few minutes later. Sadly, on the day that he was voted Player of the Season by the Ewood faithful, it was a rash piece of goalkeeping on Paul Robinson's part that enabled United to get back into the match. An exquisite pass by the evergreen Ryan Giggs found Javier Hernandez in acres of space between Phil Jones and Gael Givet. However, his first touch was not the best and the ball seemed to have rolled too far in front of him. It was sufficient to persuade Robinson to make a desperate dash from his goal in an attempt to reach the ball before the young Mexican. Sadly, Hernandez proved too quick for the former England goalkeeper and although his touch seemed to send the ball out of play, Robinson collided with him and the striker collapsed over the outstretched arms of the keeper. Chaos ensued as Phil Dowd opted to consult his linesman before making a decision. Both sides surrounded the officials before Dowd pointed to the spot with 73 minutes showing on the clock. Rooney stepped up to take the penalty and calmly sent Robinson the wrong way as the ball flew into the back of the net. [caption id=attachment_2205" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="Emerton defending (Photo from cn174)][/caption] The final fifteen minutes proved somewhat surreal as both sides seemed happy to pass the ball from side to side without making any serious attempts to get forward to win the game. The United players seemed content to pass the ball amongst themselves, deep in their own half, while the Rovers were happy enough to retreat to the halfway line and watch them do it. At one point it became so embarrassing that Phil Dowd looked over at Sir Alex Ferguson and seemed to query what was going on. However, whenever the Rovers got the ball they also engaged in a similar bout of passing with United happy to stand off and watch. While United had the point they needed, Steve Kean later admitted that the Rovers were caught on the horns of dilemma. Did they push for the win and risk losing by being hit on the break or settle for a point. In the end caution prevailed and the Rovers settled for a point that most would have gladly accepted before the match. At the final whistle the United players and their supporters celebrated the historic 19th championship, while the Rovers seemed content with a point that finally saw them reach the magical forty-point mark. Unfortunately, results elsewhere dampened the celebrations of the home fans as the realisation dawned that Premier League survival was still not assured. The players came onto the pitch to bid a muted farewell to the fans, while United continued their celebrations at the Darwen End. As the United players finally left the pitch, the Ewood faithful gave them polite applause to acknowledge their achievement and in the hope that Manchester United would be returning to Ewood Park next season in a Premier League fixture. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Chris Samba (Keith Andrews 77), Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Steven Nzonzi, Jermaine Jones (David Dunn 73); Brett Emerton, David "Junior" Hoilett (Morten Gamst Pedersen 58), Martin Olsson; Jason Roberts Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Benjani., Nikola Kalinic, Roque Santa Cruz Manager: Steve Kean Manchester United Tomasz Kuszczak; Fabio da Silva (Paul Scholes 62), Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans; Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Nani (Dimitar Berbatov 80); Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez Subs not used: Ben Amos (gk), Patrice Evra, Chris Smalling, Anderson, Michael Owen Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Jermaine Jones, Michel Salgado, Steven Nzonzi Join in the discussion here. View full article

West Ham United (0) 1 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers Hitzlsperger 78 Roberts 12 Referee: Peter Walton Attendance: 33,789 A tantalising twelve minutes was all that stood between the Rovers and their first win at the Boleyn Ground since April 1994. More frustratingly, for the Rovers, Thomas Hitzlsperger's 78th-minute strike, combined with results elsewhere, meant that the relegation battle continues for a least another week and, in all probability, may not be settled until the final-day showdown at Molineux. On a fairly humid afternoon in London's East End, the tension was almost palpable as the crowds made their way to the Boleyn Ground. Many West Ham fans seemed resigned to relegation while travelling fans from Blackburn seemed in boisterous mood as the teams took to the field. News that both Michel Salgado and Phil Jones were missing meant that Steve Kean had to shuffle the pack with Brett Emerton replacing Salgado and Gael Givet moving into the centre of defence. Martin Olsson moved from the left wing to left-back with Morten Gamst Pedersen being drafted in to fill the vacancy on the left side of midfield. The home side suffered a major