Wanderers 4-3-3

JUSSI JAASKELAINEN 6 Beaten by that first-minute deflection, didn't have another serious save to make. JOHN O'KANE 6 Shared in the defensive accolades but distribution, usually one of his strongest suits, was poor. GUDNI BERGSSON 8 Young Thomas thought he could outpace the 'old man' at one stage but soon discovered otherwise. MARK FISH 8 The early goal was a 'blip' but he recovered to give a defiant and totally committed performance. ANTHONY BARNESS 7 Patrolled the left side superbly, lending support to the midfield and defence when it was needed. FRANCK PASSI 7 Souness said his midfield was 'not at the races' in the first half; the Frenchman was one of the reasons why. PER FRANDSEN 7 Never in with a chance to score against his former club but did enough to help spoil their afternoon. GARETH FARRELLY 6 Didn't have his shooting boots on, that's for sure; offered Ricketts the best first half chance. MICHAEL RICKETTS 7 Wouldn't you credit it! He starts his second game and again doesn't score -- caused problems though. DEAN HOLDSWORTH 7 His first half performance was excellent -- the spearhead of the strike trio, he was always a nuisance. BO HANSEN 7 It was a lucky, late equaliser but thoroughly deserved; the dashing Dane worked hard for his reward. Subs: Ian Marshall (6) for Holdsworth 58 mins, Kevin Nolan (6) for Passi 66 mins, Isaiah Rankin for Ricketts 76 mins, Simon Charlton, Steve Banks. BLACKBURN 4-4-2 JOHN FILAN

JOHN CURTIS

HENNING BERG

CRAIG SHORT

STIG INGE BJORNEBYE

JASON McATEER

GARRY FLITCROFT

LEE CARSLEY

DAMIEN DUFF

JAMES THOMAS

NATHAN BLAKE Subs: David Dunn for Flitcroft 58 mins, Damien Johnson for McAteer 58 mins, Egil Ostenstad for Thomas 82 mins, Martin Taylor, Alan Miller. Referee: Alan Butler (Sutton in Ashfield).

Attendance: 23,660.

Goals: Rovers - Thomas 1 min; Wanderers - Hansen 88 mins.

hots/headers on target: Rovers 3, Wanderers 4.

Corners: Rovers 2, Wanderers 4.

Fouls committed: Rovers 19, Wanderers 13.

Offsides: Rovers 3, Wanderers 3.

Bookings: Rovers - Duff 37 mins (foul on Hansen), Flitcroft 52 mins (foul on Frandsen), Curtis 56 mins (foul on Holdsworth) ; Wanderers - Holdsworth 22 mins (dissent), Hansen 44 mins (dissent), Nolan 72 mins (foul on Dunn). MEN OF THE MATCH GUDNI BERGSSON and MARK FISH SAM Allardyce regards his two centre-backs as the best pairing in the division and, once again, they showed why.

Thank goodness they've both been persuaded not to retire, although Nathan Blake and James Thomas didn't appreciate the fact. MOAN OF THE MATCH FOR all the defensive accolades, the men at the back can't escape from the fact that they didn't do as they were told, to keep it right for the first 20 minutes.

It was the only blemish on the defensive performance. MAGIC MOMENT It took a wicked defelection but who cares?

When Hansen's ambitious, long-range shot beat Filan, you'd have thought Wanderers had taken all three derby points.