Soccer: Rovers ease past Trotters

Craig Hignett scored twice as Blackburn beat Bolton 3-0 to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Now Graeme Souness's high-flying side face Arsenal on Saturday at Highbury after their victory in this fifth-round replay.

Bolton were over-run and all the goals came in the second half when they caved in to their First Division promotion rivals.

Skipper Gary Flitcroft, sent off in the first game, opened the scoring in the 55th minute and after that it was one-way traffic.

Yet Bolton, currently lying ahead of their old Lancashire rivals in the league, started quite brightly.

Defender Simon Charlton carved out the first chance of the match when he found Nicky Summerbee in plenty of space, but his cross was eventually scrambled away for a corner after just three minutes at Ewood Park.

Summerbee took the corner himself and striker Michael Ricketts got on the end of his delivery.

Ricketts complained vehemently to referee Mark Halsey that he was jostled in the area, but play continued.

Then Bolton striker Dean Holdsworth tried his luck from 25 yards, only to see his effort cleanly saved by keeper Brad Friedel.

Bolton kept up the pressure and Charlton picked out Franck Passi on the left, but his header went tamely wide of the post.

Blackburn almost made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute when Hignett fired in a 20-yard free-kick.

The ball seemed destined for the top corner, but keeper Steve Banks got up quickly to tip it over the top.

That effort sparked Blackburn into life and a minute later Banks was again called into action when he got his body behind a header from Mark Hughes to snuff out the danger.

Hughes, the only man in the 20th Century to pocket four FA Cup winners medals, looked up for this clash.

With Arsenal awaiting the winners, Gunners coach Pat Rice took in the game.

Hughes then saw a shot from close range go marginally over the top after Marcus Bent had played the ball in.

With man-of-the-match Eyal Berkovic, on loan from Celtic, pulling the strings in midfield, Blackburn were gaining control heading for half time.

Bent scorned a glorious chance of making the breakthrough in the 35th minute when he dragged a shot wide of the target from in front of the posts.

The ball had been played through to him by Hughes after a mistake by Bolton defender Ian Marshall.

Bent was again left cursing his luck a minute later when Banks superbly palmed away his powerful header.

Then the Blackburn striker failed to find the target with a header from six yards out after Hignett had delivered a precise cross.

Bent paid the price for his wayward efforts in front of goal and was replaced at half-time by Matt Jansen.

Blackburn had loud appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Halsey in the 50th minute when Duff was bundled over by Leam Richardson.

Blackburn then opened the scoring in the 55th minute thanks to the craft of Berkovic.

He slotted a lovely little ball through to skipper Garry Flitcroft, who tucked a shot beyond keeper Banks.

It was a moment to savour for Flitcroft. He is Bolton born and bred and still lives in the town where he owns a building firm.

Blackburn extended their lead in the 71st minute when Kevin Nolan bundled over Hignett in the area.

Referee Halsey had no hesitation in awarding a penalty and Hignett sent Banks the wrong way with his spot kick.

Hignett added his second in the 78th minute hitting a superb first-time shot beyond the keeper after sub Marc Keller had delivered a cross from the left.