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  • Date: 2005-10-01
  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Attendance: 20721
  • Referee: Rennie, U

Live Commentary

90mins

Blackburn coming out deserved winners after a great second half performance

90mins

Nathan Ellington fires wide of Brad Friedel's goal

88mins

Shefki Kuqi scores his second of the game with a cool finish underneath Chris Kirkland

85mins

Steven Reid fires wide after more good play by Paul Dickov

84mins

Morten Gamst Pedersen goes down in the penalty area but again the referee waves play on

80mins

Shefki Kuqi rises high above the West Brom defence to put Rovers into the lead

77mins

Geoff Horsfield coming on to replace Diomansy Kamara

75mins

Martin Albrechtsen blocks a Michael Gray cross with his hand resulting in a free-kick for Blackburn

73mins

Aaron Mokoena has a headed chance cleared of the goal line

72mins

Aaron Mokoena unable to realease Brett Emerton who would have had a clear chance to break the deadlock

70mins

Blackburn win fourth corner in a row to keep the pressure on the West Brom defence

68mins

Great link up between Paul Dickov and Morten Gamst Pedersen resulting in a chance for Brett Emerton who made Chris Kirkland save

65mins

Nathan Ellington coming on to replace Kevin Campbell

64mins

Lucas Neill goes close with a curling left footed effort

63mins

Richard Chaplow makes an outstanding block to deny Morten Gamst Pedersen

62mins

Aaron Mokoena replacing Kerimoglu Tugay

61mins

Brett Emerton comes on replacing the on loan David Bentley

60mins

Paul Dickov goes down in the area but the referee waves play on

55mins

Ryan Nelsen booked for a strong challenge on Martin Albrechtsen

54mins

Good play by Paul Dickov before pulling his shot wide

52mins

Shefki Kuqi rushes Chris Kirkland who struggled to clear past the big fin

50mins

A powerfull strike by Steven Reid straight at Chris Kirkland

48mins

Chris Kirkland smothers a good Paul Dickov cross

47mins

Martin Albrechtsen does very well to get to the ball before Paul Dickov who looked very dangerous

45mins

A scrappy first half comes to a close at Ewood Park with neither side being able to break the deadlock. Shefki Kuqi went closest after coming on to replace the injured Craig Bellamy

44mins

Zurab Khizanishvili heads close but West Brom manage to clear there lines

43mins

Steven Reid fouls Chris Kirkland who did well to collect a dangerously whipped in cross

42mins

Steven Reid fires wired of Chris Kirkland's goal

40mins

David Bentley beats two men and fires narrowly wired

36mins

Neil Clement strkes the free-kick low but Ryan Nelsen does well to block

35mins

Ryan Nelsen fortunate not to be cautioned for a foul on Richard Chaplow

31mins

Lucas Neill cautioned for a cynical foul on Zoltan Gera

28mins

Curtis Davies blocks an attempted cross by Morten Gamst Pedersen

22mins

Cross by Lucas Neill cleared by Martin Albrechtsen

20mins

Zoltan Gera left footed from 18 yards puts the ball high over Brad Friedel's bar

18mins

Ryan Nelsen shot from edge of area well blocked by Richard Chaplow

16mins

Shefki Kuqi leaps above Martin Albrechtsen to head inches wide with his first touch

15mins

Chris Kirkland claims the corner delivered in by Morten Gamst Pedersen

14mins

David Bentley whips in a dangerous delivery and wins another corner

13mins

Craig Bellamy is replaced by Shefki Kuqi

11mins

Zoltan Gera fires narrowly wide from long distance

9mins

Diomansy Kamara squares to Richard Chaplow who's shot was blocked before Brad Friedel did well to deny Jonathan Greening

7mins

Martin Albrechtsen crosses well and Kevin Campbell is inches from connecting

3mins

Paul Dickov shoots right footed but Chris Kirkland saves easily

1mins

Bright start by Rovers putting early pressure on the West Brom defence

Match Report

Shefki Kuqi opened his Blackburn account with two goals in the final 10 minutes, as Rovers were worthy winners in Mark Hughes' 50th game in charge of the club.

