Blackburn blow Boro away

Duff is mobbed after creating Yordi's simple goal

Middlesbrough 1-3 Blackburn
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Blackburn claimed their first away win of 2002 courtesy of strikers Yordi and Andy Cole and a David Dunn penalty.

Yordi opened the scoring at the Riverside just after the half hour and Cole clinched a vital victory 15 minutes from time with an unstoppable header.

  Key Moments

25 mins: Yordi shoots straight at Schwarzer

32 mins: Yordi taps home Duff cross

74 mins: Cole bullet header seals win

85 minutes: Dunn slots penalty home

87 mins: Queudrue sent-off

90 mins: Nemeth consolation

England World Cup hopeful David Dunn stroked home Blackburn's first league penalty of the season to complete 10-man 'Boro's misery.

'Boro scored with the last kick of the game through substitute Szilard Nemeth as Blackburn moved above Sunderland into 16th place.

A downbeat opening to the game saw Boro's new Scottish cap Robbie Stockdale intercept an early through ball to snuff out a Cole half chance.

A period of mediocracy from both teams was almost interrupted when Blackburn's Spanish striker Yordi nearly broke the deadlock.

A clever Cole lay-off found the Rovers' big import but Yordi's shot was well stopped by Mark Schwarzer in the Boro goal.

We didn't focus on the game and our performance was poor - there are no excuses

Boro boss Steve McClaren

However, soon after the Spaniard was on hand to open the scoring.

In the 32nd minute, Republic of Ireland winger Damian Duff mesmorised the Boro defence.

The Irishman's twinkling footwork took him past five defenders and Yordi was on hand to tap the ball home.

Six minutes later the home side almost fashioned an unlikely equaliser with their only shot in the first 45 minutes.

The ball was smuggled back to Paul Ince on the edge of Rovers' box and his piledriver went inches wide of Brad Friedel's upright.

Rovers, who last won in the league in Middlesbrough 12 years ago, amazingly spurned an excellent chance to double their adavantage five minutes before the break.

Until we are mathematically safe we will not count our chickens

Rovers boss
Graeme Souness

David Dunn combined with Duff once more to set the Irishman free on the edge of the Boro penalty area.

Duff's cross seemed inch perfect but Cole could not reach it when the slightest of touches would have sufficed.

Boro did forge forward after the interval but could not find an equaliser.

Duff fired over a 74th minute corner which Cole bulleted past Schwarzer to double Rovers' lead.

Eleven minutes later, Franck Queudrue pulled Dunn down inside the area and Dunn picked himself up to score Rovers' third.

Then in the 87th minute Queudrue was red carded for another vicious challenge on Dunn and the game was up for Boro.

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Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Southgate, Festa, Queudrue, Wilkshire (Debeve 45), Mustoe (Nemeth 75), Ince, Johnston (Marinelli 45), Carbone, Windass.
Subs Not Used: Crossley, Cooper.
Sent off: Queudrue (88).
Booked: Wilkshire, Mustoe, Festa.

Blackburn: Friedel, Bjornebye, Berg, Short, Neill, Gillespie (Flitcroft 56), Tugay, Dunn, Duff, Cole, Yordi (Hughes 67).
Subs Not Used: Johansson, Unsal, Kelly.
Booked: Berg, Flitcroft, Cole.

Attendance: 26,932

Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).