Duff seals it for Rovers

West Brom 0 Blackburn 2

Duff was sent clear by Dwight Yorke and rounded keeper Russell Hoult to wrap up Rovers' 2-0 win in the 75th minute.

Half-time substitute Yorke had put Rovers ahead five minutes earlier from the spot after Ronnie Wallwork pulled down Duff, although the initial contact was outside the box.

But Rovers' joy was tempered when Yorke limped off five minutes from time with what looked like a

recurrence of his hamstring injury. Duff had a fine chance for Rovers in the 28th minute but the Irish international booted his shot wide.

Then Tugay almost fashioned a wonder goal out of nowhere when he volleyed Neill's throw-in inches wide of Hoult's right-hand post from 30 yards.

After a long quiet spell with chances at a premium, Cole chanced his luck from 20 yards but fired a curling shot straight into the arms of Hoult.

Moore was getting to absolutely everything at both ends and he blocked another Cole effort out for a corner before Martin Taylor fired wide from the set-piece.

Ostenstad missed a great chance in first half injury time when he ran right into Duff's cross from deep on the left and headed the ball wide from six yards.

Yorke entered the fray at half time for Ostenstad and came close within half a minute of the restart when he headed a close-range header straight at Hoult.

Megson also rang the changes, introducing Ronnie Wallwork for Koumas and Lee Marshall for Larus Sigurdsson in defence.

Albion forced an early corner which Clement whacked into the arms of Friedel. Then Taylor burst through the middle and narrowly evaded the Rovers offside trap before Henning Berg got a foot in to clear the danger. Albion were making a bright start and another move including both front men resulted in a corner. Balis knocked in the set-piece which Berg once again cleared. Then Andy Johnson tried a flash shot from 25 yards which fell right into Friedel's hands.

Albion continued to look a little more lively and Balis found Roberts, whose shot on the turn in the box was saved by Friedel at a stretch.

And moments later Roberts unloaded a rising shot from just outside the box which flashed over the bar.

Souness then made his third change, bringing on Keith Gillespie for Dunn. And hesitation in the Albion defence almost cost them dear when Yorke stole around the back and played a ball across goal which was missed by both the new substitute and Cole.

Gillespie provided the Rovers attack with an extra dimension and a strong spell of pressure coincided with Megson's decision to throw on Dobie for Taylor.

Martin Taylor fired wide as Rovers continued to press down the right with Roberts looking increasingly isolated up front for the frustrated home side.

Roberts did shrug off Berg on a foray forward, but his cross towards the unmarked Dobie trickled pitifully

towards Rovers' defender Johansson.

Blackburn broke the deadlock in the 75th minute when Wallwork was controversially ruled to have pulled down Duff on the left side of the Albion box and Yorke stepped up to calmly slot the penalty past Hoult.

WEST BROM: Hoult, Sigurdsson, Moore, Gilchrist, Balis, Johnson, Gregan, Koumas, Clement, Roberts, Taylor.

BLACKBURN: Friedel, Taylor, Berg, Johansson, Neill, Thompson, Flitcroft, Tugay, Dunn, Duff, Ostenstad.