Source: Team_Talk
Ryan's goal brings relief to Rovers
Nelsen applied the lightest of touches to Benni McCarthy's 54th-minute free-kick in the Premier League clash at Ewood Park to put Rovers within touching distance of their first three-point haul since November.[LNB]Defender Chris Samba had settled the home side's nerves with a fortuitous 25th-minute opener after he ricocheted home an attempted clearance by former Rover Damien Duff.[LNB]And despite some crisp counter-attacking and the acrobatics of Clint Dempsey, who saw a 36th-minute overhead kick beat Paul Robinson but crash back off the bar, Fulham threatened little.[LNB]It proved a winning gamble for boss Sam Allardyce who dropped talisman David Dunn to the bench after the rigours of Thursday's Carling Cup defeat to Aston Villa.[LNB]There was little doubt the strain had been showing on the Rovers boss after their long winless streak which saw them slide back within reach of the relegation zone.[LNB]And there were lingering fears over the effect of Dunn's absence during the low-key opening stages in which the pressure on the home side to produce a result was evident.[LNB]Rovers had a penalty claim waved away in the 14th minute when Nikola Kalinic fell under pressure from Brede Hangeland as he tried to meet Steven Reid's cross.[LNB]Counter-attacking brightly, the visitors created another chance in the 17th minute when the dangerous Dempsey headed Stephen Kelly's cross into Paul Robinson's arms.[LNB]As the tempo increased Reid's flick-on sent Kalinic scampering into the Fulham box only for Kelly to expertly take the ball off his toes and clear the danger.[LNB]McCarthy brought the home fans to life in the 24th minute when he chested down a punt forward from Samba before firing a right-foot shot which Schwarzer did well to punch over the bar.[LNB]But Rovers went ahead from the resulting set-piece with McCarthy flinging the ball in and Damien Duff's boot off the line striking Samba and ricocheting back into the net.[LNB]Hangeland's through-ball gave Fulham a chance to equalise on the half-hour but Johnson, who narrowly beat the offside trap, blazed over from the right flank.[LNB]Fulham came even closer in the 36th minute when Danny Murphy sent a free-kick in from the left and Dempsey reacted with his acrobatic over-head kick which struck the bar.[LNB]Home nerves frayed as Duff shot on target then Dempsey should have done better when he was sent clean through but curled his shot straight at Robinson.[LNB]Rovers went further ahead in the 54th minute when Nelsen got on the end of McCarthy's free-kick to finally all but end Rovers' long search for a league win.[LNB]Fulham pressed in ragged fashion, with Robinson holding a shot from Zoltan Gera then Samba booting clear from the six-yard box after Johnson drew out Robinson.[LNB]Searching for a goal of his own after two crisp assists, McCarthy fired a long-range free-kick just over, then turned provider again to set up Kalinic who stumbled on the edge of the box.[LNB]The result lifted Rovers up to 12th in the table, three points and three places behind Roy Hodgsons' Cottagers.[LNB][LNB]