setback with news that Scott Parker, the Footballer of the Year and the Hammers' talisman, was still ruled out by injury. Avram Grant made three changes to the side that lost at Manchester City the previous week with Wayne Bridge, Manuel da Costa and Carlton Cole coming into the side at the expense of James Tompkins, Matthew Upson and Robbie Keane. Following the pre-match huddle that had been in evidence at Ewood Park the previous week, the Rovers found themselves coming under expected early pressure. There was an early scare, on five minutes, when a corner from Hitzlsperger found the head of da Costa and Pedersen was called upon to head the ball off the line. However, after twelve minutes, it was the travelling fans who had cause for celebration following a well-worked move. Jermaine Jones broke from the centre of midfield and despite Hitzlsperger's attempts to bring him down he was able to make progress before an inch-perfect pass found Emerton, who had broken down the right wing. The Australian found space in behind Bridge and, from his pinpoint cross, Jason Roberts was on hand to prod the ball home from close range. A word of praise must go to referee Peter Walton, who allowed Jones to go on when he could easily have blown for a foul. Indeed, he attempted to allow the play to flow all afternoon and for the second week running we were fortunate to witness a decent display of refereeing. The pattern for the remainder of the game was now set. West Ham looked to get forward at every opportunity while the Rovers simply dug in and looked to hit them on the break. In truth, despite their pressure, the home side created little in the way of clear-cut chances. The Rovers defended superbly with Pedersen and Mame Biram Diouf working tirelessly to try to prevent West Ham from building attacks from the back. Steven Nzonzi and Jermaine Jones both sat deep at times to deny the home side space in which to work but both looked to get forward whenever the opportunity arose to support Roberts and Junior Hoilett. As the first half drew to a close, West Ham continued to have plenty of possession but failed to make any headway against the resolute defending of Chris Samba and Gael Givet. Both Emerton and Olsson provided steady support at full-back with the result that Paul Robinson had little to do in the first half but collect a cross or two. Indeed, it wasn't until the stroke of half-time that Robinson was called upon to make a save following a low shot from Freddie Sears. Although this had been earmarked as a must-win game for West Ham, it was the Rovers who had looked the more controlled team throughout the first forty-five minutes. As the teams left the field at the end of the first half, the home fans seemed strangely silent, almost as if they had accepted their fate. West Ham began the second half in a more determined mood and their play suddenly seemed a little more purposeful than that of the first period. With a win so vital to the survival hopes of the Hammers, it came as no surprise when Grant thrust Keane into the fray, with the half just ten minutes old, in place of Luis Boa Morte. Although the home side seemed to have stepped up a gear following the interval, the Rovers continued to cause them problems on the break. Following a Pedersen corner, Rob Green was called into the action to make a save from a Samba header. An effort from Nzonzi was well saved by Green before Hoilett fired wide after cutting in from the left. With less than half-an-hour remaining, Grant made a final throw of the dice with a double substitution which resulted in him having four strikers on the pitch. Jack Collison replaced Sears while former Rover Lars Jacobsen was withdrawn to allow Frederic Piquionne to add more firepower to the Hammers' misfiring attack. Kean quickly responded with a double substitution of his own. Roberts, who was struggling to retain possession, was replaced by Roque Santa Cruz while Hoilett, who had begun to look very tired, was replaced by Keith Andrews as Kean attempted to stop the Rovers from being overrun in midfield. Although West Ham continued to have the major share of the play, the introduction of Santa Cruz meant the Rovers were able to retain possession when they got the ball forward. The Manchester City loanee seemed much fitter than in recent weeks and was able to hold the ball up far better than Roberts had done, thus giving the Rovers' defence the opportunity to have a breather. The much-maligned Andrews also helped to shore up a midfield that seemed in danger of being overpowered as West Ham went for broke. In many ways the substitutions worked in favour of the Rovers. The home side seemed to lose a little bit of momentum following the changes while the Rovers continued to dig in and frustrate the home side by denying them space in which to work. It was, therefore, disappointing that West Ham should equalise on one of the rare occasions that the Rovers failed to close down