Blackburn Rovers 3 - FC Basel 0
Three goal thriller in the last quarter of an hour.
Another game of two distinct halves - the first one saw Brad Friedel make a couple of superb and essential saves - the second saw a different Rovers and THREE goals! Tugay scored one of his Turkish delights from at least 25 yards to brake the deadlockl on 74 minutes and then it was all Rovers to the end. With three minutes to go, MGP was fouled in the area, and sub Francis Jeffers made no mistake with the penalty (2-0). We thought it was all over, and on 91 minutes it was when Benni McCarthy added to the tally with his 7th for the season - and 3rd in Europe.
The onbly true downside was another injury - this time to Robbie Savage who went off before he break, and will be out for a few weeks with his thigh.
Mark Hughes was full of praise for 'Man of the Match' Tugya - he told RADIO ROVERS "It was a fantastic strike from Tugay. He was excellent all night as he has been all season. We needed a little bit of magic at that point. I think we are going to get nights like that here we hope, good teams are going to come here and be organised and have a game plan and we have to be up to it. I thought today we were nice and solid, created chances and in the end got our reward for a good professional performance."
Rovers Top Group E with 6 points from their two wins.
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)
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West Ham 2 - Blackburn Rovers 1
Still no win at Upton - and the injuries mount.
Benni McCarthy had a goal ruled out (off side) and David Bentley got Rovers a consolation one in the 90th minute. But Blackburn's miserable record at the home of the hammers continued, and probably more importantly JASON ROBERTS went off with a broken METATARSAL. Mark Hughes told reporters that the striker could be out for up to four months! Mark Hughes made four changes, with Nonda and Pedersen still injured, and Brett Emerton picking up a hamstring injury in training. Robbie Savage served a one match ban having picked up 5 yellow cards. Sergio Peter made his first start - a chance too for Michael Gray. Rovers started strongly, but were stunned when 40 year old Teddy Sheringham opened the scoring for West Ham after just 20 minutes from a free header. Roberts went off on the half hour mark to be replaced by Francis Jeffers. 1-0 at the break and Blackburn started the second half with plenty of conviction and possession. However it was the home side who found the target again, this time from a corner when Hayden Mullins scored in the 78th minute. It looked all over for Rovers - but they kept applying the pressure and were rewarded in the final minute when David Bentley found the target from the left hand side of the six yard box. The result leaves Rovers in 11th place and is the third defeat in a week.
Mark Hughes told rovers.co.uk "The second half was much better, but really we lost the game in the first half. You can't win Premier League games by just playing for forty-five minutes. It wasn't our day, first half we didn't deserve anything, the second half I felt our performance deserved something out of the game but it wasn't to be. But losing the second goal when we did was poor from our point of view because we were totally in command at that stage. It is a little bit of concern for us as that is three goals at set-plays that we've conceded in three games. So we need to address that."
It's UEFA cup action on Thursday at Ewood Park with FC BASEL as the visitors - who will Mark Hughes have available? Team news first 'live' on RADIO ROVERS -1404 am and rovers.co.uk (29th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO bbc.co.uk (Roberts injury) include audio interview with Mark Hughes
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Mijailovic gets ban for McCarthy racial abuse.
BBC Sport report that Wisla Krakow defender Nikola Mijailovic has been given a five Uefa match ban, for the racial abuse of Benni McCarthy. The action referred to events at Rovers game in Krakov earlier in the month. Blackburn Rovers issued a statement via the clubs website saying:- "Firstly, we appreciate Uefa's speed in dealing with this important issue. Secondly, we believe that Uefa's decision sends out a clear message that racism will not, and should not, be tolerated in the game." And the BBC quote Piara Powar, a spokesman for anti-racism campaigners 'Kick It Out' "A ban for five matches is strong stuff and very welcome. It is the sort of sanction that people across Europe will think, 'there is a message to be learned here'." (26th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (full story)

TIME to REMEMBER
BST runs from March 26th - October 29th 2006, so this weekend don't forget to put your clocks back. You get an extra hour in bed (I think) and shouldn't be late for Rovers away date at West Ham on Sunday at 16:00 BST
Listen online at rovers.co.uk (rovers world for RADIO ROVERS) - BBC Radio Lancashire 95.5, 103.9, 104.5 FM + 855, 1557 AM + DAB Digital Radio
Also live on skysports.com

