ROVERS COME FROM BEHIND TO BAG A POINT
Blackburn Rovers 1- 1 Tottenham
It didn't look good for Rovers when Spurs took an early lead after just 6 minutes through Berbatov. The visitors must have decided to make up for their 4-1 loss to Newcastle, and from the start they were on the attack Blackburn were certainly not at their best and for the first half hour it looked like being a bad day at the office. But then a great cross from David Bentley found Morten Gamst Pedersen in the centre of the box, and ready to drill home from 12 yards out. 1-1 and there were hopes of more to come ... but the half ended with more chances, but not much of a threat and Mark Hughes must have warned his squad to beware of a similar start in the second half. This time Blackburn created the chances with Roberts and Bentley - and when the England International ran into the area only to be blocked by Gilberto - it looked a cast iron penalty. None was given and both sides had to settle for a point. Mark Hughes told RADIO ROVERS that the penalty decision could have changed the game:- "I'm a bit frustrated that we didn't get the penalty in the second half, it was the key decision and in fairness should have been given but it wasn't so we are disappointed with that. But I thought it was a decent Premier League game between two evenly matched teams. Given the investment that Spurs have put into their team I think that shows where we are and how well we have done against them. We've taken four points off a Spurs team that has good talent and you saw that from some of them today.... I was pleased with how we performed, certainly after that nervous start .... it was probably a fair result"
Rovers remain unbeaten this year at Ewood - but drop a place to 8th following a 4-0 win by Aston Villa over Bolton. Next Sunday it's Liverpool away with a 1:30 kick off - then Manchester united at home for a tea time TV game.
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NO GOALS - 9 Yellow Cards - 1 POINT
Reading 0 - 0 Blackburn Rovers
Mr. Clattenburg made this a stop start affair - and for the second week Rovers finished a game against 10 men. This time they managed to hold on to all their 11 - but Reading saw a second yellow for Marek Matejovsky for a foul on Jason Roberts and had to play the last 20 minutes down to 10. A forgettable first half was matched by a much more competitive second 45 - David Bentley and Roque Santa Cruz both deserving a goal. But there were chances for Reading too & as always Brad Friedel was on hand to keep Rovers safe. On an afternoon that saw Derby County relegated, and Bolton lose 2-3 to 10 man Arsenal (after heaving a two goal lead) Blackburn are 7th before Aston Villa play at Old Trafford.
MArk Hughes told reporters:- "I am sure Steve felt hard done by with the sending-off. There wasn't that much emotion shown in the game by either team. It was a flat performance by both sides. There was not a great deal of energy and spark in our play and we didn't take advantage of the last 20 minutes with the extra guy." (29th March 2008)
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TWO MORE FOR ROQUE + ONE TOO FOR JASON
Blackburn Rovers 3 - 1 Wigan
At last - a home goal at the Blackburn End for Rovers top scorer - Roque Santa Cruz! But the game looked destined for disaster when after 15 minutes Chris Samba saw red after bringing Emile Heskey down in the area. Rovers were already one up - but Marlon King beat Brad from the spot to square things. With the weather offering all Vivaldi's Four Season in one afternoon - recent home form would have suggested that things could quickly follow the elements and get very wintry. But Spring was just around the corner and instead 10 man Rovers reshaped and pushed on .. Just before the break former Wigan man Jason Roberts was rewarded with a Roque header which he was happy to bury in the back of Chris Kirkland's net. So 2-1 up at the break and still all to play for. David Bentley was having a great afternoon, so too for David Dunn - and it was Bents who offered the cross for Roque to get his Blackburn End debut goal! 3-1 and and the sun was back out. Wigan went down to 10 with a second yellow for Wilson Palacious - and any threat they'd offered soon died out. So an important 3 points and a great afternoon for Easter entertainment ...
Mark Hughes told RADIO ROVERS "I thought we were excellent today ... I'm really pleased for the guys because they had to dig in in difficult circumstances and the decision to send Chrissy Samba off was a difficult one, at the time we thought he went down very very easily and it was a hard price to pay. I thought we were excellent today, it was a really committed performance. Although everybody played well today, I thought the key performances for us was the two guys up front because they occupied four players for us because of their effort and determination to chase things down and that helped us and the guys in the team responded to that, we were good value today. The key thing for us today was the result."
The result moved Rovers back to 8th with 49 points & other games helped keep the Intertoto dream alive. (22nd March 2008)
PS - David Bentley included in the final 23 selected England Squad - to play France next Wednesday.

