NO QUARTER FINAL FOR ROVERS
FA Cup 5th Round replay
Coventry City 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (3-2 agg)
Rovers made 11 changes to their starting eleven for this FA Cup 5th round replay. But that still meant many first team regulars including Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts up front. Blackburn had forced the replay after scoring in injury time at Ewood on Valentines day. The match kicked off fifteen minutes late following crowd congestion. For the first half of this tie they created some good chances - but never really tested the Coventry keeper. It was competitive and end to end football - with the home fans thinking they had the lead just before the break when Clinton Morrison found the side netting. Coventry obviously had a good half time team talk, because they certainly asked the questions after the break and fifteen minutes in Leon Best gave them the lead. With injury time being played it looked like Chris Samba was about to head home and claim some extra time - but it went wide. Kevin Gallagher told ROVERS WORLD LIVE listeners that based on their second half performance - Coventry deserved their win. The prize for City a home tie with Chelsea and for Rovers the league and survival at Premiership level to concentrate on for the rest of the season! Next for Blackburn it's a trip to the KC stadium and Hull City on Sunday afternoon at 12:30. (February 24th 2009)
bbc.co.uk (full report) ALSO goals0809 + facup08089

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COULD BE CHELSEA ...
FA Cup - Sixth Round
The draw has been made for the Quarter finals of this years FA Cup, and Blackburn Rovers were first out of the bowl. Of course they need to beat Coventry first in the replay on Feb 24th, but then the reward would be another home tie - this time with Chelsea!
The Londoners join Manchester United and Everton avoiding 5th round replays - with Arsenal still to meet Cardiff tomorrow in the 4th round to see who will meet Burnley.
The full draw is:
Blackburn Rovers or Coventry City v Chelsea Swansea City or Fulham v Manchester United Cardiff City or Arsenal or Burnley v Sheffield United or Hull City Everton v West Ham United or Middlesbrough. Matches to be played the weekend 7th March. And if you want to know who to blame for Rovers opposition - the away balls were selected by Graeme Souness!! (February 15th 2009)
thefa.com (full details)

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CUPID'S VALEN-TIME GOAL
FA Cup 5th Round
Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Coventry City
It took a man (cupid) wearing just his shorts and scattering roses for Valentines Day to bring the game to a temporary halt and in the end buy the time that Rovers needed to claim an FA Cup replay!!! An it all started so well .. Roque Santa Cruz up front with Jason Roberts, and finding the target within 90 seconds. He could have added two more before the break - and Rovers looked good value for their 1-0 lead. But whatever Chris Coleman said at half time spurred the visitors into some serious action, and Aron Gunnarsson did what he'd threatened in the first period, and claimed an equaliser on the hour mark . Rovers looked to be back ahead when Gael Givet had a goal ruled out for an unseen foul, and a further Rovers strike was ruled out for off side. Michael Doyle looked to have secured the tie with a wonderful long range strike that gave City a 1-2 lead with 15 minutes to go. Along the way everything came to a stand still when a fan in nothing more than white shorts, ran on to distribute roses!! The safety team escorted him to police custody, and he was removed in hand cuffs. It all added to a bizarre second half - where Rovers had a nightmare with the ref. and didn't get any decisions. When the fourth official showed 5 minutes of added time, Blackburn found themselves with a few more minutes to try and secure a replay. Keith Treacy took a shot which was saved by Andy Marshall, and Christopher Samba found the target from just inside the box. 2-2 and embarrassment over. Big Sam was less than impressed by the disallowed Givet 'goal' - telling reporters " ...we then had a very good goal chalked off and a free-kick given instead which I cannot understand." And the Blackburn Manager confessed frustration in Rovers inability to keep a clean sheet "We have started to ship too many goals at Ewood and that is becoming an Achilles heel" he said.
So it's Coventry again on Tuesday 24th February at their place - but next weekend they'll now be without Chris Samba who picked up his 5th yellow and will miss the trip to Old Trafford on Saturday in the league. (February 14th 2009)
bbc.co.uk (full report + interviews) ALSO rovers.co.uk(reaction) PLUS goals0809 + t&t0809 + facup08089

