Blackburn win heats up relegation dogfight

Fulham 0 Blackburn 2

Blackburn hauled themselves off the bottom of the Barclays Premiership – for just a few hours at least – with a hard-earned 2-0 win at Fulham, dragging the Cottagers into the relegation dogfight.

Paul Gallacher netted his second goal in as many games to put Rovers ahead in the 10th minute, sweeping home Steven Reid’s cross at the near post.

Tomasz Radzinski missed a great chance to equalise soon afterwards, and Andy Cole – playing against his former club – forced a good stop from Brad Friedel in the second half.

However, any hopes Chris Coleman’s men had of forcing their way back into the game evaporated when, after 76 minutes, Zat Knight handled in the box, was duly sent off for a second caution and Paul Dickov coolly dispatched the resulting penalty past substitute goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

Rovers climbed out of the relegation zone as a result of their win in this afternoon’s early kick-off, and are now just a point behind Fulham.

It was the visitors who had created the first chance of the match inside the opening two minutes.

Dickov made some space on the right side of the Fulham area and drove a low centre across the six-yard box. But Brett Emerton, arriving late at the back post, could only manage to steer the ball into the side netting.

Rovers did not have to wait long to go ahead, though.

Attacking-midfielder Reid had already threatened on the break a couple of times before, in the 10th minute, he got away from the Fulham back line again.

Carlos Bocanegra made a timely interception and cleared into touch. His fellow defenders, though, were not as efficient dealing with the throw-in from Lucas Neill.

And then when the ball broke to Reid on the right of the box, the American full-back could not stop him from turning to get in a cross. This time the centre went to the near post, where Gallagher got ahead of his markers to net from close range.

Fulham should have been level on 13 minutes when Papa Bouba Diop sent Radzinski racing clear.

The Canada international looked marginally offside, but the flag stayed down and as Friedel came racing out to the penalty spot, Radzinski guided the ball past him, but also just wide of the keeper’s left-hand post.

Dickov was presented with a golden chance to make it 2-0 after 26 minutes.

The normally-dependable Knight stumbled as he tried to clear an up-and-under punt forwards, only succeeding in knocking the ball straight into the path of the Scot on the edge of the box. Mark Crossley was, though, out quickly to make a block with his legs.

Referee Rob Styles reached for his top pocket in the 37th minute after Knight clattered into Dickov from behind on the half-way line.

At the start of the second half, Rovers continued to look dangerous on the counter attack, Dickov sending a brave, diving header just wide from Emerton’s cross to the near post from the left.

In the 56th minute, Legwinski fed a slide-rule pass through the Rovers defence to Cole, who carried the ball to the by-line.

As the former England striker cut it back across goal, only a superb interception by Neill prevented Radzinski from connecting at the far post.

A hopeful punt up field then inadvertently created the next opening for the home side.

Neither Craig Short nor then Nils-Eric Johansson could deal with it, and Cole grateful accepted the loose ball to surge into the area.

His shot was well struck, but Friedel was equal to it, making a fine save down low to his left.

Diop played a neat one-two with his captain to fashion a chance coming into the box on the angle from the left, but then sent a tame effort well wide.

Fulham had to replaced Crossley in the 73rd minute, the keeper hobbling off with what looked like a knee problem. Holland international van der Sar came on in his place.

The afternoon got worse for the home side three minutes later when Knight handled in the area after sliding in to try and tackle Dickov, the defender shown a second yellow card followed by a red by the referee.

The Scot sent van der Sar the wrong way from the spot to leave Fulham – who face Chelsea in the Carling Cup on Tuesday – shell-shocked, and now, with a crucial Premiership trip to fellow strugglers Norwich next weekend, very much in a fight to retain their top-flight status.