FOOTBALL Live

Saturday October 20, 2007 Finished Ewood Park

Logo 4 - Logo 2

Blackburn Rovers

  • McCarthy 17’, 81’ (pen.)
  • Santa Cruz 22’
  • Tugay 31’

Reading

  • Doyle 80’, 90’
  1. Blackburn cruise past Reading

    Blackburn cruise past Reading

    Two goals from Benni McCarthy gave Blackburn a comfortable 4-1 win after a first-half blitz against Reading. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackburn Rovers
    • Reading
    • 93' It's all over! Blackburn are deserved winners, despite a mini-fightback from Reading in the second half. 4-2 the final score.
    • 92' Reading throwing men forward now. For the first time in the game, Blackburn look unsettled.
    • 90' GOAL! 4-2! Shorey's right-wing corner is cleared back to him, but his second attempt at a cross is headed home by Doyle from six yards! Blackburn are unhappy that the corner was awarded in the first place - it looked like Gunnarsson got the last touch before the ball went out.
    • 88' Friedel taking his time with a goal kick here. He won't want another Reading goal to stain what has been a very good day for Blackburn.
    • 86' Concerted Reading pressure down the left, but Blackburn stand firm.
    • 84' Reading haven't given up yet though. Can Kitson, Doyle, Lita or Hunt grab another?
    • 81' Is a late, late comeback on the cards? No! Blackburn substitute Derbyshire is clipped in the box by Sonko, and McCarthy tucks home the resultant penalty into the bottom left corner. The three points are in the bag. 4-1 Blackburn!
    • 80' GOAL! 3-1! Is a late, late comeback on the cards?! Kevin Doyle attacks a corner at the near post, and his header flies past the man on the line.
    • 78' Kitson clips a ball to Lita on the left, but the linesman's flag goes up. Lita's not too happy about it, and replays suggest he has a case.
    • 77' Blackburn make their last change now, and England Under-21 striker Matt Derbyshire is brought on to scamper around in place of Roque Santa Cruz.
    • 75' Chance for Reading! They're getting closer. Sonko meets a left-wing corner with a thumping downward header. It falls in front of Hunt but Blackburn somehow scramble it off the line!
    • 74' With Reading so intent on attack, there's plenty of room for Blackburn to exploit on the break. Pedersen drills in a half-volleyed cross from the left, but Hahnemann gathers it unchallenged.
    • 72' Nasty collision in midfield involving James Harper and Tugay. Harper seems to catch Tugay with his studs, but the Turkish midfielder is back on his feet soon enough.
    • 71' Lita and Doyle have given Reading a bit more impetus going forward, but they need a goal quickly if they're going to get anything out of this game.
    • 69' So close for Reading! Shorey's in-swinging free-kick reaches Duberry at the back post, and his header beats Friedel but not the crossbar!
    • 66' And that will be David Dunn's last contribution this afternoon, as he comes off for Morten Gamst Pedersen.
    • 65' Sexy football from Bentley, Emerton and Dunn down the left, but Dunn just can't keep Emerton's back-heel in play.
    • 63' It's the last roll of the dice for a desperate Steve Coppell. Last season's top-scorer Kevin Doyle enters the fray in place of Emerse Fae.
    • 60' Blackburn counter-attack. The ball finds Tugay lurking about 25 yards out, but he can't repeat his first-half heroics and the ball sails a good couple of yards over the bar.
    • 59' Chance for Reading! Lita pounces on Kitson's shot and shoots hard and low from the edge of the area, but Friedel makes a good save to his right!
    • 58' Bentley takes aim with a low shot from distance, but it flies well wide.
    • 54' Blackburn are forced into a change, and the injured Stephen Warnock makes way for Khizanishvili.
    • 53' Reading playing with a bit more purpose here. Lita crosses from the right, but Savage is there to clear the danger.
    • 51' Corner to Reading. Shorey drives it in to the back post, but Duberry can't keep his header down.
    • 46' The second half is underway. McCarthy fires in a low shot, but it's straight at Hahnemann.
    • 46' Two changes for Reading. Brynjar Gunnarsson comes on for Liam Rosenior, and striker Leroy Lita replaces Andre Bikey.
    • 48' It's half-time. Blackburn have been absolutely superb here -Bentley and Dunn prompting from midfield, McCarthy and Santa Cruz heavily involved up front, and Tugay and Savage tidying things up in front of the defence. What now for Steve Coppell?
    • 45' Hunt is down again, the result of another characteristic no-holds-barred tackle from Savage.
