Allardyce refocuses on relegation scrap

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce immediately turned his attention back to the Barclays Premier League after avoiding an FA Cup shock at Blyth last night.

Allardyce’s men ran out third-round victors over the non-leaguers by a narrow 1-0 margin at Croft Park, and survived a major scare five minutes from time when substitute Andrew Wright came within inches of cancelling out what proved to be Carlos Villanueva’s winner.

But having safely booked a fourth-round trip to Sunderland, the 54-year-old, who rested his entire first team against the Blue Square North side, started to focus on Saturday’s trip to Fulham and the business of escaping relegation.

Allardyce said: “We hadn’t lost in three matches – now we haven’t lost in four. These lads have done well tonight, but I can’t see me making too many changes.

“That team that has played so well with such little reward – because they should have had more than five points – will be very much in the frame to play against Fulham.”