Blackburn Clinch Vital Win

With both teams fighting for a valuable 3 points, it was Blackburn who managed to entertain the locals, with goals to Morten Gamst Pedersen and Jason Roberts ensuring a late goal by Nzogbia was not enough, a 2-1 win to the blue and white halves.

Sam Allardyce persisted with the same 11 who went down gallantly against Chelsea

Robinson
Givet
Samba
Nelsen
Salgado
Gamst
Jones
Emerton
Diouf
Diouf
Benjani

In what can only be described as one of the most boring halves of football, it was the away side who had the best chances in the opening half, with Rodallega wondering how he did not at least have a brace to his name come half time.

A delightful throughball by Gomez sent Rodallega through, however Robinson was up to task, brilliantly saving the drilled shot. Controversy soon followed as Nzogbia was denied a goal.

A deflected shot saw Nzogbia regather, fending of Pedersen in the process and slotting it in the back of the net. However the referee called play back, a foul on Nzogbia, leaving the travelling supporters rather furious.
Half time soon followed, with Sam Allardyce replacing the ineffectual MB Diouf and Benjani with Jason Roberts and David Dunn.

And so Rovers lifted with the introduction of tailsman David Dunn. A darting run down the left flank was just a sign of things to come, whilst Brett Emerton sprung to life, dashing and darting down the right flank.

And so the first chance of the half should have been buried, but was a sniff of what was to come. Brett Emerton dashed down the flank, whipping in a delightful cross. Morten Gamst Pedersen outlepped his marker, but goal keeper Al-Habsi parried the powerful header over the goal.

Rovers werent to be denied minutes later. A clumsy challenge set up Gamst Pedersen, 30 yards out, on the right flank. Morten stepped up, the ball flying into the far top corner of the Wigan goal, stunning the away keeper, and leaving the Rovers faithful in celebrations. 1-0 Blackburn

ANd so Rovers pushed on, aiming to get the second. A fast counter attack saw Michel Salgado split the Wigan defence with a stunning throughball, Brett Emerton again hitting a pin point cross, with Jason Roberts somehow finding the back of the net, even though replays show he was aiming for the far post! 2-0 Blackburn

To his credit, Roberts was in the right place, and did not celebrate, due to his former ties with the Wigan Club.

With Blackburn sitting back, it was Wigans turn to try and make something of this game, and through there most dangerous man, Charles Nzogbia, they managed to pull one back. A soft foul by Phil Jones, 25 yards out, gave him the opportunity, and he took it, striking the wood work and in, 2-1.

Blackburn though stepped it up, Chimbonda coming on to close things down, EH Diouf getting a well earned rest. Rovers should of made it 3, David Dunn linking up well with Chimbonda on the left flank, and with an open goal awaiting, Dunn flashed wide.

However Rovers had done enough to climb out of the drop zone, 2-1 Blackburn

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