Brad apt to start in Rovers' goal, as Blackburn have what could debatedly be a winnable match. And man, oh, man, could they ever use the three points. TV-wise, it's on PPV in the USA-- but I've got it on Fox Sports 2, live. Kickoff's at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET, and 3 a.m. Melbourne time for me. I'll be more than happy to crawl out of bed at 2:30 a.m., just to do the PbP. And for the first time in a long time, I'll put together a news update, and that's coming right up...
* * *I'm William, and this is the news* * * Match preview -- skysports.com Hughes admits Savage desire -- skysports.com Preview & form guides -- Soccernet Dickov: We'll avoid basement scrap -- Soccernet Pederson desperate for Rovers chance -- Soccernet Team news -- sportinglife.com Changed priorities for Hughes -- sportinglife.com Reid determined to pay back Hughes -- sportinglife.com Hughes: 'Things are looking up' -- sportinglife.com Hughes pushing Rovers to the limit -- Yahoo's UK site, via TeamTalk Hughes plays it cool over Savage -- The BBC Team news & facts and figures -- The BBC Hughes banking on team's fitness -- The BBC Three managers united in adversity -- The Daily Telegraph Emerton no longer in Kewell's shadow -- The Daily Telegraph Hughes chasing Savage -- The Mirror Rovers fighting fit under Hughes -- The Independent Reid: Dickov is our inspiration -- Lancashire Evening Telegraph And the clubs' current table positions: Birmingham City: 15th, with 12 points Blackburn Rovers: bottom, with 9 points Makes this match a classic six-pointer, even if we haven't reached the holiday period yet.
Match underway, and Brad starts for Rovers. Lineups, from sportinglife.com: Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Johansson, McEveley, Reid, Ferguson, Tugay, Emerton, Dickov, Jansen. Subs: Pedersen, Enckelman, Gallagher, Thompson, Matteo. Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Gray, Anderton, Johnson, Savage, Dunn, Gronkjaer, Morrison. Subs: Clapham, Martin Taylor, Vaesen, Clemence, Yorke. Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire)
Rovers up 1-0, through Jansen, in the 4th minute. Nice finish into the upper corner from just inside the box, after Blackburn countered quickly and City were slow to get back.
The goal came from a very attractive four-man move, with a neat combination at the end (per the description on sportinglife.com's tracker): 4 mins: GOAL JANSEN - Stephen Reid charges down the right before playing a ball inside. Paul Dickov steps over the pass and lets it run to Jansen who cracks the ball past Maik Taylor from the edge of the area.
Three Blackburn players were involved, and not four; I stand corrected now that I've seen the replay. But Anderton has equalized for the Brummies in the 17th minute... some neat passing carved open Rovers' defense, with Gronkjaer just onside, playing the ball to Dunn, who trapped the ball right into Anderton's path. Anderton beat Friedel from close range on the finish. Rovers' back four, in truth, looked four-thirty-in-the-morning ugly on that one. Very slow to react.
Rovers 1 Birmingham 1 20th min. -- Friedel gets low to save a long-range shot from Johnson, steering the shot 'round the post... the ensuing corner comes to nothing for the Brummies.
Comment from sportinglife.com's tracker: 18 mins: Blackburn were caught out there and Mark Hughes must be wondering why there were three unmarked Birmingham players in the area. Johnson booked for Birmingham on 21 minutes, for a late lunge on Barry Ferguson.
Savage puts Birmingham up 2-1, in the 39th minute. Nice finish from inside the box, and a nice passing move from Birmingham, but the space given by Rovers' defenders allowed that move to happen. "Very sloppy defending", says the PbP voice on the broadcast.
41st min. -- After Rovers win a second successive corner, Johansson's header from in close is right at Taylor. Attacking play about even through the first half, between the two sides...
Dunn puts Birmingham 3-1 up, in 1st half stoppage time. Neill can't keep up with Melchiot's pace down the right, and Dunn finished calmly from close range. Halftime, and Rovers back four, as I said before, is looking four-thirty-in-the-morning ugly. Doing Friedel and his teammates no favors whatsoever-- classic case in how not to defend.
Well, that's a blow to Rovers.....But they are probably used to it by now, unfortunately..... Thanks for the PbP, babytiger2001....
50th min. -- Rovers' attacking looking more alive, with Taylor being forced to palm Dickov's drive over the bar. Dickov goes close moments later, with a shot that glides just past the post.
Reid strikes, his first goal for Blackburn, goes near-post and just under the bar on a shot from just inside the box at the end of a clear break. Rovers now trail 3-2, in the 58th minute.
All level now... Gallacher bundles the ball over the line after Dickov's initial shot was saved partially by Tayor, as Rovers hit back with a ferocious zeal. Great counter-attack there. And what a match. Rovers 3 City 3 (65th minute) Brummies make a sub, Clapham on for Morrison.
Rovers may take the lead, eventually, yet... From sportinglife's tracker: 69 mins: Excellent build up play by Blackburn culminates in a fine drive from Reid that Taylor spills. Cunningham is on hand to clear the danger.