Blackburn silence critics

Blackburn 1 Crystal Palace 0

It was a dominant display from a Rovers side heavily criticised for their “bully boy” performance against Arsenal in their FA Cup semi-final defeat on Saturday, but with only Morten Gamst Pedersen’s 45th-minute winner to show for their superiority.

If Blackburn were to win over their detractors then they needed a footballing display, and for the most part that was achieved, but for the lucky Robbie Savage.

After being booked for a scything challenge on Mikele Leigertwood in the 29th minute, the midfielder perhaps should have been given a second yellow less than 10 minutes later when he brought down Wayne Routledge five yards outside the area.

Savage’s tackle was naive at best, and although it was directly in front of referee Philip Walton , he showed leniency and instead only awarded a free-kick which Andy Johnson drove into the wall from 22 yards.

Unsurprisingly, the prospective villain turned hero right on the stroke of half-time by providing a delightful free-kick from just inside the Palace half and deep into the area.

Gratefully on the receiving end was Pedersen, sliding the ball home from close range and off the underside of the crossbar for his eighth goal of the season and with what was virtually the last kick of the half.

Savage was replaced at the break,

but Blackburn did not miss his presence as they had the opportunities to have comfortably wrapped up the points, starting with an Emerton run which ended in a clutch save from Kiraly low to his right.

The underworked Brad Friedel followed that by saving low to deny Andrew Johnson, a shot which proved to be Palace’s only effort on target, before two clear chances for the home side.

Dominic Matteo first steered into the side netting a low ball into the near post from the outstanding Pedersen, while Steven Reid headed wide from six yards an Emerton left-wing cross with the goal at his mercy.

Then Stead stabbed wide from seven yards as he raced onto Matteo’s looping ball, while he also fired directly at Kiraly late on as Palace left gaps at the back in a vain search for the equaliser.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Matteo, Mokoena, Emerton, Savage (Tugay 45), Reid, Pedersen (Thompson 75), Stead.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Kiraly, Butterfield (Popovic 76), Hall, Sorondo, Borrowdale, Routledge, Leigertwood, Hughes, Kolkka (Soares 45), Johnson, Freedman (Torghelle 60).