Football Live

Sunday February 24, 2008 Finished Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers 4 - Logo 1

Blackburn Rovers

  • McCarthy 25’, 67’
  • Bentley 71’
  • Pedersen 90’

Bolton Wanderers

  • Davies 50’
  1. Battling Blackburn down Bolton

    Battling Blackburn down Bolton

    Two penalties from Benni McCarthy inspired Blackburn to a 4-1 victory over Bolton in a gritty and engaging Lancashire Derby at Ewood Park. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackburn Rovers
    • Bolton Wanderers
    • 90+5' And that's it! Blackburn emerge with the points after a battling performance that will have delighted manager Mark Hughes. Credit to both teams for an engrossing game of football.
    • 90+4' GOAL! 4-1 Blackburn! Pedersen slams home Roberts's right-wing cross at the back post to give the scoreline a distinctly flattering gloss.
    • 90+2' Taylor plays a right-footed cross into the box from the left, but Blackburn manage to clear.
    • 90+1' The fourth official has indicated that there will be three minutes of injury time. One down...
    • 90' What a chance for Bolton! They catch Blackburn napping with a quick free-kick on the edge of the box and Gardner has time and space to send in a shot from the left that Friedel blocks at the near post!
    • 89' Taylor drifts in from the Bolton right and lets fly with a left-footer that flashes wide.
    • 88' Samba goes down after clearing the ball in front of Rasiak, and has to be dragged to his feet by a pair of embarrassed team-mates.
    • 87' Blackburn are still seeing a lot of the ball, and they're unsurprisingly trying to keep it as far away from goal as possible.
    • 85' Five minutes to go, and a goal for Bolton now would make things very interesting.
    • 83' Bentley swings a corner into the Bolton box from the far side but Jaaskelainen just about manages to punch it clear.
    • 82' Blackburn make their third and final change, and it's McCarthy who makes way for Jason Roberts.
    • 81' Diouf kicks the ball away like a spoiled brat after being penalised for a foul on the far side, and rightly goes into the book.
    • 79' Bentley is felled by Gardner wide on the right, but the referee's not interested.
    • 76' Changes for both sides. Bolton bring on Joey O'Brien and Tamir Cohen for Andy O'Brien and Campo, while Blackburn replace triple assist-maker Dunn with Aaron Mokoena.
    • 75' Penalty shout for Bolton! Rasiak's header strikes Samba on the arm but Clattenburg shakes his head!
    • 73' Nolan fells Dunn with a very weary-looking challenge, and is relieved to avoid a second yellow card.
    • 71' GOAL! 3-1 Blackburn! Bentley nods home Dunn's deflected left-wing cross at the far post, and that could be game over!
    • 70' Here comes the Bolton response and - surprise, surprise - it's in the form of a series of rather hopeful long balls into the area. The stage is set...
    • 68' Jaaskelainen and Pedersen engage in an ugly spot of argy-bargy in the immediate aftermath of the goal, and Dunn is then cautioned for sliding in alongside Andy O'Brien and grazing the Irishman's thigh with his hand. Strange, strange.
    • 67' McCarthy steps up again... AND SLAMS THE BALL INTO THE TOP-LEFT CORNER! Excellent penalty.
    • 66' PENALTY TO BLACKBURN! Cahill brings down Dunn from behind and this time Clattenburg has got it spot on!
    • 65' Blackburn appear to have weathered that storm and gathered their senses. And now they're on the attack!
    • 62' Another chance for Bolton! Cahill is picked out by Campo's free-kick, slams in a shot that Friedel keeps out at the near post and then runs the ball out of play when the ball comes back to him!