CHECK OUT THIS USEFUL WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS OF TIME ZONES AND THE TIME RIGHT NOW

Website: BritishSummerTime.co.uk

Blackburn Rovers 0 - Chelsea 2
Rovers go out of the Carling Cup
Steve Patrick and his ground staff spent the three hours prior to kick off getting the Ewood turf playable. They succeeded, but the conditions didn't help either team play much in the way of flowing football. Having said that Blackburn more than held their own for the first half, and looked comfortable at the break. The second 45 was a different story, with both Morten Gamst Pedersen and Shabani Nonda taken off injured - Nonda on a stretcher. Joe Cole gave the Champions the lead on 52 minutes, and Salomon Kalou confirmed the Chelsea win in the 81st. But could the early departure from he cup be a blessing in disguise? Mark Hughes told RADIO ROVERS "I'm not too disappointed, I thought there was some good performances, ideally we would have liked to have gone through but it is always going to be difficult against the Premiership champions. We kept at it, we kept trying to get the balls into good areas, to cause them a few problems but in the end it wasn't enough."
You never want to loose, but with the UEFA cup again next week, and the league on Sunday, fighting on all fronts at full strength was always going to be a tough test.
Of the two injuries, the manager said "Chris (Nonda) went for an x-ray, but he's ok. We hope it is just a bang and a little bit of fluid in there. Morten twisted his ankle but we are hopeful that he'll be ok. That is the disappointment, we didn't want to lose any players from the squad." (25th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)
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Neill nearer departure??
Australian 'believed' to have turned down new offer
SKY SPORTS are reporting that Rovers Australian defender has rejected the clubs latest offer of a new contract. In August, Liverpool failed to get the deal they wanted. Now in his last year of his Blackburn contract, the January window sees him free to talk with any interested parties - and possibly signing a 'pre-contract', then a 'Bosman' transfer in the summer. SKY Say "But now it is believed that Neill has shunned a new long term offer, understood to be a four-year deal - which would seemingly look to end Blackburn's hopes of keeping their captain."
However vitalfootball.co.uk quote Lucas's agent Peter Harrison saying it's all news to him. "His mind hasn`t changed. Lucas is a good guy, a professional, who cares a lot for Blackburn Rovers and their fans but just feels that the time is right to move on. He is playing out of position which isn`t ideal but he is happy to help the club. Lucas has always fancied Spain; he has been learning Spanish for a couple of years now." (23rd October 2006)
skyports.com (original story) ALSO vitallfootball.co.uk (reaction from Harrison)

Blackburn Rovers 0 - Bolton 1
"We was robbed!"
A disallowed goal, and turned down penalty shout in the first half, and two penalties saved in the second + one Ivan Campo goal ... Bolton took all the point, but how did Rovers manage to loose? It was for the most part a great Blackburn battling performance, and Rovers should not have lost the game. The video replay will probably show that the ball did cross the line in the first half, and another replay should show a clear penalty call turned down. But getting two penalties in two minutes - BOTH saved by Jussi Jaasjkelainen is hard to explain. The Bolton keeper was on top form, but shots from Benni McCarthy then Jason Roberts might have tested him harder. Mark Hughes told reporters "Obviously with two penalties at the end you expect to take something out of the game. We feel Zurab Khizanishvili had a perfectly good goal not given, the ball was clearly over the line. But I think anyone who saw our performance today would feel we deserved something out of the game." And talking on RADIO ROVERS, the Manager said ".. some of our play in the first half was as good as we have played this year. We've had a fantastic run and now it is up to us to bounce back and go on another run, we've got big games coming up and if we play like we did today we'll be ok."
It's Chelsea on Wednesday in the League Cup. Coverage from 16:00 hrs 'live' on Radio Rovers. (22nd October 2006)

bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)
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Wisla Krakow 1 - Blackburn Rovers 2
Rovers come from behind to claim all the points in Europe.
David Bentley secured Blackburn's win in Poland with just 1 minute of normal time left to go. The visitors dominated the second half and it had always seemed like 'a matter of time'.
Blackburn looked comfortable in opening play, but Mauro Roberto Cantoro scored for Wisla from the corner, with the ball taking a wicked deflection on the way past Friedel. It took Rovers a while to adjust and Mark Hughes had 'things to say' in the dressing room at half time. Whatever he said had the desired effect ... on 55 minutes there was that rare site of a Robbie Savage goal thanks to a great cross from David Bentley. Blackburn made a couple of subs, and continued to apply pressure looking fro the winner. When it came, the visitors had tried the shot from the right, center and finally left of the area. It was David Bentley who tucked it away from 12 yards out.
Rovers could justifiably have claimed a penalty, and should have won by a bigger margin - but win they did to continue their impressive recent form in Europe and the league. Savage and Bentley have already scored in Europe this season. (19th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (report)
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Reid out for four months
Steven Reid treated for back 'stress fracture'
Blackburn Rovers have revealed that their talented midfielder could be out until the new year with an injury he picked up while playing for the Republic of Ireland. That was back in September, and it's taken this long to get the right diagnosis and put him on the road back to recovery. BBC Sport quote Reidy as being "totally gutted" as he faces the biggest injury in his career. "The last few weeks have been really frustrating. I've been pulled and twisted all over the place in recent weeks in the hope of sorting out the injury. But then last week I had another scan and it showed up a stress fracture which now means I face six to eight weeks of total rest followed weeks six to eight weeks of getting my fitness back."
Rovers.co.uk quote Mark Hughes "Steven is going to be out for a significant amount of time. The likelihood is that he won't be back until the back-end of January so it is a real blow, not only to him, but to us as a squad. It dragged on and dragged on and was difficult to really nail down, but we've been able to do that now and the appropriate treatment will be carried out." (17th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (more from Reid) ALSO rovers.co.uk (Hughes reaction)