    • 44' Samba heads wide from Bentley's centre.
    • 43' Savage is everywhere! He races down the left to meet a long ball from the back, and his cross is cleared for a corner.
    • 41' No-one is feeling the embarrassment as acutely as Reading skipper Murty. He thunders into a tackle on the left-hand touchline.
    • 38' Chance for Reading! Free header for Bikey, eight yards out, and he puts it straight at Friedel!
    • 37' Robbie Savage is having a good game. Reading attack twice, and twice the blonde Welshman clears the danger.
    • 35' Free-kick to Reading on the left. They need at least a goal before half-time if they're going to get back into this. Shorey curls it in, but it's easily cleared.
    • 33' We've got some argy-bargy here, and, predictably, Stephen Hunt is involved. The ref has a word with him and Emerton and calms things down.
    • 31' GOAL! 3-0 Blackburn! And it's an absolute belter from Tugay! Bentley's right-wing cross is cleared to the edge of the box, and Tugay's 30-yard half-volley powers through Hahnemann's hands and into the onion bag.
    • 30' Free-kick to Blackburn on the right-hand edge of the area. Duberry nudges Bentley, who goes to ground, arms flailing.
    • 28' Half a chance for Reading. Hunt bends in a good cross from the left, but it seems to hit Kitson on the top of his head, and trundles out for a goal kick.
    • 27' Mark Hughes will be very pleased with what he sees here. Blackburn look threatening every time they attack.
    • 26' Duberry gets a header in from the free-kick, but he's too far out to trouble Friedel.
    • 25' Reading seeing more of the ball now. Murty bursts into the Blackburn half and wins a free-kick. Can the skipper inspire a comeback?
    • 22' GOAL! 2-0 Blackburn! And it's Roque Santa Cruz! Dunn slides a great ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and the Paraguayan fires the ball beneath the advancing Hahnemann. Not looking good for Reading!
    • 20' Reading need to change something here because Blackburn are pouring forward at will.
    • 17' GOAL! 1-0 Blackburn! And it's a lovely goal. Emerton crosses from the right, Santa Cruz heads it back across goal and McCarthy volleys in from close range. A deserved lead.
    • 16' There's a break in play here as Stephen Hunt receives treatment. Nothing serious though.
    • 14' Lovely stuff from Blackburn! Bentley dummies a ball on the edge of the area, McCarthy plays it back to him and his low, curling shot is pushed away by Hahnemann!
    • 13' Reading going forward now. Kitson chases a through-ball but there's just too much on it and Friedel collects.
    • 11' More Blackburn pressure. Emerton puts in a lovely cross from the right, but it misses everyone.
    • 10' Chance for Blackburn! McCarthy tees up Samba, who shoots from the edge of the box, but Hahnemann palms it away!
    • 9' Andre Bikey tries a shot from distance, but drags it well wide.
    • 8' Benni McCarthy's having a bit of a strop here. He wanted David Dunn to give him the ball earlier, but instead the midfielder delays his pass too long and ends up rolling it out for a Reading goal kick.
    • 6' Another attack down the Reading right ends with Liam Rosenior firing a cross-cum-shot straight at Brad Friedel.
    • 5' Christopher Samba is receiving treatment for a head injury after stooping to head the ball in the centre circle and accidentally butting Dave Kitson's right foot.
    • 3' Stephen Hunt has seen quite a bit of the ball already. He tries to make a foray into the Blackburn box, but the defence closes in and squeezes him out.
    • 2' Shot comes in from James Harper after a break down the Reading right, but it flies high, wide and not too handsome.
    • 1' We're underway at Ewood Park!
    • - Reading striker Shane Long remains sidelined with a groin injury, but centre half Ibrahima Sonko makes his first start since January after recovering from a knee problem.
    • - Roque Santa Cruz shrugs off a tendinitis problem to start up front for Rovers, but captain Ryan Nelsen is not yet ready to return from a hamstring problem.
    • - Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)
    • - Reading: Hahnemann; Murty, Sonko, Duberry, Shorey; Bikey, Harper, Fae, Rosenior; Kitson, Hunt
    • - Blackburn: Friedel; Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock; Bentley, Savage, Kerimoglu, Dunn; Santa Cruz, McCarthy
    • - Hello and welcome to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of today's big game in the Premier League! It's Blackburn Rovers v Reading at Ewood Park.

