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The whistle goes and that late Sunderland goal isn't enough as Rovers seal all 3 points from the Stadium of Light after 2 goals in 2 minutes.
Nervous times for both sides here, and Hughes wont be happy that he is waiting out on the game like this when it should have been wrapped up a little while ago.
There are FOUR minutes of stoppage time!
Leadbitter has scored! Probably Sunderland's best player today deserved that goal, and his effort from the edge of the box has given the home team some hope!
Santa Cruz gets a strong header in on goal, but the effort goes just over the bar, unlucky there for Rovers.
David Dunn comes off and Maceo Rigters replaces him.
Sunderland have gained 5 of their 8 points this season after scoring late on, so the game isn't over yet for the Black Cats.
Cruz tries to capatilise on a Sunderland error, but he cant, and the play turns into nothing as the ball goes out of play.
Blackburn have a man down, but Sunderland carry on, Rovers will look to see this out and hope Bentley hasn't sustained an injury.
The game seems to be swinging towards Rovers at the moment, though Mark Hughes wont be so confident just yet.
Kerimoglu Tugay is taken off and replaced by Robbie Savage.
Tuguy was down for a while there and with an important European game on thursday, Tuguy is a man Rovers certainly need fit.
Keane has made a very brave decision in bringing on all 3 subs at once, the question is, will it pay off or will Rovers hold out?
Matt Derbyshire comes off as Morten Gamst Pedersen comes on.
Wallace, Yorke and Chopra all come off in a bold triple substitution as Connolly, Murphy and Donovan all come on.
Danny Collins is booked for a foul a couple of minutes ago, the referree was just waiting for play to stop before he booked the player.
Blackburn lose the ball too easily, and they just need to play it simple from this moment on, there's no need to invite more pressure on themselves.
And in the space of a couple of minutes, the game has completley changed, and what must Roy Keane be thinking now!
Gordon makes a great save and has kept the slim lifeline that the home side have at the moment.
Santa Cruz volleys home! And what a deverstating spell of football from Blackburn there, Brett Emerton headed the ball across and it was Cruz, who having just assisted the first goal, now scores the second.
David Bentley scores! The midfielder fires home from 12 yards out after the ball fell kindly to him after Santa Cruz had produced some good work and had his inital shot deflected.
The home crowd are certainly well voiced but their side cant seem to respond.
Neither side has made any tatical changes at the break, and after such a good performance against Birmingham during the week, away fans must be wondering what has happened to their side.
The game restarts and will both teams change their approach to this game? The fans, for one, will certainly hope so.
The whistle goes and the teams go into the break in a game with few real chances, though Sunderland will feel they deserved a penalty 5 minutes before half time.
There will be two minutes of time to be added on.
Sunderland have risen their tempo in the last few minutes, and the passionate home crowd are right benhind them.
Sunderland appeal loudly for a penalty after Chopra appears to be brought down by Freidel, but referee Walton gives a corner instead.
Derbyshire recieves the ball through a lucky deflection of a Sunderland defender, and he twists and shoots, but the effort is just wide.
Dunn beats a couple of players and plays a good through ball, but it has just too much on it and Santa Cruz cant reach the pass.
Rovers are playing some decent football as they show a good array of long range passes.
Warnock and a Sunderland player both receive treatment and there is a couple of minutes break in play that will no doubt be added on at the end.
Stephen Warnock was down injured but play continued anyway, but luckily for Rovers, Sunderland cant make anything of the situation.
Leadbitter again has another strike on goal from long range, but it's too close to Freidel, and the Amercian comfortably saves.
Leadbitter has a couple of bites at the cherry as he attempts a shot on goal, but the number of defenders back for Rovers mean that he is unable to.
Rover's first corner of the game is a rather tame effort, and the ball goes safely into the Sunderland's goalkeeper's hands.
David Bently recieves boo's from the home fans, and it seems people still haven't forgiven or forgotton about Bentley's decision to opt out of the England squad a few months ago.
Nyron Nosworthy commits a foul on Santa Cruz, but instead of a booking, the referee decides on just a talking to.
Leadbitter puts in a good corner, but Friedel does well to punch it clear, Sunderland get back the ball, but cant get it back in the box as the chance goes.
Brad Friedel is making his 120th consecutive start in the Premier League today, the sequence started back in the 04/05 season.
Andre Ooijer makes a good tackle in the Rovers box and breaks up a Sunderland attack.
A relatively slow start to this game as neither side has been able to get a real chance in on goal.