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VOGEL SIGNS TWO AND A HALF YEAR DEAL
... After two weeks on trial
As reported a few weeks on March 6th, the former AC Milan and PSV player Johann Vogel was having a two week trail at Brockhall. Available on a free after parting company with his last club Real Betis in December. He still needs International clearance - but subject to that the 31-year-old will be a Rovers player as he signs a two and a half year deal. The offer includes the option of an additional year. The BBC Say he has 94 Swiss caps, and began his career with Grasshoppers. Played for PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan. He joined Betis in August 2006 but was allowed to leave following a legal dispute.
At Ewood he'll join up with fellow Swiss Bruno Berner and of course Stephane Henchoz (19th March 2008)
rovers.co.uk (FULL STORY)

ROQUE FINDS THE TARGET -
BUT STILL NO REWARD AT WEST HAM
West Ham 2 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
You just know don't you that a meeting with West Ham will end in tears! Despite going ahead within the first 20 minutes - Rovers went on to concede the equaliser after some poor defending and their winner from sub Fred Sears (his first for the club). The opener from Santa relied on some wonderful build up play from David Bentley, a perfect cross from Morten Gamst Pedersen - and a header home. The second goal came about after Chris Samba allowed Dean Ashton to lob home off a Bobby Zamora header. With 75 minutes gone, Nolberto Solano was replaced by by teenage debutante Freddie Sears - and within five minutes he was their hero of the day giving West Ham their first win in three games. Rovers gave a rare start to Jason Roberts - and Mark Hughes was more than pleased with his efforts. The Manager told BBC RADIO LANCASHIRE "Jason's been very patient,. I thought he was one of our better performers and physically he was stronger and on another day he could have nicked a goal for us." And on the game over all he told reporters "We allowed West Ham back into a game we felt quite comfortable in. We didn't seem in danger, without reaching a decent level ourselves. Maybe there wasn't enough drive in our game to see it out and win it. We seem to be the right team at the right time for West Ham - we've done it again for them."
After the other weekend results - Rovers are now 9th - and Europe seems quite a way off. This Saturday - it must be all three points at home to Wigan. (19th March 2008)
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TWO POINTS DROPPED?
Blackburn Rovers 1 - 1 Fulham
Rovers went into this game high on enthusiasm, and confidence after back to back wins at home to Bolton and away at Newcastle. Sadly the first half saw a combination of atrocious weather - with matching football. The horizontal rain made it tough on both sides - but the interval was a bit of a relief. It stopped raining and the second half had a more upbeat feel. A couple of subs saw Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire replace Benni and Tugay ... and just ahead of the hour it was Roberts who provided a great cross for Morten Gamst Pedersen to head home. That's two in two home games for the Gamst and he later almost scored from a free kick. Sadly you always felt one wouldn't be enough, and with three minutes left, Chris Samba fouled Eddie Johnson, and Jimmy Bullard scored the equaliser from the awarded free kick. No time for much else, and it certainly felt like two points droped rather than one gained.
Mark Hughes took a full hour before talking to RADIO ROVERS: "At 1-0 I felt that we should have been able to see the game out, at times we threw caution to the wind trying to get a second. Maybe at times were are too keen to get on the front foot and attack teams, when we needed to be a little bit more professional We conceded a free-kick in a poor area and they've taken a point from the game.... it was a great free-kick. ."
Rovers stay 7th and now have a 1 point advantage over Manchester City who lost at Reading. Pedersen also picked up Man of the Match. (8th March 2008)
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SWISS STAR COMING TO EWOOD?
Rovers take Vogel on trial
BBC Sport report that Blackburn have taken Swiss International Johann Vogel on trail, with the chance he might sign for the rest of the season. Mark Hughes told BBC Radio Lancashire. "We have to see if he's fit enough to make an impact from now until the end of the season. If we don't think so there's no reason to waste money and sign him now. We're probably looking towards having possibly a situation with him for next year and seasons to come"
Vogel is a former AC Milan and PSV player and is available on a free after parting company with his last club Real Betis in December. He held talks last July with Everton - but there was no deal in the Summer.
The BBC also say that Quinton Fortune remains on trial at Ewood Park - and might also sign for the rest of the season as Rovers go on the hunt for a European place. (6th March 2008)
bbc.co.uk (full story)

