Take the Norwich game, just over ten minutes after half time, Norwich took the lead against our ten men, after Jay Bothroyd stupidly kicked out and got himself sent off in the 44th minute. All this for a player who had looked the most dangerous for the visitors before his dismissal, calling Robert Green into action twice with two pile-drivers. After that you felt the golden opportunity to take one point, let alone three was well and truly out of the window, considering that we have struggled with eleven men this season. Unbelievably, low and behold, with just four minutes remaining and half-an-hour of Rovers dominance, you couldn�t help but expect Norwich to counter and put a second past one man who just shouldn�t be exposed to this torture. I am of course referring to Brad Friedel. He hasn�t deserved this, and hopefully the Rovers back four will work hard on this and take some of the pressure off the big man between the sticks. But to my surprise, (and most other Rovers fans I would imagine) Lucas Niell had a run at Norwich�s back-line and fed in a cross which Paul Dickov headed down into the bottom of the net for rovers to snatch a deserved equalizer. Nine minutes before time during Rovers pressing, Nissa Johansson was unlucky to see a header hit the crossbar.
Then there was the Manchester City match. Once again, a late goal proved to be the life-saver for Rovers. As per usual, Rovers found themselves down by another stat-breaker. Antoine Sibierski scored his first goal of the season to put Rovers behind just before half time. The defence had looked more solid than in previous games until that moment, just like in the Norwich game. This is a pattern that's proved all too familiar for Rovers fans so far this season, and a hoodoo that has haunted the club for far too long was finally broken. Paul Dickov got through the City back line, and was hacked down by a challenge from Danny Mills, and he was dismissed. For the first time in 52 games Rovers were awarded a penalty!!! It was Dickov himself who stepped up to take it. James went the right way, but the precision of the kick made it impossible to get a hand to, right in the bottom corner. Rovers were level again after going a goal down, and the fight they now show after going a goal down is clear. City fans ventured their frustrations on their boo-boy Steve McManaman, who again looked only a shadow of the player he once was, and returning American international, Claudio Reyna. As is usually the case, Shaun Wright-Phillips was a livewire, and it was he who provided the ammunition for Sibierski�s goal.
Next up, Ewood held a game against the league�s lowest scorers and best defence Birmingham City. Many a pundit (Mark Lawrenson, Rodney Marsh) predicted a nil-nil. So, it was pundit�s law that the game ended three a-piece. Take my advice Marsh, quit now whilst there is still one person on earth left who likes you. A match of clever dummies this encounter proved to be. The first goal was cleverly dummied by Paul Dickov, from Steven Reid�s ball for Matt Jansen to put the ball away to give Rovers a one-nil lead. More stat-breakers followed in this match, which started with the leveler, making his first start in over 12 months, Darren Anderton scored the equalizer. Thirty-eight minutes on the clock and Rovers seemed to have gone into a shell after such a bright quarter of an hour it was all Birmingham, so it was no surprise when Rovers� transfer target Robbie Savage, put City 2-1 up. To follow the trend of Ewood old-boys getting on the score sheet David Dunn added his name to the list to make it three one just before half time. Once again Rovers were frustrated, after looking much more solid defensively in the last two games. In the second half Rovers looked a different side. They really came out the traps and looked like new players. And the introduction of David Thompson further influenced the game. Thompson was involved in Rovers second goal, he put the pass through for Steven Reid to hit a shot that deflected into the goal past Maik Taylor to register his first goal for the club. The equalizer was also played through from Thompson, for Dickov who�s shot squirmed under Maik Taylor. Dickov and Gallagher raced to put the ball away, Gallagher got there first to put Rovers level, and earn his side a point. Dickov wasn�t best pleased about being denied his fifth goal of the season. With the overall shots on target 10/4 in Rovers favor, Rovers should probably left with all three points. Robbie Savage was constantly in the heart of Rovers play and was unlucky not to net a second when he hit a post.
Most recently, we saw all of Mark Hughes� work pay-off. While many fans are still bitter about the departing of Tony Parkes, others were more worried about Rovers plight. Yes we were now unbeaten in four games. Whilst this was a good run, Rovers still found themselves bottom of the table. Rovers started the game very positively and could have been a goal up in the first minute when a Steven Reid cross was slid at by Brett Emerton, just going wide of the post. In the tenth minute, Rovers capitalized on their great start. Rovers� Steven Reid�s trickery earned Rovers a throw. From the throw, a comedy of defensive errors allowed Reid to whip in a ball that Paul Gallagher, making his first league start managed to get on the end of, then shoot the ball against a hapless Mark Crossley. Rovers could have extended the lead but Nissa Johansson headed wide. For Fulham, Radszinski got on the end of Papa Diop�s through ball and fired wide when in all honesty, it looked easier to score. Steven Reid then hit a free kick over both the wall, and the crossbar. The last chance of the half was a free kick which Mark Pembridge fired over in similar fashion to Steven Reid. In the second half Fulham stepped up a gear, with Andy Cole firing over, and Radzsinski was denied a certain goal after a superb clearance off the line by Lucas Niell. Cole went through to produce the save of the match from Brad Friedel, when the American keeper tipped his well hit shot around the post. Fulham keeper Mark Crossley limped off with an injury that brought on Dutch keeper Edwin Van der Sar. The final twenty minutes were all Rovers� and their pressure paid off when Neill struck in a cross that the already-cautioned Zat Knight deliberately knocked away with his hand. He was dually given his marching orders, and Rovers fans thought they were in a dream world � two penalties in three matches? Surely, it couldn�t be? But it was and once again Paul Dickov stepped up and converted virtually securing the points for Rovers. Fortunately, it wasn�t Crossley who would be faced the penalty, as he has an excellent penalty saving record, of which Rovers have been victims of before. (Kevin Gallacher vs Nottingham Forest). Fulham introduced Brian McBride but the former Rovers� targets only chance was headed straight at Friedel. Rovers went on to see out the remainder of the game and pick up their first three points since Hughes� first game in charge. Sky Sports Fulham fan claimed � We made Blackburn look like Brazil� and former Arsenal striker Alan Smith said �Blackburn played some excellent stuff� as he and presenter Ian Payne wondered why Rovers were down there, both claiming that they have more than enough quality to stay up. Are you watching Rodney Marsh!?!?!?