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AMAZING AARON - BRILLIANT BENNI
Rovers in to FA Cup 5th round - eventually!
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sunderland (AET)
It took until the 117th minute for Rovers to find the winning goal and knock Suderland out of this years FA Cup. Along the way Ewood was treated to a 'wonder goal' from Aaron Mokoena - his first since 2007 - also in the FA Cup! Rovers had started well - testing the Black Cats keeper Craig Gordon within minutes of the start - but then David Healy surprised the home fans with a goal for the visitors after just 6 minutes. This lifted the North East lads - and Blackburn seemed to struggle to find a reply. But half an hour later Mokoena scored the equaliser that Big Sam thought might be goal of the season! Roque started the game and almost made it two just after the break. And despite testing Gordon and bringing on Benni to replace the Paraguayan - 90 minutes arrive with the score still at 1-1. Extra time on offer, and for the first 15 minutes Rovers seemed to loose all pace and composer. Penalties looked more & more likely. The final 15 had just 3 minutes to run when McCarthy was there to convert Carlos Villaneuva's cross and carry Rovers through to the next round. Just 10,112 fans were there to see it - but a memorable long night also saw Big Sam go 9 games undefeated. He told reporters:- "It was a good performance with the right result at the end. Perhaps it will give us the impetus we need in the league. We kept peppering their goal but Craig Gordon made some unbelievable saves. We made a lot of changes to give some players a rest so we have not done too bad. However there are a lot of tired minds and tired legs in the dressing room."
So it's Blackburn v Coventry City at Ewood on St. Valentines day at 3.00. Next up a tougher league test - at home to Aston Villa this weekend. (February 4th 2009)
bbc.co.uk (full report) ALSO rovers.co.uk(reaction) PLUS goals0809 + t&t0809 + facup08089

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REPLAY NEEDED
Sunderland 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Rovers will be at home to Sunderland on Wednesday February 4th - after playing out a goalless draw in a half-empty Stadium of Light. Rovers could have been ahead in the first few minutes - but Christopher Samba headed wide. Roque Santa Cruz also looked perfectly placed to give Blackburn the lead before the break, as did Morten Gamst Pedersen. His shot was cleared off the line by Chimbonda. To be fair to Sunderland they did get the ball in the net but the shot was ruled to be offside.
The game gave a debut to new boy Gael Givet when he came on for the final 20 minutes. Vice Grella was on the wrong end of a bad tackle that went unpunished. That's sure to annoy Big Sam. The Rovers manager told reporters "The replay is a game which both of us could probably do without. We didn't lose but we wanted to get a result and get into the next round. It was a disappointment that we failed to convert three glorious chances in the first half. Pascal Chimbonda's save on the line was pretty miraculous from Morten Gamst Pedersen's shot so I can't blame him for that but Christopher Samba's header at the near post and Roque Santa Cruz's one-on-one with their keeper are the sort of chances we expect to convert."
It was also 0-0 when the two sides met in the league at Sunderland last December, with Rovers beating the north east side in the League cup in November (1-2) but loosing at home by the same scoreline the next week in the league at home. The replay will be their 5th meeting this season.
(January 24th 2009)
bbc.co.uk (full report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction) ALSO facup08-09

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CARLOS CUP CHEER
Blyth Spantans 0-1 Blackburn Rovers
Carlos Villanueva's free kick saw Rovers avoid the potential banana skin in the North East as Blackburn progressed to the 4th round of the FA Cup. His first - and only other goal - came in the League cup against Grimsby. The first half was largely dominated by the visitors - but they couldn't make it county. Sam made eleven changes - and the game gave the new manager a chance to see several player in action for the first time. Matt Derbyshire started up front and thought he might claim a first half lead - but he was judged to be off side. Carlos Villanueva's curling free-kick - just short of an hour in - finally gave Rovers the lead they deserved. Rovers needed to defend late into the piece - as Blyth continued to try and force an Ewood replay - but Blackburn held out. 3,445 were at Croft Park on a bitter night - and the non league outfit provided a decent playing surface and competitive opposition. Sam Allardyce told reporters they should have won by a bigger margin:- "It was comfortable until the last few minutes, but having not converted our chances they were bound to get a chance at some stage. It'd have been disappointing not to win. We should've been more clinical. I was frustrated we didn't see the game out completely. They need the mentality to change the way they play."
Blackburn will now face Sunderland away in the next round - another trip to the North East - and for the fourth time this season. (January 5th 2009)
bbc.co.uk (full report and interviews) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)

