Allardyce hails penalty ace Jaaskelainen
The tribute came from Bolton manager Sam Allardyce after seeing his Finland international save two penalties in two minutes.
Jaaskelainen first blocked Benni McCarthy’s effort in the 87th minute then incredibly repeated that feat from Jason Roberts.
Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan got his marching orders for dissent but they secured all three points to stay third in the table.
Ivan Campo got the crucial goal but the applause was all for Jaaskelainen.
Allardyce said: “If you are talking about top goalkeepers, he is up there with Petr Cech and Edwin Van der Sar. His performances this year have been better than ever before but none more so than today. The goalkeeper has made a hero of himself by saving two penalties and got us three crucial points. He has to pull all the stops out and made life very sweet for us.”
Roberts won both penalties after stepping off the bench after challenges from Quinton Fortune then seeing his path blocked by Nicky Hunt and Gary Speed.
Allardyce, though, thought the first spot-kick awarded by referee Mike Dean was “dubious”.
The Bolton boss said: “If you look at dive from Roberts you will see why. It was good theatricals to say the least.
“The second one I can understand a bit more as he is setting off to go down between two players. We were not at our best but we have got away with it.”
It brought to an end Rovers’ eight-match unbeaten run at home and abroad.
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Emerton, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Neill, Bentley, Savage (Mokoena 74), Kerimoglu (Peter 81), Pedersen (Roberts 74), Nonda, McCarthy.
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Faye (Fortune 46), Meite, Ben Haim, Nolan, Campo, Speed, Davies, Anelka (Giannakopoulos 90), Diouf (Vaz Te 81).
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
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