Hasselbaink hits hat-trick for Boro

Blackburn 0 Middlesbrough 4

Mark Hughes endured a miserable end to a torrid week after his Blackburn side were put to the sword by Middlesbrough for whom Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scored a hat-trick.

Hughes began his week as Wales manager watching Steve McClaren beaming with satisfaction on the England bench at Old Trafford and he ended it as Blackburn boss in much the same way.

There was no doubt bitterness for Hughes who could claim that an unduly harsh red card for Tugay for two cautions swung the game totally in the visitors’ favour, but this game was also about Middlesbrough’s growing stature as a Premiership force.

Hasselbaink, with three accomplished goals, showed again what a fantastic finisher he is, and what a valuable signing for Boro, and compatriot George Boateng weighed in with one himself – some double Dutch that left Blackburn shaking their heads in bewilderment.

Before kick-off Middlesbrough looked the stronger side on paper, and must have been full of confidence following an excellent result against Manchester United in their previous game and the knowledge that – especially with the awful attendances at Ewood Park these days – Blackburn is not the most intimidating place to visit.

Despite this, it was Hughes’ side who started the brighter with Boro intent on goal prevention rather than creation in the first half.

Youri Djorkaeff and Paul Dickov had openings but did not trouble Mark Schwarzer while Middlesbrough, defending deeply, hustled and harried to deny Blackburn time and space.

But Blackburn also looked up for the physical contest and Brett Emerton fired over from the edge of the box after Dickov had twisted away from three challenges.

Djorkaeff curled a free-kick over then his lobbed pass picked out Barry Ferguson’s run and the Scottish midfielder controlled the ball well only to volley it way over from a promising position.

The game had been perfectly balanced when the match swung Middlesbrough’s way after 30 minutes. Tugay had already been booked for handball when he left a leg trailing as he challenged Gaizka Mendieta.

The Spaniard flung himself backwards onto the ground with an unnecessary flourish, certainly enough to persuade referee Mike Riley to reach for a second yellow.

At first, Blackburn refused to lie down despite the dismissal and Emerton broke down the left and cut the ball across to Steven Reid only for Chris Riggott to block.

But the extra man saw Middlesbrough become markedly more adventurous. First Mendieta, fed by Hasselbaink, snaked into the Blackburn penalty area but Reid had tracked him all the way and made a smothering block.

Then Downing hammered a rising drive from 25 yards out that was heading towards the top corner until Brad Friedel tipped it over for a corner.

The first half had been poor fare generally, but McClaren decided to take advantage of the extra man by replacing full-back Stuart Parnaby with a striker, Szilard Nemeth, at half-time.

The ploy apparently worked for soon after the restart Middlesbrough had scored three times in 11 minutes.

Hasselbaink put the visitors ahead a minute after the break when Downing fed him and the striker left Dominic Matteo on his backside with a couple of feints before rifling a low shot into the corner.

Mendieta fired over after more probing from Hasselbaink before, after 50 minutes, matters went from bad to worse for Blackburn.

Boateng played the ball to Mendieta and then continued his run into the box. Mendieta delayed the pass perfectly to find the Dutchman and he buried it past Friedel.

There was an unlikely ray of hope for Rovers when Djorkaeff volleyed Emerton’s cross from close range but somehow Schwarzer stopped the ball on the line low to his left.

It was only temporary respite for Blackburn had collapsed defensively. Downing first tried his luck with a tremendous long-range strike that whistled the wrong side of the post then set up Middlesbrough’s third goal in the 57th minute.

Downing popped up on the right wing and cut the ball back to the unmarked Hasselbaink to finish without fuss from eight yards out.

Boateng headed over another Downing cross and Hughes’ decision to replace Dickov with Jonathan Stead smacked of hopefulness rather than realism.

Still Middlesbrough came though, Hasselbaink scenting that hat-trick, and Friedel had to stretch to push away Nemeth’s drive before parrying Mendieta’s fierce strike.

Mendieta and Downing continued to pepper the goal but it was Blackburn who had the ball in the net next, only to see it wiped off for offside. Reid hit a blistering free-kick, Schwarzer saved a Djorkaeff tucked home the rebound only for the assistant to raise his flag.

Emerton’s rising drive came close to a consolation, Nemeth fired straight at Friedel, then in the last minute Hasselbaink secured possession of the match ball with a sweet left-footed finish from just inside the box.

End