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ANOTHER (POTENTIAL) TRIP TO SUNDERLAND
Rovers get another away tie in the North East
The draw for the 4th round of the FA cup saw Blackburn Rovers away again - if they beat Blyth Spartans on Monday Night. And it could be another trip to the Stadium of Light! Rovers beat Sunderland 2-1 in the League cup quarter finals & have already played them home & away in the league. Of course for Blyth the potential derby match will be added incentive when they meet Rovers in the 3rd round tie.
The full draw is :-
Liverpool v Everton 2 Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur Hull City/Newcastle United v Millwall/Crewe Alexandra Sunderland v Blyth Spartans/Blackburn Rovers Hartlepool United v West Ham United Leyton Orient/Sheffield United v Charlton Athletic/Norwich City Cardiff City v Arsenal Portsmouth/Bristol City v Histon/Swansea City Chelsea/Southend United v Ipswich Town Cheltenham Town/Doncaster Rovers v Aston Villa West Bromwich Albion/Peterborough United v Queens Park Rangers/Burnley Torquay United v Coventry City Kettering Town v Fulham Watford v Leicester City/Crystal Palace Derby County v Nottingham Forest Birmingham City/Wolverhampton Wanderers v Middlesbrough - Matches to be played weekend of 24th January 2009 (4th January 2009)
thefa.com

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Blyth Spartons will play Blackburn Rovers
Blyth Spartans 1-0 Bournemouth
Blackburn Rovers new manager has a trip to the North East to look forward to - top start 2009. In their replay the Conference North Side scored the winning goal in the 90th minute to know out League 2 Bournemouth. The sounth coast side had already had a man sent off - and Blyth sub Jed Dalton scored to nset up the tie with Rovers with just moments to go. The match has already be chosen for TV coverage on Monday January 3rd. (16th December 2008)
bbc.co.uk (match report)

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The Third Round Draw - Sunday 30th November 2008

Rovers Away tie in FA Cup Draw
Bournemouth or Blyth Spartans v Blackburn
Rovers had to wait 'till almost the end of the draw to find out who they would meet in the 3rd round of this years FA cup - and when the balls came out it still wasn't decisive. What we do know is that Blackburn will be away - but Bournmouth and Blyth Spartan need to play again to decide who should play host. Their game yesterday ended 0-0. Bournmouth are currently 2nd bottom of League 2, with Blue Square North side Blyth (also 2nd bottom) more than happy to take the league side back to their place for the replay. Blackburn might have fancied a home tie - but must be happy to know that the magic of the cup might see them play the conference side in the North East at Croft Park.
The game to be played in the first week of January.
The complete draw is:-

Portsmouth v Bristol City Sheffield Wed v Fulham Preston v Liverpool Birmingham v Wolves West Ham v Barnsley Middlesbrough v Barrow Hull City v Newcastle Hartlepool v Stoke Chelsea v Southend Manchester City v Nottingham Forest Cardiff v Reading Ipswich v Chesterfield or Droylsden Charlton v Norwich West Brom v Peterborough or Tranmere Torquay v Blackpool Leyton Orient v Sheffield United Southampton v Manchester United Millwall v Carlisle or Crewe Histon v Swansea Forest Green Rovers v Derby QPR v Burnley Leicester v Crystal Palace Tottenham v Wigan Morecambe or Cheltenham v Doncaster Arsenal v Plymouth Notts County or Kettering v Eastwood Town Bournemouth or Blyth Spartans v Blackburn Macclesfield v Everton Watford v Scunthorpe Sunderland v Bolton Coventry v Kidderminster Gillingham or Stockport v Aston Villa.
(30th November 2008)

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