  • Team Stats

    Blackburn Rovers Stats Reading
    58% Possession 41%
    12 Shots 13
    7 Shots on target 5
    0 Saves 0
    4 Corners 9
    6 Fouls 7
    2 Offsides 4
    0 Yellow cards 0
    0 Red cards 0
    22 Tackles 17
    353 Accurate passes 213
    47 Bad passes 47

  • 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 0 0
      4 Christopher Samba 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 33 2 0
      3 Stephen Warnock 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 16 6 3
      2 Andre Ooijer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 6 1
      5 Kerimoglou Tugay 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 55 3 1
      8 Robbie Savage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 1 4
      11 David Bentley 0 2 1 0 3 0 0 32 5 0
      7 Brett Emerton 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 31 3 6
      19 David Dunn 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 28 11 4
      9 Roque Santa Cruz 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 35 4 0
      10 Benedict McCarthy 2 4 3 1 0 1 0 33 6 2
      15 Aaron Mokoena 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      13 Zurab Khizanishvili 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0
      12 Morten Gamst Pedersen 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 6 0 0
      32 Jason Brown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      27 Matt Derbyshire 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1
    • Reading
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Marcus Hahnemann 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0
      29 Michael Duberry 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 11 4 1
      19 Liam Rosenior 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 0 0
      3 Nicky Shorey 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 19 11 3
      22 André Stéphane Bikey 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 9 0 0
      2 Graeme Murty 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 24 0 2
      5 Ibrahima Sonko 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 18 1 1
      15 James Harper 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 25 6 3
      20 Emerse Fae 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 20 2 1
      10 Stephen Hunt 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 19 11 1
      12 Dave Kitson 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 21 4 1
      9 Kevin Doyle 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 1
      8 Leroy Lita 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 9 4 0
      6 Brynjar Gunnarsson 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 4 3
      32 Adam Federici 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      16 Ivar Ingimarsson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Summary

    • 90' GOAL! 4-2! Shorey's right-wing corner is cleared back to him, but his second attempt at a cross is headed home by Doyle from six yards! Blackburn are unhappy that the corner was awarded in the first place - it looked like Gunnarsson got the last touch before the ball went out.
    • 81' Is a late, late comeback on the cards? No! Blackburn substitute Derbyshire is clipped in the box by Sonko, and McCarthy tucks home the resultant penalty into the bottom left corner. The three points are in the bag. 4-1 Blackburn!
    • 80' GOAL! 3-1! Is a late, late comeback on the cards?! Kevin Doyle attacks a corner at the near post, and his header flies past the man on the line.
    • 75' Chance for Reading! They're getting closer. Sonko meets a left-wing corner with a thumping downward header. It falls in front of Hunt but Blackburn somehow scramble it off the line!
    • 69' So close for Reading! Shorey's in-swinging free-kick reaches Duberry at the back post, and his header beats Friedel but not the crossbar!
    • 59' Chance for Reading! Lita pounces on Kitson's shot and shoots hard and low from the edge of the area, but Friedel makes a good save to his right!
    • 38' Chance for Reading! Free header for Bikey, eight yards out, and he puts it straight at Friedel!
    • 33' We've got some argy-bargy here, and, predictably, Stephen Hunt is involved. The ref has a word with him and Emerton and calms things down.
    • 31' GOAL! 3-0 Blackburn! And it's an absolute belter from Tugay! Bentley's right-wing cross is cleared to the edge of the box, and Tugay's 30-yard half-volley powers through Hahnemann's hands and into the onion bag.
    • 22' GOAL! 2-0 Blackburn! And it's Roque Santa Cruz! Dunn slides a great ball into the box with the outside of his right foot, and the Paraguayan fires the ball beneath the advancing Hahnemann. Not looking good for Reading!
    • 17' GOAL! 1-0 Blackburn! And it's a lovely goal. Emerton crosses from the right, Santa Cruz heads it back across goal and McCarthy volleys in from close range. A deserved lead.
    • 14' Lovely stuff from Blackburn! Bentley dummies a ball on the edge of the area, McCarthy plays it back to him and his low, curling shot is pushed away by Hahnemann!
    • 10' Chance for Blackburn! McCarthy tees up Samba, who shoots from the edge of the box, but Hahnemann palms it away!

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Andre Marriner

  • Blackburn Rovers

    Manager: Mark Hughes

    Captain: Ryan Nelsen

    On the Field

    • Friedel
    • Emerton
    • Nelsen
    • Samba
    • Warnock
    • Bentley
    • Dunn
    • Savage
    • Pedersen
    • Derbyshire
    • McCarthy

    Subs

    Injured

    • Santa Cruz
    • Berner

    Suspended

    None

  • Reading

    Manager: Steve Coppell

    Captain: Graeme Murty

    On the Field

    • Hahnemann
    • Murty
    • Sonko
    • Duberry
    • Shorey
    • Rosenior
    • Gunnarsson
    • Harper
    • Hunt
    • Doyle
    • Kitson

    Subs

    Injured

    • Little
    • Brown
    • Convey
    • Cisse

    Suspended

    None