Source: Team_Talk
Hughes happy as City start with win
All eyes were on City and their clutch of summer signings on Saturday and it was one of their new players, Emmanuel Adebayor, that opened their account for the season after just three minutes.
The visitors were forced to survive intense periods of pressure to keep their lead in tact, Shay Given making fine saves to deny Chris Samba and Jason Roberts either side of the interval.
In the end though, City seemed to have their opponents' measure long before Stephen Ireland coolly slotted home a stoppage-time second.
"A lot of people were looking at us to see how it was going to go. It has been a positive afternoon from that point of view," said Hughes.
The most notable of Hughes' six summer acquisitions - Carlos Tevez - was only fit enough to come on for the final half hour.
By that time, £25million man Adebayor had already made his mark, repaying part of the vast fee that saw him move north from Arsenal.
"It was a great finish," said Hughes.
"He was excellent, along with a number of other players.
"The goal settled him down. He worked hard for his team-mates."
The result left Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce in frustrated mood given his side had performed so well.
"We are disappointed to get nothing out of the game," he said.
"Shay Given made a number of really top class saves but it wasn't our day."
Allardyce could not be critical of his side's defending for City's early opener, believing Stephen Warnock's untimely slip had provided the visitors with the opportunity to strike on the break.
And, the Rovers boss had to admit, Adebayor's finish was something special.
"City are going to be a danger on the break because of the players they have," he said.
"Unfortunately Stephen Warnock lost his footing but still it only created a half-chance for them. But Adebayor's finish was superb.
"Paul Robinson has only made two saves in the entire game, so defensively we did well. We just couldn't score."
Rovers now have an unscheduled midweek off due to Fulham's involvement in the Europa League.
They visit Sunderland next Saturday looking for their first points, with Allardyce accepting the gap between the Premier League's rump - and the elite City are intent on joining, is
growing ever wider.
"There has never been a level playing field," he said.
"The big teams have always had more money than the smaller ones.
But now the gap is much bigger. You just have to live with it the best way you can."
