Graeme Souness took a £1million gamble in the January transfer window and took rookie striker Jonathan Stead from Huddersfield. How the 21 year-old has repaid that faith.

Stead, who has become an England Under-21 international since moving to Ewood Park, struck the late goal which has virtually saved Blackburn from possible relegation.

They are now on 40 points and above Everton in the table.

Stead's goal was his fifth since moving to Blackburn and absolutely priceless for Souness as Rovers won their third league game on the trot.

Everton, who wasted possession and dominance, are surely already safe themselves but nobody at Goodison Park will sleep easily until they to have managed 40-plus points.

For Stead it was a dream day. He had been by far Blackburn's most dangerous striker and his season's total is now 23 goals. But those final five for the Lancashire club will be remembered as the goals that saved Souness' bacon.

Steve Watson returned for Everton while Blackburn brought back Michael Gray, with both sides needing a point or two to surely end all thoughts of relegation.

But the lacklustre way both sides entered into the opening stages at least suggested they had been reading holiday brochures in the dressing room beforehand!

But at least the two keepers, Nigel Martyn and Brad Friedel, were on form with a string of excellent saves to spice the first half.

Martyn had to hurl himself to his right to palm away at full-stretch a header from former Everton defender Craig Short following Tugay's corner, and a minute later it was Friedel called into action with an outstanding reflex save to touch over a powerful Watson header from Wayne Rooney's left-wing cross.

Everton held the upper hand for much of the opening exchanges. Rooney, moving from central into wide areas to take possession, caused Lucas Neill plenty of problems, while Tomasz Radzinski's pace did likewise to Short.

Blackburn found it more difficult to create space for themselves, but Stead saw one hook from 15 yards out drop wide of the far post.

Everton then suffered a blow with the loss of Thomas Gravesen on 22 minutes. He had slipped while sending over a cross minutes earlier and clearly suffered a muscle strain. Alex Nyarko took over in midfield.

It was very much a canter in the sunshine, but Rooney continued to worry Neill, who by now was getting help from Lorenzo Amoruso to halt the dangerous flow down the left.

Blackburn stirred themselves with two efforts in a minute that could easily have given then the lead. First Stead sent in a fine header from Gray's cross only for Martyn to produce another excellent save.

From the resulting corner, Amoruso powered in a header which Tobias Linderoth hacked off the line with Wright beaten this time. Immediately at the other end, Friedel got down well to his right to fingertip a Radzinski shot inches wide of the far post.

There was more urgency about Everton after the break, and strong runs by Watson and Rooney threatened.

The referee had been lenient with more than a few late lunges, and after first warning Martin Andresen for a foul on Watson finally booked the Norwegian on 51 minutes for a foul on Kevin Kilbane.

Kilbane, with an overhead effort, and Nyarko from 25 yards, demonstrated Everton's increased desire to turn their greater possession into goals.

Their pressure mounted and Alessandro Pistone put Radzinski away on the right. When the cross arrived in the box, Rooney spun to crack a drive that crashed into Amoruso's arm at close range, the referee ignoring penalty appeals.

Gary Naysmith, who has been carrying a hernia problem for weeks and will have a summer operation, was finally replaced after a grafting display by Dave Unsworth and seconds later Nyarko flashed a 20 yarder wide of the left hand post - Everton at last producing real pressure to pin back Rovers.

Blackburn were still capable of good moves and when Andresen fed Andy Cole in the box, his fierce shot was superbly beaten away by Martyn at full stretch.

Everton were to pay for failing to score when they were on top and found themselves behind with nine minutes left.

Cole, quiet for much of the afternoon, turned away from Pistone's slack challenge to lift a cross into the box that Stead headed past Martyn from eight yards.

Everton never looked like saving it and Rovers' players rightly celebrated with their joyous fans at the end.

Teams

Everton Martyn, Pistone, Yobo, Weir, Naysmith (Unsworth 63), Watson, Linderoth, Gravesen (Nyarko 23), Kilbane, Radzinski (McFadden 79), Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Wright, Jeffers.

Blackburn Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Short, Gray, Douglas, Flitcroft, Tugay, Andresen (Emerton 75), Cole (Gallagher 86), Stead.

Subs Not Used: Reid, Johansson, Enckelman.

Booked: Andresen, Neill, Tugay, Douglas.

Goals: Stead 81.

Att: 38,884

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).