BUY EARLY - PRICE FREEZE
Rovers make early offer to fans
Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy were in Blackburn Town Centre today (Tuesday) to help launch the latest marketing initiative. Buy your new season ticket before the end of April and the price will stay the same. Last Summer Rovers reduced their prices by an average 25% - and the cost of the cheapest adult season for next year is set to stay at £249 - if you buy early. The club arranged for the players to unveil an ice sculpture of the price - as the club hope to attract fans with a great value offer. (4th March 2008)

rovers.co.uk (photos)

BENNI LONG TERM COMMITMENT
McCarthy says he could end his career with Blackburn
Blackburn Rovers have confirmed that South African star striker Benni McCarthy could be ready to make a long term commitment to the club - and sign a new deal very soon. Speculation in the past had suggested that last season's top scorer had ambitions elsewhere - but this week the papers are full of quotes about his future plans.
The Lancashire Telegraph quote Benni as making a big pledge; "I can definitely see myself playing under Mark Hughes until I finish my career. I've been fortunate to play for two managers who are very similar in terms of being laid-back and easy going, and they are able to get the best out of you. One of those was Jose Mourinho, and Mark Hughes is very similar. "
Of course that also presumes that Mark will be here for some years to come - and we know with his undoubted managerial skills - he'll always be the target of bigger clubs.
The Telegraph say that a signature might be achieved within a couple of weeks. (4th March 2008)
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WHO'S THE DADDY! DERBS DOES IT
Newcastle United 0 - 1 Blackburn Rovers
The stats show show that Newcastle concede rather a lot of goals in the final five minutes ... and so it was this afternoon after the Tynesiders had claimed 60% of the possession - testing Rovers defense and forcing Brad Fiedel into some fine saves. Not that Blackburn hadn't had plenty of opportunity to score via captain Andre Ooijer and Roque Santa Cruz ... plus a hot of other chances. But with the score stubbornly stuck at 0-0 Mark Hughes decided to make a change and brought new father of two Matt Derbyshire off the bench. Derbs became a Dad only this past week & obviously wanted to mark the occasion! It was on the hour mark that Brett Emerton made way for the striker, at the same time changing Benni McCarthy for Jason Roberts. But despite the fire power, it still looked more likely that Keegan's men would get at least a home point. As time ticked away Zurab Khizanishvili cleared a Newcastle free kick and David Bentley provided Matt with the perfect cross at around the half way line - he picked it up and put it away from the centre of the penalty area. St. James's were stunned - it was the 90th minute. Referee Rob Styles added on a further five - but Rovers weathered the storm to pour on more misery for the toon army. That's the second double in the week - having beaten Bolton home and away last weekend.
Mark Hughes said: "It was a hard result on Newcastle but our concern is more about what we're doing and our ambition is to get into Europe. "We are in the mix and back on track. It will be an interesting run up and we just have to do our job now. "We felt there was something in the game for us and kept going. It was a cool finish from Matt Derbyshire." (1st March 2008)
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