Football: Rovers relaxed about being out of the limelight

Blackburn Rovers 3 Everton 2

If Everton were a mite miffed to be the only club omitted from the list of championship odds in the Premiership's latest bulletin, the chances are Blackburn will not have been too concerned they were quoted at a seemingly generous 33-1.

Even as they advanced to second place in the table, Blackburn's prospects were being given no more than patronising acknowledgement by some of the game's resident pundits, and that would apparently suit Roy Hodgson's camp just fine.

While all the attention and pressure are focused on Old Trafford, Highbury and elsewhere, Hodgson and his cohorts are content to continue their low- profile campaign at Ewood Park.

The next month or so should determine whether Blackburn's challenge will taken more seriously. Their forthcoming programme includes visits to Manchester United and Arsenal, and they are unlikely to travel in trepidation.

Blackburn displayed the kind of self-belief and persistence that give Manchester United's collective talent its enduring potency. Twice behind, they dug deep into their resources of imagination and willpower to win this stirring match with two goals in the last nine minutes.

The detractors would contend genuine championship contenders should not struggle against the likes of Everton, and their central defence was palpably vulnerable to the physical presence of Duncan Ferguson.

Four times Blackburn lost contact with the intimidating Scot, twice they paid with goals and twice they were thankful for his limitations at ground level.

But then, as Hodgson suggested, Ferguson might not have been afforded such liberties had Colin Hendry been fit to play. The Scotland centre- half remains a crucial figure at Blackburn, and a lack of adequate cover is a possibly decisive weakness.

Hodgson may not have the strength in depth of his main rivals yet, with Jason Wilcox, Lars Bohinen and the ebullient young Irishman, Damien Duff, on the bench yesterday, he is equipped with options to maintain the supply to his formidable front pairing, Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher.

Sutton's goals have earned him a call-up to the England squad, but here was a demonstration of his complementary skills, his perception and ability to take on defenders. Gallacher provides pace and positional instincts that will outwit better opponents than Everton.

The movement of Everton's early play perplexed Blackburn and Gary Speed's goal was just reward. Their second, too, was splendidly contrived by the substitute, John Oster and mercilessly executed by Ferguson.

For the most part, however, Everton were kept afloat by the timeless majesty of Neville Southall's goalkeeping. He was powerless to prevent a streaky first equaliser, claimed by Gallacher, and produced perhaps his best save to repel Sutton's header, but the ball came out to Duff, who dispatched Blackburn's second. Two more excellent stops sustained Everton's hopes of salvaging a point until Tim Sherwood headed the winner.

Goals: Speed (6) 0-1; Gallacher (37) 1-1; Ferguson (54) 1-2; Duff (81) 2-2; Sherwood (85) 3-2.

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Flowers; Kenna, Pedersen, Henchoz, Croft (Wilcox, 79); Ripley, Sherwood, McKinlay, Flitcroft (Duff, 72); Sutton, Gallacher. Substitutes not used: Bohinen, Broomes, Fettis (gk).

Everton (4-4-2): Southall; Barrett, Short, Bilic, Hinchcliffe; Stuart (Branch, 84), Williamson (Farrelly, 77), Speed, Phelan; Cadamarteri (Oster, h-t), Ferguson. Substitutes not used: Watson, O'Toole (gk).

Referee: P Alcock (Halstead, Kent).

Bookings: Blackburn: Wilcox. Everton: Bilic, Phelan.

Man of the match: Gallacher.

Attendance: 25,397.