Rovers hold off Everton

Blackburn reaction Everton reaction

Blackburn 2-1 Everton

Blackburn moved out of the bottom three with a hard-fought victory over Everton at Ewood Park.

Early goals from Markus Babbel and Dwight Yorke got them off to a flying start.

Everton came back with a goal from Tomasz Radzinski and threatened to steal a point in the dying stages.

But they were unable to get the leveller and the defeat sees them slip into the relegation zone.

Blackburn went into the game without a goal in 274 minutes of Premiership football.

But within 13 minutes they had scored twice as Everton's defence was given a torrid time.

Babbel got the first after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

The ball eventually fell for Babbel, who is on-loan from Everton's Merseyside rivals Liverpool, and he nodded past Nigel Martyn from close range.

It was Babbel's first goal for Rovers and he nearly got his second five minutes later with a header from a similar position that Martyn tipped onto the bar and out for a corner.

Blackburn got the second goal when Brett Emerton swung in a cross from the left that found the head of Yorke and he powered it past Martyn.

KEY MOMENTS 6 mins: Babbel gives Blackburn an early lead 13 mins: Yorke doubles Blackburn's lead with a header 49 mins: Radzinski provides some Everton hope with the third headed goal of the game

Everton went into the game with an even poorer record in front of goal and were looking for a first in five games.

Their hopes were not helped by the absence of Wayne Rooney and Duncan Ferguson through illness and Kevin Campbell was forced into action despite a toe injury.

Campbell almost put Radzinski through on goal as Everton desperately tried to respond, but Vladimir Gresko came to Blackburn's rescue.

Blackburn could have added a third before half-time as Yorke's goalbound volley was blocked and then Andy Todd headed inches wide.

Young striker Paul Gallagher replaced the injured Yorke at half-time and he was straight into the action as he tested Martyn from long range.

But at the other end James McFadden was off the bench for Everton and he crossed for Radzinski to head past a previously untested Brad Friedel.

Blackburn responded through a couple of Emerton shots wide of the target.

The Australian then combined well with the lively Gallagher who curled in a shot that Martyn had to be at his best to push out.

But Everton refused to throw in the towel and both Tobias Linderoth and David Unsworth went agonisingly close to an equaliser.

Francis Jeffers came off the bench and almost stole a point but his ambitious effort just looped just over the top of the bar.

---

Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Babbel, Gresko, Emerton, Ferguson, Flitcroft, Reid, Jansen (Baggio 79), Yorke (Gallagher 46).
Subs not used: Martin Taylor, Tugay, Enckelman.

Booked: Ferguson, Gresko, Flitcroft.

Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Yobo, Clarke, Naysmith (Jeffers 82), Gravesen, Nyarko (Unsworth 45), Linderoth, Kilbane (McFadden 45), Campbell, Radzinski.
Subs not used: Chadwick, Simonsen.

Booked: Linderoth, Campbell.

Attendance: 22,179.

Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).