    • 61' Khizanishvili does well to clear with Davies closing him down. It's a brief moment of composure from a Blackburn side who are starting to look a little bit rattled.
    • 58' Campo's left-wing cross is half-cleared to the edge of the box and Nolan puts a difficult half-volley over the bar! Bolton are really on top here.
    • 57' Diouf goes down in characteristically spectacular/ambitious fashion on the goal-line with Samba in close attendance, but the ref awards a goal kick.
    • 56' Bentley curls a cross out of play for a Bolton goal kick.
    • 54' Nolan's leading a one-man quest to put his side ahead, and he tees up Taylor on the edge of the box, only for the former Portsmouth man to fire his shot well over the bar.
    • 53' Nolan shoots powerfully from the edge of the box, but it's straight at Friedel!
    • 52' We've got a game on our hands now! Diouf sends a rather aimless high ball from wide on the right straight at Friedel.
    • 50' GOAL! 1-1! Davies slams home a left-footed effort at the back post after a deep free-kick into the Blackburn box! And this one will definitely count!
    • 49' GOAL! 1-1! NO! Rasiak knees the ball into the net from Davies's right-wing cross but the linesman's flag is correctly raised.
    • 47' Campo - who's been getting up everyone's nose today - is penalised for an untidy foul on Reid.
    • 46' The second half begins! Gary Megson has introduced loan signing Gregorz Rasiak at half-time. Guthrie was the man to make way.
    • 45+1' Mark Clattenburg calls time on a first half that got better as it progressed. And it's Clattenburg who provided the main talking point of the game so far, with a harsh penalty award that allowed McCarthy to fire Blackburn ahead.
    • 45' There will be one minute of injury time.
    • 44' What a chance! Santa Cruz rises to meet Emerton's right-wing cross at the near post but heads the ball wide from only four yards!
    • 42' Penalty shout for Bolton! Samba catches Gary Cahill with a high boot inside the Blackburn box, but Clattenburg is unmoved.
    • 41' Diouf's corner from the left is headed out to the edge of the box but the onrushing Taylor can't take it in his stride and Blackburn clear.
    • 40' Lovely football from Blackburn! A deft interchange of passes culminates in Reid shanking a shot well over the bar from the edge of the area.
    • 39' Bolton hit the bar! Diouf beats his man inside the box on the left but sees his toe-poked effort blocked by Friedel, and Nolan sidefoots the rebound against the crossbar!
    • 38' Danger for Bolton! Pedersen floats an inviting cross to the back post and Bentley is inches away from connecting with it!
    • 37' Blackburn break down the right but Bentley's attempted crossfield pass to McCarthy is just behind the South African and Guthrie comes across to clear.
    • 36' Incidentally, Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan was booked for his role in the protests that followed the penalty decision.
    • 35' Bentley swings it to the back post but it's headed away.
    • 34' Bentley wins a corner for Blackburn on the left.
    • 32' Campo drifts a free-kick into the Blackburn box but Zurab Khizanishvili slyly prevents Davies from jumping and the ball goes behind for a goal kick.
    • 31' That goal was only McCarthy's second in 16 games. How Mark Hughes needs him firing as Blackburn hunt a European place...
    • 30' Dunn is penalised for hand-ball before being promptly, needlessly pushed over by Campo.
    • 29' Blackburn are knocking the ball around with a confidence unbefitting a side who are only ahead because of a dubiously-awarded penalty.
    • 27' Chance for Blackburn! McCarthy attacks a cross from the right but doesn't make a clean connection and it's a straightforward save for Jaaskelainen.
