The Premier League game between Blackburn Rovers and Hull City at Ewood Park on Wednesday Feb 10 2010.
Three straight home victories have given Blackburn Rovers a sense of safety as they moved within just nine points of the tally of 40 that Sam Allardyce craves.
They were good value for this latest win, secured against a Hull City team that was reduced to 10 men by George Boateng's sending off before the interval, thanks to a Martin Olsson effort that flew in off goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.
Even without the suspended Chris Samba, Blackburn still offer a major threat from set pieces and Myhill was forced into a fine one-handed save after Ryan Nelsen glanced goal-wards from Morten Gamst Pedersen's free kick.
Paul Robinson showed similar form when he pushed a low effort from Jan Venegoor of Hesselink around the post after fine work from Stephen Hunt on the edge of the area.
But Blackburn took a deserved lead when Pedersen clipped in behind the Hull defence and Olsson out-paced Craig Fagan and managed to beat Myhill from a narrow angle, with the goalkeeper credited with an own goal.
On two occasions, Olsson, previously without a goal in the Premier League, threatened to extend the advantage, with a thumping header that was gratefully held by Myhill and a speculative header after Steven Mouyokolo failed to clear Pedersen's long throw.
Referee Lee Probert had won friends in East Yorkshire for giving them a penalty in strange circumstances in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City earlier this season but they were enraged when the same official sent off Boateng just before the interval.
The veteran midfielder challenged Pedersen for a ball in the air and appeared to catch the Norwegian with his fore-arm before the pair clashed heads and when he finished receiving treatment, he was shown a red card.
Olsson, Pedersen and Steven Nzonzi each threatened for Blackburn after the restart, before Myhill produced a low stop from Brett Emerton.
Myhill again kept his team in the match by pushing Gael Givet's header on to the bar in the closing stages.
No comments:
Post a Comment