aH that must have been posted by rover6.

Rovers will play Arsenal in the FA Cup Semi Final at Cardiff on Saturday 16th April. Kick Off 12.15. Ticket Arrangements to be confirmed.

On the advice of doctors, Matt Jansen is to take a break from football until the end of the season; rejoining the squad for pre-season training. Jansen has made eight appearances this season, scoring twice, including the winner against Portsmouth, when he came on as sub in Mark Hughes first game as manager.

Just a rumour. Doctors have advised Jansen to take 3 months rest away from football. sorry Ive no links to this at present.

half time

Half time 0-0

Full time 0 - 0 Possession: Liverpool 57% Blackburn 43% Shots: Liverpool 8 Blackburn 5 Corners: Liverpool 11 Blackburn 3 Bookings: Gerrard 29min Flitcroft 32min Teams. Liverpool J Dudek, S Finnan, M Pellegrino, J Carragher, S Warnock,( I Biscan 82min)S Luis Garcia, S Gerrard, D Hamann, V Smicer(J Riise 45min), M Baros(A Nunez 69 min), F Morientes Subs not used: S Hyypia, S Carson, Rovers B Friedel, L Neill, A Todd, R Nelsen, N Johansson(D Matteo 62min), A Mokoena, B Emerton, S Reid, G Flitcroft, M Pedersen, J Stead(P Gallagher 75min) Subs not used: P Enckelman, K Tugay, J Johnson Ref: B Knight

Rovers midfielder Ciaran Donnelly has joined Colin Hendry's Blackpool on a free transfer. Donnelly who was born in Blackpool has signed a contract that will keep him at Bloomfield Road until the end of next season.

Despite taking a two goal lead against Birmingham at Christie Park, Morecambe, last night, Rovers reserves could only manage a draw. In front of a crowd of 205 Rovers took the lead in the first half through Keith Barker, and the young striker got a second within 20 minutes of the second half. With the Rovers leading 2-0 Birmingham pulled a goal back with around 15 minutes to go before the final whistle and an equalizer in the last minute to give themselves a share of the points. Final Score 2 - 2. Rovers: Drench, Barr (sub Kane 73 mins), Taylor, Harkins, L. Jones, Nolan, Watt, Byrom, Derbyshire (sub Garner 79 mins), Barker, Hodge. Subs: Fielding, Woods, De Vita.

Because we play Arsenal in the league on SATURDAY 19th MARCH

Rovers supporters are meeting for the game against Arsenal on Saturday the 19th March at the Charles Dickens Tavern, located at 290 Collins St Melbourne (Between. Elizabeth & Swanston Sts). The game kicks off at approximately 11:45.pm local time and is being televised live. All Australian based Rovers' fans are welcomed. Wear your Rovers colours and/or just keep an eye for people dressed in the famous Blue and White halves. The event will kick off from 8pm, so it is questionable whether everyone will be still standing when the game kicks off. Venue - Charles Dickens Tavern located at 290 Collins St Melbourne (Between. Elizabeth & Swanston Sts) Date - Saturday 19th March Start - 8pm. local time.

When youve all agreed the date,venue and kick off time, let me know by pm and I'll stick it in the news section.

Robbie Savage yesterday announce his international retirement, Savage is now the seventh player to retire since John Toshack took over from Mark Hughes as manager of the Wales team. After Toshack telephoned Savage to inform him that he had been left out of the squad to face Austria, Savage's announce that he was quitting stating that he now wanted to concentrate on playing for Hughes and Rovers. He also wanted to avoid the "humiliation" of being omitted from future squads. Savage, who has represented his country 39 times and it is no secret that he wasn’t happy with Toshack’s appointment as manager after Toshack had been critical of the Welsh team during Mark Hughes reign as manager. Jonathan Douglas and James McEveley on loan to Gillingham made their debuts on Saturday for the Gill’s away at Leeds, where they faced another Rovers on loan player Michael Gray. A game that ended 1-1 with Gray being sent off after a clash with Gillingham's Darius Henderson, who was also sent off. Bury boss Graham Barrow is to hold talks with Mark Hughes in an attempt to extend Rovers defender John Fitzgerald's loan spell at Gigg Lane. Meanwhile midfielder Gary Harkin has returned to Ewood after a month long loan period after playing five games for Bury.

Ladbrokes latest odds: Arsenal 11/8 Manchester United 6/4 Newcastle United 5/1 Blackburn Rovers 7/1

After Saturday's quarter final win over Leicester, Rovers were drawn against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi final draw. The game will be played on the weekend 16/17 April 2005 at the Millenium Stadium Cardiff.

