Fulham v Blackburn live!

11 March 2009 19:45
90+4 ALL OVER. What a vital three points for Rovers. Jason Roberts' goal could be crucial in their battle for survival.[LNB]90+4 Added time is just about up as Schwarzer pumps it long. Nevland gets on the end of Murphy's ball and Robinson pulls off a brilliant left-handed save as he goes for goal.[LNB]90+3 Another corner for Rovers. It looks all up for Fulham as they look to keep it in the corner.[LNB]90+2 Final change for Fulham and Nevland is on for Davies.[LNB]90 Corner to Fulham conceded by Samba. Robinson flaps at the cross but Styles blows for a foul.[LNB]89 There are going to be four minutes of added time. That will be hard to bear for Rovers supporters.[LNB]89 Rovers are looking to run down the clock now and plant the ball into the corner. It's hard to over-estimate how crucial three points will be for them this evening.[LNB]86 Pedersen goes off to be replaced by Dunn. The Norwegian made a telling last contribution though with the ball for Roberts' goal.[LNB]85 GOAL ROVERS. Precious goal from Roberts. He takes Pedersen's pass and rolls substitute Kallio before firing past Schwarzer. What a strike that could be for the visitors.[LNB]84 Offside against Roberts who also has a coming together with Pantsil.[LNB]83 Another change and Tugay's work is done. He is replaced by Mokoena.[LNB]82 Dempsey tries a looping header but it lands harmlessly on the top of Robinson's net.[LNB]81 Another change for Fulham and Gera makes way for Kamara[LNB]78 Toni Kallio is on in place of Hughes who picked up a knock.[LNB]78 Johnson goes down on the edge of the box as he tries to spin away from Nelson and get on the end of Gera's ball. He appeals for a foul but Styles wants nothing to do with it.[LNB]77 Warnock tries his luck once again but does not catch it clean this time and Schwarzer gathers comfortably.[LNB]75 Another good effort from Rovers. Ooijer lets fly from distance but it was always going wide. The visitors are looking strong now.[LNB]73 Tugay has a go from 25 yards but it bobbles through to Schwarzer. There was an initial suspicion of offside against the Rovers equaliser when the second ball came in but Diouf was inactive at the time.[LNB]72 Another great save from Schwarzer - and again Warnock is the one denied. There would have been uproar there is that had gone in as Pedersen was down hurt in the box.[LNB]69 GOAL BLACKBURN: Diouf scores from close range after Samba heads the ball across the area. Long throw in from Pedersen was only half-cleared and the former Bolton man makes Fulham pay.[LNB]67 Gera concedes a free-kick in the centre circle but Schwarzer comes 12 yards out to gather Tugay's knock in.[LNB]64 Hangeland concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position which McCarthy lines up but he gets under the ball and it balloons over the bar.[LNB]63 Couple of comments to add. Brammers thinks Fulham will regret not finishing Rovers off while Scott thinks Blackburn should be beating teams like Fulham.[LNB]62 Super move from Fulham as Dempsey combines with Konchesky. The defender slides the ball across the area but it narrowly evades Johnson.[LNB]60 Davies gets a great first-time cross in looking for Johnson who can't quite get across Nelson to find the vital touch. Rovers have gone 4-4-2 now so may leave space for Fulham to exploit.[LNB]59 Nelson has a go with another volley but his effort is wide.[LNB]58 Another super strike from Warnock but Schwarzer is equal to the task to claw the ball away for a corner. Brilliant save there.[LNB]57 First change and McCarthy is on in place of the anonymous Andrews. Will this do the trick for Rovers.[LNB]56 Gera does well and exchanges passes with Johnson, forcing Givet to concede a corner. Davies goes near post but Dempsey can't connect.[LNB]54 Davies creates panic down the Rovers right and finds Johnson but he's unable to swivel on the ball and get his shot in.[LNB]53 Murphy finds his way into Styles' book after bringing down Warnock.[LNB]51 Hangeland gets in a powerful header from Murphy's corner but Rovers block his effort at the expense of another corner which Davies takes but it comes to nothing.[LNB]49 Murphy plays a sloppy pass which is picked up by Pedersen who drives into the Fulham box but is eventually crowded out.[LNB]47 Hangeland towers over Diouf and takes the Blackburn man out at the same time. Hard but fair by the big fella![LNB]46 We are underway again. No changes on either side.