Blackburn 3-0 Norwich

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Paul Dickov scored twice to inspire Blackburn to a vital win over fellow relegation candidates Norwich.

Morten Gamst Pedersen rifled in a right-footed volley from the edge of the box to open the scoring.

Dickov glanced in a header to double Rovers' advantage before sealing the win with a low shot which squirmed through keeper Robert Green's arms.

Norwich could only rue Darren Huckerby and Jim Brennan's first-half miskicks when both should have found the target.

Had either accepted their opportunity to put the Canaries ahead, it would not have been undeserved.

Norwich's start to the match was not indicative of a side who had not scored in five previous away matches.

Sadly for the visitors, their finishing was.

Dean Ashton's shot could not match the quality of the build up which went before it and Brad Friedel comfortably beat the effort away.

Rovers had yet to threaten but a long, crossfield pass by Tugay changed the face of the match.

Pedersen cushioned the ball with a deft header over left-back Simon Charlton, collected the ball on the other side and rifled a shot into the bottom corner.

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Green could perhaps have done better, but worse was to come for the Norwich keeper.

In the second half, Dickov scored his side's third when his shot skidded off the greasy pitch and Green could only parry the ball into the net.

Dickov had already proved a menace before that when he got on the end of Pedersen's whipped corner on 37 minutes to head his first goal.

Norwegian winger Pedersen had troubled Norwich all match and came close to doubling his personal goal tally with a first-half free kick.

It was heading for the top corner until Green's intervention.

As the game wore on, Rovers assumed almost total control - particularly after Dickov had scored his second.

Blackburn pushed on in search of another goal but a torrential downpour made conditions very difficult for both sides.

Late on Green went some way to making amends for his earlier errors when he produced a stunning double stop from Steven Reid and Paul Gallagher.

But by then, Blackburn had already done enough to earn a much-needed win, whilst Norwich remain floundering in the Premiership table's bottom three.

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Blackburn boss Mark Hughes:
"It was important that we won in the manner we did. We showed everybody we are able to get the ball down and pass well and create chances.

"If Norwich had watched us over the course of the season I'm sure they would know we were capable of that.

"We made a bit of statement about what we are about and we are glad we were able to make the right points."

Norwich boss Nigel Worthington:
"It was a bad day at the office for us. Robert Green is disappointed with his performance.

"But he's an honest lad and a good goalkeeper and he has got to get that out of his system and move on.

"We did not defend well and if you don't then you are going to concede goals. But we had three very good chances and couldn't hit the target."

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Blackburn: Friedel, Nelsen, Todd, Mokoena (Neill 45), Johansson, Emerton (Reid 70), Tugay, Savage (Thompson 76), Pedersen, Dickov, Gallagher.
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Johnson.

Booked: Tugay, Neill.

Goals: Pedersen 17, Dickov 39, 62.

Norwich: Green, Charlton (Safri 76), Fleming, Doherty, Drury, Stuart, Holt, Francis, Brennan (McKenzie 45), Ashton, Huckerby.
Subs Not Used: Gallacher, McVeigh, Shackell.

Booked: Francis.

Att: 20,923

Ref: S Dunn (Gloucestershire).