Football: Newell brings Blackburn some comfort

CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE: Second-half dismissals add to the misery as Rovers and Rangers bid farewell to Europe

Blackburn Rovers 4 Rosenborg Trondheim 1

Blackburn Rovers ended a ragged European journey with a victory last night, but even in success the scent of disgrace could not wholly be eradicated. For the second Champions' League match in succession, one of their players - Paul Warhurst - was sent off.

This followed Colin Hendry's dismissal against Spartak Moscow last month, ensuring that the unhappy nature of Rovers' time in Europe continued to the end. Their consolation on this occasion was that the crime did not come in the rubble of defeat.

"We began tentatively but scoring those three quick goals changed the nature of the match," their manager, Ray Harford, said. "In the second half, when we were down to 10 men, we showed our professionalism and we passed the ball better than we had done."

Mike Newell, with a hat-trick, and Alan Shearer's penalty had the effect of multiplying Rovers' record: their goals tally by five and their points by three.

Blackburn's misdemeanours in Moscow had left them without the suspended Graeme Le Saux and David Batty, as well as Hendry and it was an odd-looking Rovers who took the field in search of pride in a league that has brought them only embarrassment.

To their credit, they found what they were looking for with a vengeance, scoring four goals before half-time. Too late, definitely, but thrilling for all that.

Rosenborg had hoped to earn a place in the quarter-finals and, before the Blackburn blitz, were the better side to the extent that Harald Brattbakk should have put them ahead after 10 minutes. Roar Strand crossed from the right and, when Chris Sutton missed with his jump, the Rosenborg striker had a clear header from five yards. Seemingly surprised, he directed the ball feebly wide.

That scare had the effect of stirring a somnolent Blackburn and six minutes later they scored. Tim Sherwood played a delightful ball between the Rosenborg centre-backs and as Warhurst entered the area he was tripped by Erik Hoftun. Shearer had not scored in this competition before but he emphatically placed a penalty into the right-hand corner of the net.

Rosenborg equalised after 30 minutes, Iversen crashing in a volley from Stale Stensaas' cross, but the Blackburn response was devastating. Before the Norwegian supporters had time to sit down from acclaiming their goal Newell had restored the home lead with a thumping drive from 25 yards that went in off the post, and by half-time he had completed a hat-trick.

Matt Holmes crossed from the left after 37 minutes and Newell lost his marker to head in at the near post, then Shearer found his fellow striker with a perfect pass on the right and he side-footed in.

The match had been won but there was still time for Blackburn to blot a European copybook that had barely a pristine page left in it. Warhurst had been booked in the first half, and when he tripped Bent Skammelsrud after 50 minutes a red card followed. That summed up a sorry campaign.

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Flowers; Berg, Marker, Sutton, Kenna; Ripley, Sherwood, Warhurst, Holmes (Gallacher, 72); Newell, Shearer.

Rosenborg (4-4-2): Rise; Kvarme, Bragstad (Staurvik, h-t), Hoftun, Stensaas; Iversen, Strand (Heggem, h-t), Skammelsrud, Soltvedt; Brattbakk, Jakobsen.

Referee: D Pauchard (France).

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