Premiership: Rovers still facing drop

Blackburn 0 Chelsea 0

Blackburn still face an anxious bid to beat the drop after failing to stretch their run of successive Ewood Park victories against a Chelsea side again struggling to find a cure for their latest dose of away-day blues.

Graeme Souness’ side should have made it four in a row at home, but were forced to settle for a draw which leaves them languishing in 17th in the Premiership, and just three points above the relegation zone.

The point, though, was good enough for Chelsea to see them leapfrog Newcastle back into the vital fourth place which carries with it Champions League football next season, although the Magpies have two matches in hand.

Three minutes into the second half Chelsea were gifted an opening from which they should have capitalised after Friedel had spilled a stinging Hasselbaink drive.

The loose ball fell to Gudjohnsen, and after one touch to cut inside Short, he then spooned a close-range effort over the bar with his weaker foot.

Gudjohnsen then let fly with a stunning 20-yard cracker moments later which Friedel brilliantly pushed away, with Bjornebye then thwarting Gianfranco Zola on the follow up.

In an end-to-end start to the second period, Neill drove in a cross from the right-hand edge of the penalty area which Cudicini punched out of the area, only to Tugay whose first-time return from 22 yards was narrowly wide.

Cudicini then pulled off his best save of the game in the 56th minute as an angled Duff drive was bound for the top right-hand corner, only for the ball to be tipped away.

With the Rovers fans in full cry, Cole then powered his way into the area in the 67th minute, but was left frustrated as there was no other Rovers players on hand to tap home after rifling a cross through the six-yard area.

Boudewijn Zenden replaced Gudjohnsen in the 76th minute, but the chances of a lively match dried up after that point as both sides were forced to settle for a point.