Blackburn (0) 3-0 (0) Fulham
Damien Duff and Andy Cole - the two principal reasons Blackburn have enjoyed
such a successful return to the Premiership - were the matchwinners once again
against a faltering Fulham.
Victory saw Rovers finish in the top half of the table, and with European football
beckoning after their Worthington Cup success, manager Graeme Souness could
be forgiven for a smile of self-satisfaction.
Duff received Blackburn's player of the season award before kick-off and crowned
a sensational season with a superbly-worked goal.
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Fulham striker Louis Saha was inches
wide with a low drive from 25 yards
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Cole scored equally good efforts, and created and missed a hatful of other
chances in an eventful game to highlight his own contribution to Blackburn's
season after his £7million move from Manchester United at the turn of
the year.
This may have been the end of the season but there was still plenty to play
for at Ewood Park - whoever won would finish 10th if Middlesbrough lost at Leeds.
Cole should have started the party with a goal in the second minute.
David Dunn had already fooled Sylvain Legwinski with one exquisite dummy when
he then beat the same player to the ball and found Keith Gillespie. His cross
dropped perfectly for Cole, but somehow he headed wide.
After 17 minutes, Cole fluffed what was if anything an easier chance.
Matt Jansen, so disappointed to miss out on England's World Cup squad, was
the provider, earning himself space on the left and picking out his strike partner
with a delicious cross at the perfect height.
From six yards out, Cole again headed wide and then Jansen caught the bug,
completely missing his kick when Duff had presented him with an excellent shooting
chance.
Gillespie nearly committed a howler when his back-pass was intercepted by Steve
Marlet, but the Blackburn winger atoned by blocking the shot when the French
striker attempted to curl the ball from a tight angle into an empty goal.
Fulham's patient build-up play was becoming more decisive and Louis Saha was
inches wide with a low drive from 25 yards.
It was third time and unlucky for Cole after a glorious charge down the left
wing by Nils-Eric Johansson.
The Swede's low ball found Cole who shot first-time, on target this time but
Maik Taylor saved with his legs.
Some lovely link-up play between Duff and Cole saw the Irish winger sprint
down the left and then try a return cross.
Cole had made an excellent run but this time the fault was not his, as Duff's
ball was two feet too high for the striker.
Seven minutes into the second half and Cole finally got onto the scoresheet
with an extraordinary goal which left Taylor red-faced with embarrassment.
Taylor received a routine back-pass from Harley, but when Cole closed him down
the Fulham goalkeeper attempted to take the ball past him.
Cole executed a perfect sliding tackle and then regained his feet to roll the
ball into an empty net.
| Match Stats |
Blackburn |
Fulham |
| Goal attempts |
17 |
6 |
| On Target |
13 |
2 |
| Hit woodwork |
0 |
1 |
| Fouls |
13 |
7 |
| Offsides |
2 |
0 |
| Corners |
2 |
5 |
| Yellows |
3 |
0 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: www.sports.com |
Five chances, one goal. Perhaps Glenn Hoddle was right all along about that ratio.
After 65 minutes, a superb move was finished with aplomb by Duff.
Cole turned Andy Melville and sent Jansen through, and although Zat Knight
slid into to force him wide, he poked a pass between two defenders for Duff
to fire left-footed across Taylor and low into the corner.
It was the winger's eighth goal of a richly-rewarding season, and his seventh
in the Premiership.
Cole then laid a chance on a plate for Jansen, holding off Steve Finnan before
sliding a pass to his striker but Taylor was off his line to block.
A lightning dart to the near-post by Cole nearly led to a third, as he made
contact with Lucas Neill's pass but could not get it on target.
With 10 minutes to go it was 3-0, thanks to Cole.
Tugay's perfectly-weighted through-ball sent Cole sprinting towards goal but
there was still plenty to do, and he turned Melville inside out before stabbing
past Taylor to make it 13 goals for Rovers since January 1.
Lewis almost surprised Kelly from distance, before Taylor made a double save,
first denying Cole his hat-trick and then blocking out Yordi.
Blackburn:
Kelly, Neill, Berg, Johansson (Unsal 75), Taylor, Gillespie, Tugay (Yordi 82),
Dunn, Duff, Cole, Jansen (Hughes 75).
Subs Not Used: Curtis, Miller.
Booked: Tugay, Neill, Dunn.
Goals: Cole 53, Duff 66, Cole 81.
Fulham:
Taylor, Finnan, Melville, Ouaddou (Knight 45), Harley, Goldbaek, Legwinski (Stolcers
83), Davis, Lewis, Marlet (Willock 83), Saha.
Subs Not Used: Collins, Hahnemann.
Att: 30,487 Ref: C Foy (St. Helens).