    • 25' McCarthy steps up... AND DRILLS THE BALL HOME! Blackburn can count themselves lucky. There was minimal contact between Steinsson and Dunn.
    • 24' PENALTY TO BLACKBURN! Dunn takes a tumble under a challenge from Steinsson on the left-hand side of the box and the referee points to the spot!
    • 23' Pedersen's dangerous cross from the left is brilliantly headed behind at the back post by Andy O'Brien! Samba gets his head to Bentley's subsequent corner but can't keep the ball down.
    • 21' Bentley sends in another cross from the right and Steinsson does well to head it clear with Roque Santa Cruz closing in.
    • 20' Ricardo Gardner loses the ball to Bentley on the edge of his own box but does brilliantly to win it back before being pulled down by Brett Emerton on the far side.
    • 19' Dunn goes down under a clumsy challenge from Campo, and Rovers boss Mark Hughes is quickly on his feet to voice his displeasure.
    • 18' Christopher Samba does well to dispossess Matthew Taylor on the Blackburn left.
    • 17' Reid is shown the yellow card after chopping down Campo from behind.
    • 16' Bentley crosses from the right and Jussi Jaaskelainen makes a comfortable catch.
    • 14' McCarthy reacts angrily after being caught by a rather wild lunge by Steinsson.
    • 13' McCarthy is caught offside in an advanced position on the Blackburn left.
    • 12' A grinning Diouf is reprimanded by Mark Clattenburg after bringing down McCarthy with a challenge from behind on the Blackburn left. Bentley's poor free-kick is cleared at the near post by Ivan Campo.
    • 11' Stephen Warnock gets up well to deny Davies with a brave headed clearance!
    • 9' Chance for Bolton! A long throw from the right is headed on by Davies and Diouf hooks a volley straight at Friedel from six yards!
    • 8' Kevin Davies is penalised for a push on Pedersen and flashes the referee a 'Who, me?' glance honed to perfection by years of making awkward challenges.
    • 7' Ouch! Dunn catches Guthrie right in the goolies as he attempts to clear the ball.
    • 6' Dunn does well to dispossess El-Hadji Diouf near the right-hand Blackburn corner flag.
    • 5' Danny Guthrie curls a free-kick into the Blackburn box from the left and Reid heads it clear.
    • 4' Morten Gamst Pedersen launches a long throw into the Bolton box from the left, it's headed clear and Steven Reid scuffs a volley wide from about 22 yards.
    • 3' Benni McCarthy twists Gretar Steinsson inside out on the Blackburn left before winning a corner. David Bentley curls it in but it's headed clear.
    • 2' Brad Friedel shanks a nervous kick out of play on the far side after receiving a back-pass.
    • 1' We're underway!
    • 14:58 The teams are on the pitch. It's an overcast afternoon in Blackburn. The home side are in blue and white halved shirts, white shorts and white socks, and the visitors are wearing a change strip of all-dark blue.
    • 14:50 Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)
    • 14:45 TEAM NEWS: Blackburn defenders Andre Ooijer and Ryan Nelsen have both succumbed to hamstring injuries, but Christopher Samba, David Dunn and Morten Gamst Pedersen all return from suspension. Bolton left-back Ricardo Gardner overcomes an injury doubt to start.
    • 14:40 Good afternoon and thanks for joining us for LIVE coverage of the Lancashire Derby between Blackburn and Bolton from Ewood Park. Bolton go into the game on the back of that impressive UEFA Cup triumph over Atletico Madrid, and can go up to 13th in the table with a win. Blackburn, meanwhile, are looking to get their European push back on-track after four games without a victory. Kick-off is at 15:00 GMT.

