Duff takes inside track for Rovers' Euro stars

Blackburn Rovers 1 Charlton Athletic

Blackburn's blindside run into contention for a European ticket continued with a sixth win in seven matches after Damien Duff's first-half goal had proved the deciding moment. While most eyes have been fixed, quite naturally, on the tussle at the top, Graeme Souness's team have compiled a sequence of results that betters any of the title contenders.

They were made to work hard, however, by a Charlton side seeking to restore the pride damaged by their 6-1 humiliation at home to Leeds last weekend and from which Jason Euell, Claus Jensen and Mark Fish were absent through illness or injury. Goalkeeper Brad Friedel was required to make a vital save in stoppage time when Scott Parker's overhead threatened to snatch a late equalizer.

Graeme Souness, the Blackburn manager, acknowledged the value of the result in his side's quest for a Uefa Cup place. "We knew it would be tough against a side that was determined not to lose after what happened to them last weekend, so I'm delighted with the result," he said.

"I'm not really looking beyond the next match, but if Europe were to happen it would be wonderful." It took a while yesterday for his side to find their rhythm but momentum gathered midway through the first half. Duff found Andy Cole with threatening regularity with his crosses from the left but it was when the winger ventured inside that Blackburn seized the lead 10 minutes before half-time.

Anticipating a lay-off when Hakan Sukur challenged for a high ball on the edge of the Charlton box, Duff timed his run perfectly to collect the ball, then showed deft footwork to shake off Luke Young's attentions before screwing a left-foot shot past Dean Kiely.

This was a setback that demanded character from the visitors, and sound defending by Richard Rufus and Jonathan Fortune limited Sukur's opportunity to make an impression after his two-goal performance at Fulham last Monday, when a 4-0 win lifted Rovers to within three points of the top six. With Cole similarly kept under close guard it usually needed Duff to make one of his runs or Tugay to supply a precision pass for Charlton's composure at the back to be ruffled.

Duff might have added a second goal five minutes into the second half, dragging his shot wide after Cole had chipped a cross to the far post.

Blackburn needed the security of a second and there was relief on the home bench when Parker, picked out in space by John Robinson, managed to get the ball stuck under his foot when a strike at goal would have posed danger to Friedel, who later beat out a powerful goal-bound effort from Paul Konchesky.

This encouraged Charlton's hopes of salvaging some reward and they almost found it in stoppage time, when Friedel again underlined his worth to keep out Parker's acrobatic attempt. "I was disappointed that didn't go in, because I don't think anyone could have begrudged us a point," Charlton's manager, Alan Curbishley, said.

However, it had taken a startling, reaction save from Kiely to deny Blackburn their cushion when Garry Flitcroft met a corner with a powerful header. A Cole back-heel was then hacked to safety by Fortune, Kiely saved with his feet from Cole and Chris Powell blocked David Dunn's attempt to follow up.

Blackburn Rovers 1 Charlton Athletic 0
Duff 34

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 27,506