Well I suspect the South Wales / Cardiff Police will be happy with the FA. Just imagine the joy of having Arsenal. United, Geordies and Rovers supporters in town for the weekend on top of their ususl Saturday night club and pub drunks.

Well we reached the FA Cup semi final thanks to a penalty. But after this display and the display against Burnley in the previous round it's no wonder people are not flocking to Ewood Park. Teams are coming to Ewood and putting 11 men behind the ball yet we still only play with 1 striker up front. That is if you can call Dickov a striker. Maybe if he'd stop moaning and concentrating on the game I might have some more sympathy for him. Happy with the result, extremely disappointed with the performamce.

After the game Mark Hughes praised Jon Stead and is quoted as saying. "Jon's worked very hard with little reward and he's done very well to come on and score. "I was delighted. When you come to Everton you know it's going to be a physical challenge and every one of my players stood up to it. "There was a little bit of extra pressure because of other results but we were worthy winners."

Rovers collected all 3 points this afternoon, when substitute Jon Stead scored his first goal of the season. Everton 0 Rovers 1. Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Pistone (McFadden 76), Carsley, Osman, Cahill, Arteta (Ferguson 24), Kilbane, Bent. Subs Not Used: Wright, Stubbs, Plessis. Yellow cards: Weir, Carsley, Cahill. Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Johansson, Mokoena, Reid, Flitcroft, Thompson, Pedersen, Dickov (Stead 14). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Short, Tugay, Gallagher. Yellow cards: Mokoena, Stead. Goal: Stead 71. Attendance: 32,406 Ref: P Dowd

Despite going a goal down on 20 minutes, Rovers reserves fought back to gain a valuable point against Newcastle United at Christie Park, Morecambe last night to keep the pressure on league leaders Manchester United. Rovers are now in third place just 2 points behind United. Newcastle took the lead on twenty minutes through N’Zogbia, however Rovers equalized on the half hour mark when Douglas laid the ball in to the path of Watt, who made no mistake, slotting the ball home past Craig in the Newcastle goal. Amide the crowd of 299, was Mark Hughes who was probably watching Stead, who had a quiet game and was replaced at half time by Jemal Johnson.

Rovers 6th Round FA Cup game against Leicester City, will take place on Sunday the 13th March, kick off at 1.05pm. The sale of tickets for this game will commence on Friday the 4th March to Season Ticket Holders only. Non Season Ticket Holding Supporters with a history of buying tickets will be able to purchase their ticket from Sunday the 6th March. Tickets will go on General Sale from Wednesday the 9th March. Leicester have been allocated the whole of the Darwen End Stand. This is a Category B, game with adult prices starting at £15, senior citizens and young adult season ticket holders, £10 and juniors, £5.

