A week after the Fabrice Muamba incident, the football world had the players recovery on their minds as a packed Reebok stadium prepared for a big game. It was always going to be a tough task for any visitors with all that's gone on over the past seven days, and a mosaic spelling out 'Muamba' added to the pre-match emotion. Perhaps the occasion got to Rovers. Certainly they seemed to show little of the composure and confidence they'd shown over the past few weeks. Blackburn were denied a penalty shout before David Wheater claimed his first on the half hour, and then his second five minutes later. Rovers previous clean sheets a distant memory, it was back to 'normal service, and things could only get better. Well they did when Morten Gamst Pedersen provided one of his wonderful long throws, and Steve Nzonzi headed home. Late on Rovers seemed to be denied another good penalty shout, and Bolton might have got a third. But it was the home sides day, winning the points they needed to help their relegation fight, and drag Rovers back to within 3 points of the bottom three. Bolton are now just two behind with a game in hand, and for Blackburn it's Manchester United back at Ewood for Monday Night football on April 2nd.
Steve Kean was disappointed and accepted they'd not been at their best:"I said to the lads play the match not the occasion but I do feel that the Bolton players were playing with a spring in their step and once they got their noses in front it was hard for us. The occasion might have got to us a little bit.

But when we got the goal to go to 2-1 we were back in the game and pushing for a draw. The performance was not our usual selves, we are normally better with the ball, we normally get it back much quicker. So we are disappointed with not only the result but also the performance." (24th March 2012)

Two more goals - three more points - back-to-back wins!

Following the first clean sheet of the season at Wolves last time out - Rovers were keen to try and keep the memento going at Ewood Park. Another win would also put six points between them and the bottom three. Blackburn were quickly out of the blocks and Yakubu had his shot cleared off the line, and the chances kept on coming. At the break it was still 0-0, and Steve Kean must have asked for more of the same. It took just over ten minutes of the second half for 'Junior' Hoilett to break the deadlock. Sunderland never tested Paul Robinson, but still had a couple of good chances of their own, sub Ji Dong-Won managing to miss as his shot, shot high over the cross bar at close range. With just four minutes left to play Bradley Orr provided the perfect cross for Yakubu to claim his 15th of the season. The stats show Blackburn winning the 'on target' count 9-0 and over all the Black Cats only managing 2 shot to Rovers 16. Both sets of players wore 'Pray for Muamba' t-shirts before the game, and the Yak was happy to show his to the cameras as part of his goal celebration. A delighted Steve Kean told RADIO ROVERS: "I thought the atmosphere again was excellent and I think from our point of view, to get some consistency together breeds confidence and I think that was there for everybody to see. After the first thirty minutes we were slightly disappointed we weren't ahead as we had two really good chances which Sunderland defended really well. Then we dropped our intensity a little bit but I said to the lads at half time that if we could raise it again and maintain it then they wouldn't be able to live with us and that proved to be the case. The partnership of Yakubu and Junior is starting to show signs of causing all sorts of problems for central defenders."And now with back-to-back wins and back-to-back clean sheets it is fantastic really."
Blackburn are due to travel to Bolton on Saturday - a game (if played) bound to be emotional as Mauamba remains in hospital following his cardiac arrest at the weekend.
If they could continue to with their recent form - a nine point should point to safety and Premier league safety. (20th March 2012)

It was at the end of April last season when Rovers last kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Bolton, but more important this afternoon were the three points at fellow strugglers Wolves. Rovers had slipped into the bottom three again after the early kick off game saw Bolton snatch a home win against QPR, but this win saw Blackburn move up to 16th - their highest position since the victory over Arsenal last September. This was billed as a massive game, with free travel provided for the trip for the traveling faithful. They were almost rewarded with a dream start when Yakubu came close, but they had to wait 'till almost half time for 'Junior' Hoilett to score his first to give Rovers an interval lead and psychological advantage. They'd already dominated play and created double the number of chances that Wolves had. It's often been the case that Blackburn fail to continue good form for the second half, but not today. Just short of 70 minutes Hoilett made it 0-2 with a cracking goal from about 25 yards out. Wolves improved their possession but captain Paul Robinson continued his recent good form and made some key saves to claim his first clean sheet of the season. Steve Kean was obviously delighted, and told reporters that they'd defended as a team."The results are coming ... Over the last six away games we've now picked up eight points, and we've been to some very hard grounds.15 points out of the last ten games, I think we are hitting some form at the right time. We've sent our travelling 1400 fans home happy, I'm delighted for that."
Rovers had a memorable win at Molineux to round off last season with a vital win - this may not have been quite as big a game, but the win and clean sheet sets things up well for the rest of the month with Sunderland next at Ewood on Tuesday March 20th (rearranged) before the trip to Bolton at the end of the Month. (10th March 2012)

Fulham sink Wolves - Rovers move up one!

Blackburn Rovers benefited from one way traffic ar Craven Cottage, where Fulham demolished Wolves as Steve Kean watched from the stands. After yesterdays home tie at Ewood Park, Rovers remained in 18th place - but only on goal difference with the Wolverhampton. Blackburn had -22 and they were one better off at -21. So with a final score of Fulham 5 - Wolves 0 - theirs took a big hit, falling to -26. Next weekend Blackburn will travel to the midlands and hope to pile more pressure on Wanderers, and possibly climb above QPR to 16th. (4th March 2012)

The Manager said March was a crucial month, and for the first five minutes it looked like Rovers were going to put Aston Villa under pressure and take an early lead - but the next forty were dreadful. Despite all the pre-match confidence, Villa took control and Blackburn seemed unable to get hold of the ball let alone put them under any sort of threat. Charles N'Zogbia gave the visitors their deserved lead after 24 minutes, and Rovers were lucky to be just 1-0 down at the break. Surely we wouldn't watch a second half anything like that again? Steve Kean made two half time subs, taking off Formica and Petrovic, and introducing David Dunn and Marcus Olsson for his home debut. Blackburn were out early, and from the start were a different team.They created chance after chance, and seemed destined to claw at least one back. Paul Robinson had already made some impressive saves, and he continued to thwart and hope that Villa had of claiming a second. With just five minutes left to play David Dunn headed home to beat Shay Given, and earn Rovers an important point. Undoubtedly a game of two contrasting halves, and the total opposite of the last home game when against QPR it was the first half that Blackburn showed what they could do. Paul Robinson - now also the captain - collected the man of the match award, and Steve Kean paid tribute to his keeper. "If it wasn't for Paul Robinson's performance in the first half today the game could have been beyond us. He made crucial saves in the first half and played his part in getting us back to our usual standards. The first half was probably as poor as we've been for a number of months. But we had a few choice words at half-time and in the second half we were much better. We got closer to Villa's midfield because we were miles off it in the first half. I'm just disappointed we didn't get our goal earlier because, if we did, we might have gone on to win it."
The draw leaved Blackburn 18th on goal difference - and should Wolves lose at Fulham tomorrow, they could once again be out of the bottom three. Next weekend it's a classic six pointer at Wolves, before a return home to the rearranged crucial fixture against Sunderland on Tuesday 20th March. (3rd March 2012)

LINKS: bbc.co.uk (full report and stats) ALSO rovers.co.uk (report) PLUS goals1112 AND t&t1112