the opposition with sufficient speed. A cross from Piquionne clipped a defender and found its way to Cole who laid the ball back to Hitzlsperger. With just twelve minutes remaining, the German midfielder rifled his low shot through a crowd of players and into the back of the net. The goal transformed the Boleyn Ground as the home supporters finally found their voice and began to roar their side on for the win that they so desperately needed. However, the Rovers stood firm despite the hostile atmosphere and increased pressure from the home side. With just minutes remaining, it appeared as though the Rovers had weathered the storm when Piquionne got into a great position and rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Keane. With the goal at his mercy the normally deadly striker completely fluffed his shot and sent the ball wide. It was a major escape for the Rovers and a miss that could well see the end of West Ham's tenure in the Premier League. Deep into injury time Kean introduced the fresh legs of Rochina for Diouf. The Manchester United loanee had given one of his best performances of the season and had worked tirelessly throughout the game, both in defence and attack. The final whistle was greeted with relief by the travelling Blackburn fans while the home supporters silently drifted home knowing that their Premier League life was ebbing away. The Rovers fans celebrated the capture of a valuable point which might yet be enough to see the club safe. Unfortunately, draws for Wigan Athletic and Blackpool means that safety is not yet assured but at least, even if results don't go for them next week, the Rovers will enter the final week of the season knowing that their future rests in their own hands rather than on having to rely on results elsewhere. Teams West Ham United Robert Green; Lars Jacobsen (Frederic Piquionne 64), Manuel da Costa, Danny Gabbidon, Wayne Bridge; Jonathan Spector, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Luis Boa Morte (Robbie Keane 55); Freddie Sears (Jack Collison 63), Carlton Cole, Demba Ba Subs not used: Rudd Boffin (gk); James Tomkins, Radoslav Kovac, Zavon Hines Manager: Avram Grant Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Brett Emerton, Chris Samba, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Steven Nzonzi, Jermaine Jones; Mame Biram Diouf (Ruben Rochina 90 + 4), Morten Gamst Pedersen, David "Junior" Hoilett (Keith Andrews 69); Jason Roberts (Roque Santa Cruz 69) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Mauro Formica, Benjani Manager: Steve Kean Bookings West Ham United – Luis Boa Morte, Manuel da Costa, Jonathan Spector Join in the discussion here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 1 – 0 (0) Bolton Wanderers Olsson 20 Referee: Mike Dean Attendance: 28,985 A first-half goal from Martin Olsson proved sufficient to give the Rovers their first win in three months and enabled them to take a giant stride towards Premier League survival. The final whistle brought huge sighs of relief from all around Ewood Park as players and fans celebrated this long-awaited victory. In truth, the Rovers created enough chances to have won the game with ease but, as so often has been the case this season, woeful finishing again proved to be their undoing. Fortunately, on this occasion, Bolton proved unable to make the Rovers pay for their wastefulness in front of goal. On a sunny but blustery afternoon, pre-match nerves were not eased with the news that both David Dunn and Junior Hoilett were ruled out by injury. Steve Kean opted to bring Steven Nzonzi back into the side following his three match suspension while Benjani and Jason Roberts continued as the twin spearhead, with Niko Kalinic and Roque Santa Cruz having to settle for places on the bench. The visitors, faced with their third match in the space of seven days, made four changes from the side that lost to Fulham in midweek. Adam Bogden, David Wheater, Rodrigo and Ricardo Gardner were drafted in by Owen Coyle to replace Jussi Jaaskelainen, Fabrice Muamba, Chung-Yong Lee and Gretar Steinsson. The Rovers, following a pre-match huddle, started brightly with Olsson being a constant threat to the Bolton backline. From his early cross, Brett Emerton was able to head the ball down for Benjani to stab the ball wide. The Rovers continued to threaten the Bolton goal and Bolton defender Paul Robinson was called into action to clear the ball off the line after an Olsson shot had beaten Bogdan. Bolton’s only early threat came from Rodrigo, their Brazilian-born youngster who is on loan from Benfica; having sent one effort narrowly wide, he then saw another attempt strike the woodwork with the Rovers’ defence seemingly all at sea. It was, therefore, ironic that it should be from a misplaced pass by the Bolton winger that the Rovers should take the lead on 20 minutes. Having cut inside, Rodrigo tried to slip the ball through to Matt Taylor. However, the ever-alert