[LNB] Just moments before the second half gets going and John[LNB] has been in touch to say: "What would people prefer? Ince to still be in charge? We would be adrift at the bottom now if we were still playing as we were under him. Big Sam has done the best with what he's got. He's got the defence organised again and we are a much harder to beat." What do you think Rovers fans? chris.harvey@bskyb.com is the address.[LNB] Betting update: Sky Bet now make Fulham 1/3 to hold onto their lead while Rovers are now 8/1. The draw is 3/1.[LNB] Blackburn fan Darren is a little more optimistic and says: "I think the Rovers lads are going to pull it together in the second half. Roberts needs to take full advantage of his run in the side and get his act together infront of goal, Pedersen needs to recapture his form of the past with his crossing and distance shooting, and Diouf needs to find a bit of form. There's no point in moaning about the team, we can't buy anyone or change anything now, lets get behind the team and push them over the finishing line."[LNB]Jordan wonders why David Dunn has not started the game and says: "To win games you need your attacking and creative players on. How can Sam leave such a vital creative player, Dunn, out of the team?"[LNB]Nobby is another not exactly in the Big Sam fan club and says: "As a born and bred Rovers fan I'm not that happy with the job Sam is doing. For me he picks the wrong team too often and we're still in the mire."[LNB] So to those emails. Ian says: "Pedersen has been a disgrace, he's been missing for the last 2 seasons. How many assists and goals has he had in the last two years? I just don't understand why we are playing,a defensive formation against the likes of Fulham and Everton and not a 4-4-2 formation."[LNB]45 Diouf has been booked by Styles for giving the referee a mouthful as the teams leave the field. Not sure what his gripe is.[LNB]45 That's half-time. Now for a cuppa and to tackle your emails......[LNB]44 Just one minute of stoppage time to be added. Apart from the goal, Robinson has barely had a save to make and I think Rovers will feel a little hard done to.[LNB]42 Konchesky is late on Diouf who wins a free-kick.[LNB]41 Scramble in the Fulham box. Roberts gets on the end of it but Konchesky does enough to shut him out.[LNB]40 Johnson tries to break Rovers' offside trap but he's flagged as he goes a fraction early. Thanks for all your comments by the way. I'll try and get through them at half-time - and from what I can see it's a pretty mixed bag.[LNB]38 Good turn by Roberts but his swinger goes well wide of Schwarzer's goal.[LNB]37 Dempsey looks to take advantage of some more hesitant defending by Rovers but they manage to deny him this time[LNB]35 Fulham are really struggling to get any pattern to their play here. Blackburn are really disrupting their passing.[LNB]31 Another chance for Pedersen to deliver but his corner is too close to Schwarzer who catches with ease.[LNB]30 Pedersen again crosses from the left but Hughes clears at the expense of a corner. The Norwegian takes the set-piece but it comes to nothing.[LNB]29 Pedersen has a pop from distance but skies his effort way over the bar. To be fair it sat up on him a bit there.[LNB]27 Fulham have a free-kick which is threaded through by Murphy for Johnson but his pull-back fails to find a white shirt.[LNB]Alex also disagrees with Ed and says: "Pedersen can swing decent crosses in creating the odd chance and Diouf is an attacking player who can also create some chances."[LNB]25 Ed has created a bit of a storm with his comments. Theo says: "This is the best team we could possibly put out we have injuries therefore cannot play our best side. Diouf has looked good and has delivered some good crosses since he has arrived. Roberts has been dreadful but we have no other striker Santa Cruz is injured and Derbyshire is on loan. While for Pedersen, rather have him there any day over Treacy."[LNB]24 Schwarzer gets a clout from Diouf as he gathers a back-header from Hangeland. Don't think there was anything nasty in that one though.[LNB]23 Dempsey is penalised for handball. Diouf lines up the free-kick but his effort loops into the arms of Schwarzer.[LNB]21 Warnock tries to drive Rovers forward again but there's no way through the home defence this time.[LNB]18 Great opening for Fulham. Etuhu hurls in a long thrown, Dempsey flicks on and Gera can't keep his close-range effort down and it loops over.