The Finland International, a 14th minute substitute for Craig Bellamy, headed home his first from a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner on 80 minutes and as the final whistle approached, he wrapped up the points for the home side with a cool finish past Chris Kirkland.

Hughes was forced into one change from the side that famously defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford last Saturday.

Steven Reid slotted into the midfield in place of the suspended Robbie Savage, while Andy Todd was named amongst the substitutes following a four-game absence.

Bryan Robson made three changes to the team that lost 2-1 to high-flying Charlton last weekend.

Robert Earnshaw failed to make the 16, with Diomansy Kamara partnering Kevin Campbell in attack, while Martin Albrechtsen and Richard Chaplow replaced Steve Watson and Andy Johnson in the starting 11.

Both sides started well with Rovers registering the first effort on goal. Lucas Neill's ball into the box was instantly controlled by Paul Dickov, but his left-footed shot on the turn went harmlessly into the arms of Kirkland.

West Brom responded well and looked a threat down the flank.

On seven minutes, Albrechtsen burst down the right and supplied a superb ball across the face of goal, but Zurab Khizanishvili's faint touch prevented Campbell having an easy tap-in at the back post.

Four minutes later and again Albion broke with intent. Kamara bustled his way down the left, before pulling the ball back to Chaplow in the centre. The ex-Burnley man's effort was blocked, but when the ball fell kindly for Jonathan Greening three yards out, Brad Friedel was forced into a superb reaction save.

Rovers were dealt a cruel blow when Bellamy signalled to the bench that he needed to come off. The former Newcastle striker had only returned to the Rovers side for the game against his old club last month, after picking up a thigh injury while on international duty.

Kuqi was brought on to replace the Welshman and his arrival almost brought an instant reward.

David Bentley floated a ball in from the right, but after rising highest at the far post, the big Finn headed just inches wide of the visitors goal.

As the half progressed, struggling Albion looked much the better of the two sides, as Rovers failed to get hold of the ball.

With Savage a notable absentee and Tugay struggling to make an impression, it was left to Bentley to provide Rovers' biggest threat.

On 40 minutes, the England Under-21 international skipped past three Albion players down the centre before firing wide of the target from 20 yards.

Three minutes later and the former Arsenal midfielder again broke forward. He showed good skill to beat his man down the left, before looking to pick out Reid in the centre, but the Irishman was penalised for his challenge on Kirkland.

With the momentum now firmly with the home side, Hughes' men looked to make the breakthrough just seconds before the interval.

Michael Gray picked out Kuqi at the back post and when the substitute headed the ball down to Khizanishvili it looked certain he would score, but the Georgian's left-footed effort was deflected wide for a corner.

Rovers continued where they had left off in the first half and almost took the lead just two minutes after the break.

Pedersen found Kuqi down the right, who delivered a seemingly perfect ball into the box, but Albrechtsen somehow got there just in front of Dickov to steer the ball out for a corner.

Dickov was proving to be a real handful, as Rovers continued to press.

On 53 minutes, the Scotland international dragged the shot wide after a surging run and just six minutes later he believed he should have had a penalty after getting a push in the back by Curtis Davies

Pederson, Rovers' Old Trafford hero, was next to make the attempted breakthrough. After picking up the ball on the left the Norwegian winger cut inside two Albion defenders, but his shot on his weaker right foot was well blocked.

Much to the delight of the Ewood Park crowd, the breakthrough finally arrived in the 80th minute.

Kuqi's snap shot, following a clever backheel from Dickov, was deflected wide and from the resulting corner the flying Fin outjumped Neil Clement in the six-yard box to head home past Kirkland.

Rovers pushed for another and got the reward their second-half effort deserved two minutes from time.

After collecting the ball under pressure, Davies attempted to find his keeper, but the pass was considerably under-hit and Kuqi added his second of the game, slotting the ball through the legs of the on-loan Liverpool keeper.

Man of the Match: Shefki Kuqi - The big Finnish striker made all the difference after replacing Craig Bellamy early on in the game, gaining his reward with two goals to seal the victory.

Blackburn Rovers

West Bromwich Albion

Corners

111

Fouls

1517

Goal attempts

206

Shots off target

93

Offsides

42

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