Liverpool 1 - Blackburn Rovers 1
As Rovers make it 7 unbeaten.
Benni McCarthy made it 6 goals for Rovers when he gave his side an early lead at Anfield. A David Bentley cross found the striker on the left of the Liverpool penalty box to score from 12 yards out. (16'03). Rovers continued to create chances and could easily have extended their lead before the break. But predictably it was Blackburn's former star Craig Bellamy who leveled for his new team just past the hour. With Paul Gallagher and Jason Roberts both on as second half subs, Rovers might have found the winner had the Liverpool keeper not been on top form.
Mark Hughes told reporters "I thought overall our general play was excellent. Certainly in the first half I thought our passing and movement was as good as we've played this year and I think that is credit to the players."Another valuable point for Blackburn, and seven games undefeated for the Lancashire side - best start for almost a decade. (14th October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)
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BOLTON date Change and BIG Price reduction
Following the UEFA cup draw (below) Rovers have announced that their next big derby game at Ewood with Bolton Wanderers will be on Sunday 22nd October at 15:00. The club are also determined to get a big crowd in for the afternoon, and have made a historic reduction in ticket prices.
Rovers.co.uk says: "Officials recognise that with the club progressing to the UEFA Cup group stages it is expensive for fans to watch all matches, so for the Bolton match, home and away supporters will pay just £15 for a seat, while senior citizens and children will be charged only £5. The match, which takes place on Sunday, October 22 at 3pm, is steeped in history as Blackburn's highest ever home attendance of 62,522 happened in this fixture back in 1929." (4th October 2006)

Read more at rovers.co.uk

UEFA CUP DRAW
Tuesdays UEFA cup draw gives Rovers games against Dutch side Feyenoord, Swiss side FC Basel, Poles Wisla Krakow and Nancy of France.

The matches will be played as follows:
Thursday 19th October: Wisla Krakow v Rovers
Thursday 2nd November: Rovers v Basel
Thursday 23rd November: Feyenoord v Rovers
Thursday 30th November: Free week
Wednesday 13th December: Rovers v Nancy.

John Williams told rovers.co.uk "I think the draw has been relatively kind to us. We want to treat the competition with respect and we won't want to underestimate the opposition. The travel times aren't too bad either, which means it is easier on the players, and also good for our traveling supporters. We are determined to do well in this competition. We haven't had the best of records in the past but we are keen to put that right."
And Mark Hughes added: "We've managed to avoid long distance trip to far away places which is always a consideration when league games come up short so quickly after. I'm reasonably happy with how it has panned out. Although the strength of the overall competition this year ensures that whatever you got would be difficult."

Read more reaction at rovers.co.uk .... (3rd October 2006)
The full draw + John Williams + Mark Hughes + The teams in detail ALSO see UEAF 0607

Blackburn Rovers 2 - Wigan 1
Another thriller at Ewood
Some memories of the Man City game came to mind - with another game of two halves. But this time the contrast in 45's was not as great. Rovers were stunned when Emile Heskey gave Wigan the lead after less than two minutes ... And Rovers then spent the rest of the half trying to get back on level terms. 1'30 into injury time, David Bentley picked up where he left off on Thursday with a lovely shot to make it 1-1. The second half was all Rovers, despite the surprise sub of Brad Friedel for new keeper Jason Brown. He's impressed pre-season, but it was early August he last played for the first team. With 75 mins on the clock Emile Heskey was brought down in the box by Andre Ooijer, and the resulting penalty made Brown the hero of the day. Wigan sub Todorov came up to take the spot kick, but the Rovers keeper saved it once, twice and for a third time as the rebounds came in!! Five minutes later Benni McCarthy secured the game for Rovers when a Chris Kirkland error left his goal invitingly open for a simple tap in.
Mark Hughes told RADIO ROVERS "It was some game all round. The second half I thought attacking wise we really forced the issue and really wanted to win the game. In fairness to Wigan I thought they came to try and win it and that was the reason it was end-to-end, but in the end we prevailed."
The result moves Rovers to 9th in the Premiership, an ideal place to break off for the Internationals. (1st October 2006)
bbc.co.uk (match report) ALSO rovers.co.uk (reaction)
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