Blackburn silenced their critics with a victory which should confirm their
Premiership status for next season, while Crystal Palace are still staring at
the Championship abyss.
Manager Mark Hughes' Rovers are now 11 points clear of the relegation zone
where only goal difference separates Palace from propping up the table following
Norwich's stunning late win at home to Newcastle.
It was a dominant display from a Rovers side heavily criticised for their
'bully boy' performance against Arsenal in their FA Cup semi-final defeat on
Saturday, but with only Morten Gamst Pedersen's 45th-minute winner to show for
their superiority.
There was perhaps the expectation this would not be the most sophisticated of
matches, particularly from Blackburn's perspective after what unfolded at
Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Hughes' side were roundly condemned for their rough-house tactics against the
Gunners, much to the anger of the Welshman who found such vitriol difficult to
stomach.
"Mud sticks" was Hughes' comment yesterday, fearing his side would be tagged
as a team that would look to win at any cost.
If Blackburn were to win over their detractors then they needed a footballing
display, and for the most part that was achieved, but for the lucky Robbie
Savage.
After being booked for a scything challenge on Mikele Leigertwood in the 29th
minute, the midfielder perhaps should have been given a second yellow less than
10 minutes later when he brought down Wayne Routledge five yards outside the
area.
Savage's tackle was naive at best, and although it was directly in front of
referee Philip Walton, he showed leniency and instead only awarded a free-kick
which Andy Johnson drove into the wall from 22 yards.
Unsurprisingly, the prospective villain turned hero right on the stroke of
half-time by providing a delightful free-kick from just inside the Palace half
and deep into the area.
Gratefully on the receiving end was Pedersen, sliding the ball home from close
range and off the underside of the crossbar for his eighth goal of the season
and with what was virtually the last kick of the half.
Prior to that Blackburn controlled the proceedings, firmly putting behind them
the disappointment of that cup defeat and creating the chances they had failed
to muster in Cardiff.
Jonathan Stead, starting with Paul Dickov sidelined by a knee injury sustained
on Saturday, felt so confident he had headed home Pedersen's perfect left-wing
cross in the fifth minute that he began to wheel away in celebration.
However, Gabor Kiraly produced an oustanding save, with the goalkeeper at full
stretch in diving to his left as he turned the ball round the post.
After Stead had sliced horribly wide another Pedersen cross, this time from
the left wing as a swift break ended in disappointment, Rovers should have taken
the lead midway through the half.
Ryan Nelsen was left unmarked inside the area from a deep Savage free-kick on
the left, but after trapping the ball on his chest, the New Zealand centre-back
crashed his angled right-foot shot from 10 yards against the outside of a post.
Within a minute, Rovers were on the attack again, this time Brett Emerton
cutting inside two challenges from Gary Borrowdale, starting his first game for
over two months, and Gonzalo Sorondo on the left-hand edge of the area - only to
drill his shot into the arms of Kiraly.
Then came the niggly moments, with Savage's booking followed by one for
Sorondo for his foul on Pedersen, before Rovers' £3million transfer-window buy
from Birmingham almost got himself into hot water.
His last act of the half was his free-kick for goalscorer Pedersen as he was
replaced at the break, either due to a recurrence of his ongoing niggly groin
injury or to prevent him receiving the first red card of his club career.
Blackburn did not miss his presence as they had the opportunities to have
comfortably wrapped up the points, starting with an Emerton run which ended in a
clutch save from Kiraly low to his right.
The underworked Brad Friedel followed that by saving low to deny Andrew
Johnson, a shot which proved to be Palace's only effort on target, before two
head-in-hands chances for the home side.
Dominic Matteo first steered into the sidenetting a low ball into the near
post from the outstanding Pedersen, while Steven Reid headed wide from six yards
an Emerton left-wing cross with the goal at his mercy.
Then Stead stabbed wide from seven yards as he raced onto Matteo's looping
ball, while he also fired directly at Kiraly late on as Palace left gaps at the
back in a vain search for the equaliser.
Teams:
Blackburn Friedel, Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Matteo, Mokoena,
Emerton, Savage (Tugay 45), Reid, Pedersen (Thompson 75), Stead.
Subs Not Used: Flitcroft, Enckelman, Gallagher.
Booked: Savage, Reid, Mokoena.
Goals: Pedersen 45.
Crystal Palace Kiraly, Butterfield (Popovic 76), Hall,
Sorondo, Borrowdale, Routledge, Leigertwood, Hughes,
Kolkka (Soares 45), Johnson, Freedman (Torghelle 60).
Subs Not Used: Speroni, Shipperley.
Booked: Sorondo, Butterfield.
Att: 18,006
Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
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