Michel Salgado spotted the danger and nipped in to make an interception before releasing Olsson. The young Swede took the ball on before firing a left-foot shot past Bogden. Having broken the deadlock, the Rovers continued to press forward looking to double their advantage. Once again Salgado continued to probe the Bolton defence with several beautifully weighted passes and from one of these Olsson had another effort blocked before Bogden made an excellent stop from the Swedish winger. Prior to the match, manager Steve Kean had talked about the fatigue factor that might affect Bolton during the latter stages of the game. However, the visitors seemed strangely lethargic throughout the first half and were unable to sustain any prolonged periods of pressure on a Rovers side that, at times, looked understandably nervous considering their League position. As the game went on, the Rovers’ nerves seemed to settle with Emerton, Nzonzi and Jermaine Jones working hard to ensure that the Rovers won most of the midfield battles. The Rovers thoroughly deserved their half-time lead and, in truth, might have felt unfortunate to lead by only the slimmest of margins. The second half started slowly as both sides struggled to get to grips with the blustery conditions. Bolton made little headway against a resolute Rovers defence, while Jermaine Jones and Nzonzi continued to have the better of the exchanges in midfield. Jones, in particular, gave an outstanding display in the centre of the field, similar to the one he gave at the Emirates a few weeks ago. Continually breaking at speed from midfield, and using the ball intelligently to feed the wide players, he produced one of the best midfield performances seen for some time in a blue and white shirt at Ewood Park. With the game drifting away from Bolton, Coyle made three substitutions in quick succession in an attempt to put some life into the listless Wanderers. However, it was the Rovers who continued to threaten and the lead really ought to have been doubled when Benjani somehow failed to connect to a cross from Jermaine Jones, allowing Bogden to claim the ball. That proved to be the signal for Kean to replace the former Manchester City striker with Kalinic. Play continued to be scrappy as the conditions seemed to get the better of both teams. The Rovers suffered a major blow when Salgado was stretchered off with what looked to be a serious knee injury with about 15 minutes remaining. This necessitated a reshuffle, with Emerton moving to right-back and Mame Biram Diouf coming on to play on the right wing. A long free-kick by Paul Robinson found the head of Nzonzi, but his effort flew narrowly wide. This was becoming the story of the second half as the Rovers struggled to find that elusive second goal. With ten minutes remaining Morten Gamst Pedersen replaced Jason Roberts, who, like Benjani, had struggled to make much impression against the Bolton defence. It was from a cross from the Norwegian international that Diouf should have doubled the lead, but, to the consternation of the Ewood faithful, he blazed the ball over the bar. An additional five minutes did little to calm the nerves, and groans of despair could be heard around the ground when Nzonzi headed over from ten yards. Fortunately, for once, the missed chances didn’t come back to haunt the Rovers and the final whistle was greeted with rapturous celebrations both on and off the pitch. News that Blackpool and Wigan Athletic had both been held at home meant the Rovers had not only climbed to fifteenth position but, more importantly, had opened up a three-point gap between themselves and the relegation places. After the game, Steve Kean paid tribute to the fans for the way in which they have backed the team over the past two matches. He also praised the attitude and application of his players in keeping their nerve and grinding out such an important win. There was also better news about Salgado’s injury, with the former Real Madrid star claiming that it was nothing that a beer couldn’t fix. If only the Rovers’ goalscoring problems could be fixed so easily! Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado (Mame Biram Diouf 76), Chris Samba, Phil Jones, Gael Givet; Brett Emerton, Jermaine Jones, Steven Nzonzi, Martin Olsson; Benjani (Nikola Kalinic 64), Jason Roberts (Morten Gamst Pedersen 80) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Ruben Rochina, Roque Santa Cruz Manager: Steve Kean Bolton Wanderers Adam Bogdan; Paul Robinson, Gary Cahill, Zat Knight, David Wheater; Rodrigo Moreno (Chung-Yong Lee 60), Ricardo Gardner, Tamir Cohen, Matthew Taylor (Ivan Klasnic 66); Kevin Davies, Johan Elmander (Martin Petrov 66) Subs not used: Jussi Jaaskelainen (gk), Fabrice Muamba, Robbie Blake, Marcos Alonso Manager: Owen Coyle Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Phil Jones, Jermaine Jones Bolton Wanderers – Kevin Davies Join in the discussion here. View full article