Strugglers share spoils in six-goal thriller

Blackburn 3 Birmingham 3

Super sub David Thompson inspired bottom club Blackburn to a priceless Barclays Premiership point in the unlikeliest of six-goal thrillers at Ewood Park.

Thompson’s dramatic intervention set up second-half goals for Steven Reid and Paul Gallagher which spared Rovers’ blushes in this relegation scrap.

Birmingham had travelled north boasting just eight Premiership goals all season and could hardly believe their luck when Darren Anderton, Robbie Savage and David Dunn found the net in the first half.

Matt Jansen’s fourth-minute opener was all but forgotten by half time – but the doom merchants were made to eat their words as the home side stormed back.

Rovers remain bottom of the table but will surely have had their confidence restored by the manner of this fourth successive draw.

Mark Hughes’ men had had to hit back from behind in the previous three games so they had double reason to relish Jansen’s early strike.

The former Carlisle striker, a replacement for the injured Jon Stead, pounced on Reid’s cross from the right and swept a left-footed shot past Maik Taylor.

Rovers settled after Jansen’s timely strike with the visitors rarely looking likely to improve their dismal goalscoring record.

Shorn of virus victim Emile Heskey, the Blues had nobody in the box to deal with crosses from Jesper Gronkjaer and Anderton.

But one defensive lapse cost Rovers dear in the 17th minute as they failed to clear Gronkjaer’s ball from the left and Anderton poked home from close range.

Brett Emerton troubled Maik Taylor with a rising long-range effort from the restart as the home side sought to recover.

But Birmingham came close again two minutes later when Brad Friedel failed to hold Dunn’s low effort from the edge of the box.

The visitors visibly grew in confidence with defensive lapses already threatening to cost Blackburn dear.

Clinton Morrison was allowed too much space on the right in the 27th minute but his cross was bundled away by Nils-Eric Johansson.

Then former Rover Dunn was able to rove forward on the half hour before blazing his eventual long-range shot high and wide.

But young defender James McEveley provided encouragement for Rovers with a fine run and cross in the 34th minute which Matthew Upson cut out under pressure from Paul Dickov.

Savage put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute when Reid made a hash of attempting to clear Melchiot’s cross and the Welshman hooked home from six yards.

And things got worse in first-half injury-time with Mario Melchiot afforded all the space in the world down the right flank.

The Dutchman crossed to the unmarked Dunn in the box – and he swept home the simplest of chances.

Hughes made the first of two dramatic substitutions at the interval when Gallagher replaced goalscorer Jansen.

Rovers pressed forward with more purpose and Dickov should have narrowed the deficit in the 51st minute when he was put through by Barry Ferguson – but blazed his angled shot over the bar.

And Dickov missed another chance three minutes later when he found space on the left but hit a cross across the face of goal.

Thompson’s introduction 10 minutes into the second period changed the course of the game.

The 27-year-old midfielder, back from a knee operation which sidelined him for most of last season, sent Reid clear on the right with his first touch.

The Ireland international beat Upson and lashed a rising 57th minute drive past Taylor to reduce the deficit.

Six minutes later Thompson’s long ball up field sent Gallagher scampering clear where he bundled the ball over the advancing Taylor for the equaliser.

Reid saw a low drive spilled by Taylor and cleared by Melchiot while at the other end Savage’s overhead kick from a Julian Gray cross was brilliantly saved by Friedel.

And with both sides pressing for a priceless winner Reid went close in the dying minutes when his diving header flashed past Taylor’s right-hand post, before Dickov missed a glorious chance to win it in injury time when he shot straight at Taylor in the box.