Match Report by Scotty I'm 33 years old and I've never seen us lose to Burnley. According to the history books we've lost 5 times to them during my lifetime - but they all occured before I was 8 and I didn't see them. We lined up with the same team that played at Burnley except Mokoena replaced the suspended Todd. That meant Gallagher started up front again - something I wasn't too pleased about beforehand - but it also meant that Savage and Dickov were fit. The game started poorly, it was just a scrap to be honest, and neither team could get the ball down and pass it for any length of time. Burnley's 5 man midfield snapped into their tackles and closed down well, and we didn't show the necessary skill or technique to get past it. Savage managed to get booked after about 3 minutes as well but, watching it again on TV, he was a little unlucky as the Burnley player threw himself onto the floor like he'd been shot. Still, it was a daft, late challange so early in the game. Slowly but surely though we started to exert some pressure and gradually gained control of the game without ever looking brilliant. A period of sustained pressure around the half hour mark saw us win a corner and, via a couple of clearances and a blocked shot from Emerton, the ball fell to Tugay about 35 yards out. He controlled the ball, moved forward a few yards, and hit a decent low shot towards goal. The ball headed straight towards Burnley's Micah Hyde on the edge of the box and, instead of standing tall and blocking it, he tried to shy away and the ball deflected off him into the corner of the net. Ewood rejoiced. Unfortunately though, instead of kicking on and going for the kill, we appeared to sit back and looked like we were playing for half-time. Burnley seemed to sense this and had their best spell of the game. A period of pressure resulted in a throw in to Burnley near the corner flag, an exchange of passes while our defenders looked on seemingly uninterested, and a cracking turn and shot from the corner of the area by Micah Hyde. Boy did he make up for his softness earlier - it was a terrific goal. Burnley went in at half-time bouncing, we looked deflated. Flitcroft came on for Savage at half-time which I guess means that Savage's groin injury is worse than the club are letting on. I'd be surprised if he plays at Everton this weekend. The second half was crap really. We had most of the possession but lacked the creativity or skill to do anything with it. Burnley worked their socks off, passed the ball around neatly in midfield when they did have it, but created absolutely nothing. Not a sausage. Bothroyd came on for Gallagher after an hour, and then went off again fifteen minutes later presumably injured. He contributed nothing during that time. In the meantime we continued to squander possession and run into blind alleys whenever we reached the final third. Emerton in particular put in one of his frustrating performances. Our only threats came from set pieces and Pedersen's delivery. Nelsen could, and perhaps should, have scopred twice from free headers. Sadly though he headed one straight at the keeper and headed the other into the ground and over the bar when it seemed easier to score. Just when it seemed inevitable that extra time would be needed along came Pedersen. He'd switched wings with Emerton about ten minutes earlier and, when fed a ball down the right channel, he attempted a cross. The ball was blocked by Sinclair, Pedersen beat a tired-looking Burnley defender to the rebound, and then lashed a fantastic right-footed shot into the roof of the net from an acute angle. Their keeper got his hands to it but it was hit with such venom that it would be harsh to criticise him. If Ewood rejoiced after Tugay's goal this time the fans had kittens. I particularly enjoyed MGP's celebration right in front of the Darwen End, and I'm sure the Burnley hoardes appreciated it as well!! For the last five minutes we started to play like the Harlem Globetrotters, all neat passes and fancy flicks. Burnley looked, understandably, dead on their feet and Emerton should really have capitalised and got a third goal. Still, no matter, we won. OK, here's the credit to Burnley paragraph. They worked their socks off and their system, five men in midfield and full-backs who rarely venture past the halfway line, means they are difficult to break down. For much of the game they contained us comfortably, looked as neat on the ball as we did, and defended what little we did create well. Thanks to their work-rate and tenacity they didn't really deserve to lose the game and it would have been fair if it had gone to extra time. But that's what separates Premiership and Championship sides. Premiership teams have players like Pedersen who can produce that moment of class when it really matters to change a game. Our defence was great throughout. Mokoena looked much more composed alongside a commanding centre-half like Nelsen, and Nelsen was just fantastic. What a player we may have. He won everything, was a threat at every set piece, and used the ball intelligently most of the time. He cost us nothing! Tugay was closed down quickly and struggled to cope most of the time. Savage did ok without being his usual self - clearly the injury, and I suppose the early booking, hampered him. Flitcroft came on and was solid enough but gave the ball away as well. Emerton was back to his annoying best and MGP, while being our biggest threat (mainly at set-pieces), didn't impose himself enough for me. Cracking winner though and I wouldn't mind now if we named a stand after him! Dickov was disappointing up front, his control let him down time and time again, and Gallagher just wasn't good enough - again. I guess Hughes has decided to give Gally a run of games but it's just not working. Stead and Jansen are far bigger threats and need to be brought back into the squad for the Everton game. It was a cup-tie and the result is all that really matters. Burnley fans will go away saying they matched us on the pitch, outsung us in the stands, and will be playing us in the Premiership within a year or two. The truth is that, while Burnley did indeed match us for most of the time on the pitch, they only created one chance in 180 minutes of play - and that was a wonder strike. In terms of singing, we out-sung them for much of the first half until they scored, and they out-sung us for much of the second-half until we scored. The atmosphere at Ewood was far better than the Turf Moor atmosphere imo. And Burnley will not get promoted until they increase the depth of their squad and add more flair to their midfield. The bottom line is that we're still the Pride of Lancashire and we're in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Mokoena, Nelsen, Johansson, Emerton, Savage (Flitcroft 45), Tugay, Pedersen, Dickov, Gallagher (Bothroyd 59), Bothroyd (Reid 79). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Short. Booked: Savage. Goals: Tugay 31, Pedersen 86. Burnley: Jensen, Duff, Sinclair, Cahill, Camara, Grant (Branch 83), Oster, Hyde (Roche 90), Whittingham, Valois, Moore. Subs Not Used: Coyne, Pilkington, Scott. Booked: Cahill, Grant. Goals: Hyde 42. Att: 28,691. Ref: H Webb

Rovers crowd get a mention in todays Leicester Mercury.

It wasnt pretty, it wasnt clever. All that matters on this occation is the result Rovers 2 Burnley 1 Goals by Tugay and Pederson. BLACKBURN ROVERS FC - PRIDE OF LANCASHIRE AND UNBEATEN BY BURNLEY SINCE 14 APRIL 1979 Enough Said. LINK TO MATCH REPORT