  • Team Stats

    Blackburn Rovers Stats Bolton Wanderers
    53% Possession 46%
    13 Shots 17
    6 Shots on target 8
    5 Saves 1
    5 Corners 4
    20 Fouls 17
    1 Offsides 4
    2 Yellow cards 4
    0 Red cards 0
    14 Tackles 25
    250 Accurate passes 198
    57 Bad passes 31

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Blackburn Rovers
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Brad Friedel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 1 0
      4 Christopher Samba 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 24 1 1
      3 Stephen Warnock 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 29 17 2
      13 Zurab Khizanishvili 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 16 3 1
      14 Steven Reid 0 3 0 3 2 0 0 35 5 0
      19 David Dunn 0 1 0 3 5 0 1 16 3 1
      11 David Bentley 1 2 1 0 3 0 0 12 5 3
      7 Brett Emerton 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 32 4 2
      12 Morten Gamst Pedersen 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 26 12 2
      10 Benedict McCarthy 2 4 4 4 3 1 0 20 4 0
      9 Roque Santa Cruz 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 16 2 1
      27 Matt Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      15 Aaron Mokoena 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 1
      5 Kerimoglou Tugay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      32 Jason Brown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      30 Jason Roberts 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0
    • Bolton Wanderers
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      22 Jussi Jaaskelainen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1 0
      31 Andy O'Brien 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 10 2 1
      11 Ricardo Gardner 0 2 1 1 3 0 0 21 7 2
      15 Grétar Steinsson 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 14 0 5
      32 Matthew Taylor 0 3 1 0 3 0 0 18 7 5
      33 Gary Cahill 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 19 0 3
      17 Danny Guthrie 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 7 1 0
      8 Ivan Campo 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 24 2 2
      4 Kevin Nolan 0 4 1 3 0 0 0 14 3 2
      14 Kevin Davies 1 1 1 3 3 1 0 16 0 1
      21 El Hadji Diouf 0 2 2 3 3 2 0 23 3 1
      25 Tamir Cohen 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 2 1
      24 Joey O'Brien 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 0
      5 Abdoulaye Meite 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      47 Grzegorz Rasiak 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 12 2 2
      26 Ali Al-Habsi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 90+4' GOAL! 4-1 Blackburn! Pedersen slams home Roberts's right-wing cross at the back post to give the scoreline a distinctly flattering gloss.
    • 90' What a chance for Bolton! They catch Blackburn napping with a quick free-kick on the edge of the box and Gardner has time and space to send in a shot from the left that Friedel blocks at the near post!
    • 75' Penalty shout for Bolton! Rasiak's header strikes Samba on the arm but Clattenburg shakes his head!
    • 71' GOAL! 3-1 Blackburn! Bentley nods home Dunn's deflected left-wing cross at the far post, and that could be game over!
    • 67' McCarthy steps up again... AND SLAMS THE BALL INTO THE TOP-LEFT CORNER! Excellent penalty.
    • 66' PENALTY TO BLACKBURN! Cahill brings down Dunn from behind and this time Clattenburg has got it spot on!
    • 62' Another chance for Bolton! Cahill is picked out by Campo's free-kick, slams in a shot that Friedel keeps out at the near post and then runs the ball out of play when the ball comes back to him!
    • 58' Campo's left-wing cross is half-cleared to the edge of the box and Nolan puts a difficult half-volley over the bar! Bolton are really on top here.
    • 53' Nolan shoots powerfully from the edge of the box, but it's straight at Friedel!
    • 50' GOAL! 1-1! Davies slams home a left-footed effort at the back post after a deep free-kick into the Blackburn box! And this one will definitely count!
    • 49' GOAL! 1-1! NO! Rasiak knees the ball into the net from Davies's right-wing cross but the linesman's flag is correctly raised.
    • 44' What a chance! Santa Cruz rises to meet Emerton's right-wing cross at the near post but heads the ball wide from only four yards!
    • 42' Penalty shout for Bolton! Samba catches Gary Cahill with a high boot inside the Blackburn box, but Clattenburg is unmoved.
    • 39' Bolton hit the bar! Diouf beats his man inside the box on the left but sees his toe-poked effort blocked by Friedel, and Nolan sidefoots the rebound against the crossbar!
    • 38' Danger for Bolton! Pedersen floats an inviting cross to the back post and Bentley is inches away from connecting with it!
    • 27' Chance for Blackburn! McCarthy attacks a cross from the right but doesn't make a clean connection and it's a straightforward save for Jaaskelainen.
    • 25' McCarthy steps up... AND DRILLS THE BALL HOME! Blackburn can count themselves lucky. There was minimal contact between Steinsson and Dunn.
    • 24' PENALTY TO BLACKBURN! Dunn takes a tumble under a challenge from Steinsson on the left-hand side of the box and the referee points to the spot!
    • 23' Pedersen's dangerous cross from the left is brilliantly headed behind at the back post by Andy O'Brien! Samba gets his head to Bentley's subsequent corner but can't keep the ball down.
    • 9' Chance for Bolton! A long throw from the right is headed on by Davies and Diouf hooks a volley straight at Friedel from six yards!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Blackburn Rovers

    Manager: Mark Hughes

    On the Field

    • Friedel
    • Emerton
    • Samba
    • Khizanishvili
    • Warnock
    • Bentley Goal
    • Dunn Yellow Card Substitution Out (76′)
    • Reid Yellow Card
    • Pedersen Goal
    • Santa Cruz
    • McCarthy Goals×2 Substitution Out (82′)

    Subs

    • Tugay
    • Roberts Substitution In (82′)
    • Mokoena Substitution In (76′)
    • Derbyshire
    • Brown

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Bolton Wanderers

    Manager: Gary Megson

    On the Field

    • Jaaskelainen
    • Steinsson
    • O'Brien Substitution Out (76′)
    • Cahill
    • Gardner
    • Campo Substitution Out (76′)
    • Nolan
    • Guthrie Yellow Card Substitution Out (46′)
    • Diouf Yellow Card
    • Taylor
    • Davies Goal Yellow Card

    Subs

    • Rasiak Substitution In (46′)
    • Cohen Substitution In (76′)
    • O'Brien Substitution In (76′)
    • Al Habsi
    • Meite

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None