A long spell of Blackburn pressure comes to an end and Stoke go on the counter with Lawrence who wins a corner and the final whistle is seconds away.

Blackburn are lumping balls forward at every opportunity and Stoke are inviting pressure on themselves but they are managing to deal with everything that is thrown at them so far.

There is plenty of battle in Blackburn as we approach the end of the game but they have not played good enough football to break through the Stoke back-line.

Blackburn gain an opportunity with a Pedersen corner but he sends it too close to Sorensen who plucks the ball out of the air.

The visitors are throwing men forward now but Stoke are balancing things out by getting plenty behind the ball.

That goal could be vital in the relegation scrap and three points here for Stoke would give them a massive chance of staying in the Premiership.

The game continues to move on in a very scrappy manner and it seems well on course to be a 0-0 fixture.

Villanueva gets his first touch on the ball and tries to work his way into the box but the commanding presence of Faye stands in the way.

A long ball over the top catches the Rovers defence off guard and Beattie is through on goal but Robinson is quick off his line to boot the ball away to safety.

Fuller moves forward down the right flank and has Etherington open in the box but he tries to go it alone and eventually wins a corner off Nelsen.

A Delap trademark throw causes problems in the box as Fuller lays the ball off to Lawrence but his shot sails wide of the target.

Blackburn mount some pressure on Stoke and eventually win a corner which comes to nothing as Samba is penalised for a tug on a Stoke shirt.

Etherington makes a run into the box and is picked out at the far post but he fails to connect with the ball and should have done better with that close range opportunity.

Lawrence hits a vicious half volley from the side of the box that is dipping into the top corner before Robinson pulls off a top drawer save to turn the ball around the post.

The second-half has begun in a similar fashion to which the first ended as the scrappy nature of the game continues.

It seems the nerves on the pitch have spread into the stands as the crowd inside the Britannia Stadium are very quiet.

The Stoke players are still arguing with Howard Webb about that penalty decision as we approach the end of the first-half.

Stoke have another penalty turned down, this time with a more convincing case as Fuller is brought down by Samba who did not seem to get anything on the ball.

Neither side looks like making a breakthrough at the moment and Stoke cannot get past Ryan Nelsen who has been immense at the heart of the Rovers defence so far.

Pedersen bends Blackburn#s third corner of the game into the mixer but it is headed clear at the front post by Shawcross.

There is a stoppage in play as Howard Webb tries to diffuse a fracas on the pitch between Shawcross and Ooijer,

Whelan clips the ball into the box and Shawcross is lurking in the danger area but Pedersen manages to shield the ball away form danger.

This game has the appearance of a nervy encounter and both sides will know that this is the most important game of the season for them so far.

A wonderful chance for Danny Higginbotham with an open header from inside the box but he fails to find the target and is left holding his head in his hands.

Liam Lawrence searches out a team-mate in the box and James Beattie goes down after a shove from a Rovers defender. Stoke appeal for a penalty but Howard Webb waves away the protests.

Blackburn have defended very well so far in this game and are managing to resist the persistent Stoke crosses into the box.

Benni McCarthy curls a free-kick into the mixer and Pedersen gets a shot away from the edge of the box but Glenn Whelan charges it down. The home side cannot afford to keep giving Pedersen shots from that sort of range.

A lack of communication in the Stoke defence sees Faye try to send a header back to his goalkeeper who has rushed off his line to collect the ball and has to make a good reaction save to stop his defender's header finding the net.

There is no real hurry to Stoke's play any more and they seem happy enough just to keep possession.

Delap launches another long throw into the box and it falls loose inside the box with Ryan Shawcross ready to pounce but Pedersen hacks the ball away to safety.

Stoke try to get the ball in the box through a Rory Delap throw but Rovers manage to clear their lines.

Blackburn have found their feet a little now after a bright start from Tony Pulis' men and are enjoying decent spells of possession.

Abdoulaye Faye hooks away a cross as far as Morten Gamst Pedersen who strikes it first time on the volley but fails to work Thomas Sorensen.

Stoke have come flying out of the traps and the Blackburn defence look shell-shocked.

Stoke have made a good start to the game and Ricardo Fuller bursts into the box before trying to find Matthew Etherington in a great position but his cross is poor and the move comes to an end.

James Beattie gets an early shot away but it flashes wide of the target to the relief of Paul Robinson.