There has been just as much talk about the respective managers along with the match today as Roy Keane and Mark Hughes both ex-United players go head-to-head.
Peter Walton is the referee for this afternoon's game at the Stadium of Light, and visitors Blackburn will be looking to continue their good form from midweek's Carling Cup victory.
Benni McCarthy is out the squad while Savage and Pedersen are on the bench as Rovers start with: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Bentley, Kerimoglu, Mokoena, Dunn, Derbyshire, Santa Cruz
Nyron Nosworthy passes a fitness test and starts but Sunderland are missing 7 key players including Andy Cole & Etuht, who is suspended, starting XI: Gordon, McShane, Nosworthy, Higginbotham, Collins, Leadbitter, Yorke, Miller, Wallace, Chopra, Jones
Two former Manchester United firebrands meet for the first time on the touchline when Roy Keane's Sunderland host Mark Hughes' Blackburn Rovers this weekend. The two United legends played alongside each other for two seasons at Old Trafford and have both been mentioned as heir apparent to the Red Devils hot-seat when Sir Alex Ferguson finally decides to end his reign. But for now both famously driven characters will be 100 per cent focused on leading their respective sides to three Premier League points on Saturday. Confidence is currently high in the Black Cats' camp following their battling 2-2 derby draw with Middlesbrough last weekend. Substitute Liam Miller earned his side a last-gasp point at the Riverside Stadium after the home side looked to be heading towards a rare victory. That precious point came on the back of a 2-1 victory over Reading seven days earlier to move Sunderland into the relative comfort of mid-table. However, Keane will be without Dickson Etuhu after the midfield powerhouse picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend, while defender Nyron Nosworthy is rated doubtful as he continues to be troubled by a knee injury. Blackburn arrive at the Stadium of Light looking to get their season back on track after back-to-back defeats. Before Wednesday's 3-0 Carling Cup third round win over a weakened Birmingham City side, a 2-0 UEFA Cup defeat to Larissa was followed by 1-0 reverse at the hands of Portsmouth in the league to leave Hughes bemoaning his side's fixture demands. "There wasn't quite that intensity to our play, which we have come to expect at Ewood Park," he said. "That might have something to do with our game in Europe, but we don't want to use that as an excuse." The Rovers boss resisted the temptation to make massive changes to his line-up for the midweek League Cup clash, but lost Jason Roberts to a thigh injury that could sideline the striker until next month.
A quickfire double blast saw Blackburn Rovers take the spoils against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. A long-range strike by Grant Leadbitter in the 89th minute gave the hosts a glimmer of hope that they could rescue a point, but Rovers held firm under pressure to secure the victory. It was a case of too little too late for the Black Cats, who had more than matched their opponents in the opening half of the Premier League clash. But defensive errors were to prove costly for the hosts as they were caught napping in the second half. Blackburn made the most of the mistakes and cruised into a two-goal lead as David Bentley and Roque Santa Cuz found the target. Early on the game was played at a high tempo, but neither side could either dominate possession or test the opposition keeper. Sunderland's Craig Gordon dealt with long-range efforts from Bentley and David Dunn with ease. The best chance of the half fell to Rovers striker Matt Derbyshire, who should have tested the Black Cats keeper when he was presented with a lucky break on 40 minutes. A long shot from team-mate hit the Blackburn forward before ricocheting off defender Nyron Nosworthy and falling kindly for Derbyshire, who hooked his shot wide. Brad Friedel in the visitors' goal was hardly overrun either, although the American was called on in the dying moments of the opening half. A through ball by Liam Miller was chased down by Michael Chopra. Friedel came of his line quickly and the Sunderland striker went down under his challenge, but his appeals for a penalty were rightly turned down. Replays showed that Friedel had in fact made contact with the ball before the player. There was little else of note in a first half which lacked any real spark in the final third, although the football was end to end. Blackburn came out with intent after the break and got their rewards on 53 minutes when Bentley fired home. Santa Cruz's shot hit both Danny Higginbotham and Nosworthy before falling to Bentley, who fired home to give his side the lead. Less than 60 seconds later the Black Cats trailed 2-0 as a woeful backpass by Danny Higginbotham let in Brett Emerton. His effort was initially saved by Gordon, but the ball bounced up invitingly for the Australian and he headed into the centre of goal where Santa Cruz was waiting to apply the finishing touch. The Black Cats had a slim chance of getting something from the game when Leadbitter struck late on, but an equaliser would have been tough on Rovers, who were worthy winners.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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