First win in five games for Blackburn

Blackburn 3 Watford 1

Blackburn chalked up their first win in five games to retain their dreams of a UEFA Cup place for a second successive year.

For Watford the future is not nearly as bright, they could be relegated this weekend after one season in the top flight.

Benni McCarthy, with his 20th goal of the campaign, Christopher Samba and Jason Roberts all found the target while Douglas Rinaldi replied for Watford.

Rovers striker Roberts, who scored his first goal for the club in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea, was passed fit to play after a scan on his foot.

The Hornets, who also missed out on an FA Cup final place at the weekend, recalled Ben Foster after the goalkeeper was ineligible for Saturday’s tie with parent club Manchester United.

There was no place in the 16 for his replacement that day, Richard Lee, with Adrian Boothroyd also bringing in Douglas Rinaldi for James Chambers.

Blackburn carved out the first chance of the game after four minutes when McCarthy slipped the ball through to Roberts.

He powered forward only for Jordan Stewart to make a timely clearance as Foster came off his line.

Blackburn made the breakthrough in the sixth minute when Samba scored his second goal for the club.

The giant central defender got on the end of a corner from David Bentley to head home at the back post.

Watford suffered another setback after ten minutes when Roberts added a second for Blackburn, shrugging off the challenge of Clarke Carlisle to fire in a shot which Foster got a hand to it but could not keep out.

Watford were rocked back on their heels again in the 17th minute when Morten Gamst Pedersen whipped in a shot from 25 yards that went wide of the post.

Pedersen found the target a minute later but his effort was ruled out for offside much to the Hornets’ relief.

Watford pulled a goal back in the 22nd minute with their first real attack of the game, Rinaldi marking his return to the team by heading in at the back post after a cross from Hameur Bouazza.

But Rovers restored their two-goal cushion in the 32nd minute when top scorer McCarthy notched his 14th Premiership goal of the season with a diving header from Bentley’s cross.

McCarthy has proved to be one of the bargains of the season after arriving from Porto in the summer for around £2.5million.

The South African’s vision and movement made him a dangerous opponent for Watford.

Blackburn boss Hughes had called for his team to put on a show after the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea and they were certainly doing that.

They looked surpisingly fresh despite their valiant efforts against Jose Mourinho’s side.

On the other hand Watford, who could be relegated at the weekend after just one season in the top flight, were finding it hard to get a foothold in the game.

Bentley was having a field day and had a hand in all three goals after the disappointment of losing to Chelsea.

He was running the show in midfield and Watford were struggling to cope with him.

Blackburn almost added a fourth in stoppage time but Foster did well to turn away Pedersen’s powerful drive.

The second half saw Rovers continue where they left off with the Roberts and McCarthy partnership still causing the Hornets rearguard plenty of problems.

The former Wigan striker again outmuscled Carlisle, directing Samba’s hopeful long ball towards the South African striker on the edge of the six-yard box, but on this occasion McCarthy could not apply the finish, volleying wide of the right post.

Hornets boss Adrian Boothroyd was forced to replace one substitute with another in the 50th minute, with Marlon King making his Premiership comeback after Chambers was carried off on a stretcher.

A rasping 25-yard drive from another substitute, Steve Kabba, needed a smart save from Rovers goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who was able to turn his shot around the right post.

But Rovers always looked the more likely to add to their advantage, with Bentley, who created all three of Rovers’ first half goals, almost getting one of his own in the 64th minute.

The England Under-21 international went on a fantastic run through the Watford defence but his shot was straight at Foster.

Pedersen had the chance to register one of his trademark set-pieces soon after, but his free kick from the right side of the area bounced kindly in front of the Hornets keeper.

McCarthy wasted a chance to make it 4-1 in the 69th minute, and he was replaced 10 minutes later by Matt Derbyshire, not long after Paul Gallagher and Tugay had come on for Pedersen and David Dunn.

Hughes gave a run-out to Paul Gallagher in the 75th minute when he replaced Pedersen, who had put in a hard shift.

Watford were still making a decent fist of it and substitute Marlon King peeled away from his marker two minutes later as DeMerit delivered the cross but Friedel was equal to it.

Bentley, however, was determined to mark an impressive display with a goal but was twice out of luck in the closing stages of the game with searing efforts.