Blackburn Rovers Football Club News

• Nickname:Rovers
• Founded:1875
• Manager:Steve Kean

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Allardyce admits penalty fortune

29 Mar 2010 - 07:40:08

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Sam Allardyce admitted Blackburn Rovers were a little fortunate to be awarded a decisive penalty in Sunday's controversial derby victory over Burnley.

The only goal of the game arrived from the penalty spot in the 20th minute after referee Mike Dean adjudged that Martin Olsson had been brought down by the legs of Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

"It's slightly harsh against Burnley when you look at it from the angles and you slow it down," admitted Allardyce.

"But when you look at it from Mike Dean's position and his point of view it definitely looks like a penalty.

"I was jumping up and down like a lunatic when he was brought down, so for me it looked like a penalty.

"There might only be slight contact, but there it's gone for you rather than against you.

"In a big game like this you need a little bit of luck and perhaps we have had that."

Meanwhile, Allardyce singled out Olsson for special praise following an eye-catching display in which the Sweden striker also had a goal disallowed.

"He made numerous chances for himself, a great number of runs and it's a great shame he had his goal rubbed out which was disallowed for offside. We've had a look at it and we're not sure it was," he added.

"He got the penalty and Dunny's tucked that away, then he's got a volley that has hit the bar and come out and a right-foot volley that has gone straight at the keeper.

"So he's made a hell of contribution to the game and I thought he should have won man of the match."