[LNB]16 Rovers hit the post. Great effort by Warnock who curls it with his left foot which hits the inside of the upright with Schwarzer well beaten. So unlucky there - and what a great pass by Roberts to put him in.[LNB]14 Ed has been in touch to say: "How can Sam justify this abysmal starting XI. Pedersen can't cross let alone do something inside the box, neither can Roberts on current form and Diouf has not looked a threat since he arrived. Based on the fact that this is our game in hand and as Sam said "a must not lose" then he does not deserve to keep us up if this is his idea of a threatening side!" Harsh words Ed. Anyone else agree - get in touch chris.harvey@bskyb.com[LNB]12 Warnock is late on Murphy but the Fulham man gets straight off and his former Liverpool teammate escapes with just a ticking off from Rob Styles when many would have booked him.[LNB]11 Great chance for Fulham with Dempsey again the creator. He finds Davies in acres of space but he hammers his shot straight at Robinson who parries.[LNB]10 Pedersen gets some space after selling a super dummy to Gera but he can't get his cross through. The resulting corner is easy for Schwarzer.[LNB]9 Diouf has a pop but his effort is well wide of the post.[LNB]8 Another great opening for Fulham. Dempsey plays a delightful touch for Johnson but just as AJ pulls the trigger, Warnock slides in to deny him with a superb challenge.[LNB]7 Pedersen hurls a long throw into the Cottagers' box aimed for Samba but the Fulham defence stand firm.[LNB]5 Diouf gets in a good cross which finds Pedersen's head but he can't get any power behind his effort and it's easy for Schwarzer.[LNB]4 Davies has a go with his left foot which is deflected behind for a corner. Johnson fails to get on the end of the cross and Rovers scramble away.[LNB]3 Rovers look shell-shocked by that early strike and Diouf is caught offside as they look to build an attack.[LNB]2 GOAL FULHAM. Dempsey breaks through, shrugs off a defender and slots it beyond a helpless Robinson. It was pretty straightforward with the ball bouncing beyond Samba and Dempsey was just too strong to knock it in left footed.[LNB] Fulham get the game started and Gera tries to get his side going early on.[LNB] There's a minute's silence before kick-off in memory of Fulham great Eddie Lowe who died recently. The silence is impeccably observed.[LNB] News on Zamora is he has a hip injury so Gera is drafted in. He'll play in midfield with Clint Dempsey pushing up to support Andy Johnson in attack. Tugay also gets a rare start for the visitors.[LNB] The teams are on the pitch with Rovers in a changed strip of all blue. Does make me wonder - there would have been no clash with their traditional kit surely![LNB] As we approach kick off, Ibby from Accrington has been in touch and is tipping Big Sam to get Blackburn out of trouble. He also fancies a 2-1 win for the visitors tonight with Jason Roberts on target.[LNB] The teams are in - Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Davies, Etuhu, Murphy, Gera, Dempsey, Johnson. Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Kamara, Dacourt, Gray, Stoor, Kallio. Blackburn: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Andrews, Kerimoglu, Warnock, Diouf, Roberts, Pedersen. Subs: Bunn, Dunn, McCarthy, Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Villanueva, Simpson.[LNB] Ex-pat Michael from Cleveland, Ohio has been in touch to predict a 2-0 Fulham win with Andy Johnson bagging both goals. On the other side of the fence Rovers fan Ger, from Ireland, fancies the visitors to triumph by the same score.[LNB] News coming out of the Blackburn camp is Roque Santa Cruz is missing from their starting line-up as is Benni McCarthy. Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has left Bobby Zamora out of their team with Zoltan Gera slotting in.[LNB] So would anyone like to make a pre-match prediction? Rovers fans - are you happy with the job Sam Allardyce is doing at Ewood Park? Let me know your thoughts - chris.harvey@bskyb.com[LNB] Quick betting update. Sky Bet make Fulham 5/4 favourites to win with Rovers 21/10. The draw is available at 12/5.[LNB] Welcome to live coverage of this crucial Premier League clash. Blackburn will be desperate for three points to pull themselves out of the drop zone while Fulham will also want to pick up a win to put more daylight between themselves and the bottom three. I'll bring you the teams as soon as I get them.[LNB] Live updates will appear here from 2000 GMT.[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports