Match Report: "Bad Day At Blackburn"

Steffen Iversen

BAD DAY
AT

BLACKBURN

16th August 2003| Blackburn 5 Wolves 1 (Steffen Iversen)

 Blackburn Rovers kicked off attacking the 3,000 Wolves Fans who had traveled to Blackburn to watch the old gold shirts in top-flight action for the first time in 19 years - and some of them probably wished they hadn`t.

 Wolves were on the back foot from the start and Matt Murray claimed his first touch of the ball in the opening minutes as he dived on the ball as Paul Butler and Dwight Yorke clased in the area.

 Matt Jansen and one-time Wolves target David Thompson then came close before Dwight Yorke was handed time at the edge of the area, but only sore his shot fly wide.

 Irwin made a fabulous tackle on Thompson has he was ready to pull the trigger and shoot towards goal and then Matt Murray pulled off a fabulous save from Jansen as he headed the ball unchallenged towards goal from a Gresko cross.

 Blackburn`s pressure however paid off after 17 minutes. From the resulting corner whipped in by Emerton Amoruso was found unmarked and the former Rangers man headed home his first goal for Rovers.

 Cameron fired a rare Wolves attack over on 29 minutes but shortly after it was two goals to nil to the team in blue and white.

 Butler appeared to win the ball on the edge of the area but was unlucky as the ball rebounded off him to Thompson who found the net from 18 yrds after a lovely timed volley.

 On 35 Minutes Wolves should have brought a goal back. Iversen got on the end of an Ince ball, but his shot was claimed by Friedel in the Blackburn goal as the chance went begging.

 Friedel was again in the thick of the action 5 minutes later - Saving well from Camerons low drive, but the resulting corner was over-hit by Silas which spelt the last notable piece of action in a first half dominated by the hosts.

HT - Blackburn Rovers 2 - Wolves 0

 It was 3-0 shortly after the break. Tugay`s ball was played into the path of Emerton and the Aussie hit a first-time superb shot which flew into the top corner from 20yrds.

 The Wolves support were again simply superb, making all the noise despite being 3-0 down. A chant of "We`r gonna win three nil" rang around Ewood park, and for a minute it could have been a reality.

 The Barmy Army had their first Premiership goal to cheer on 79 minutes as good work from Newton allowed him to have time to put in the cross which was headed onto the post from Iversen, however the rebound landed at the feat at the ex-Spurs Striker who tapped home from 6yrds.

 The Celebrations were short lived though as Blackburn made it 4 soon after. A fierce 80th Minute drive shot into the net from 15yrds from Substitute Andy Cole who has earlier came on for Thompson.

 With 5 minutes to go, the scoring was over. The Wolves back-line appeared to try and play Andrew Cole offside midway in their own half, they failed and Cole easily lobbed Murray from 25yrds.

 That signaled the end of a miserable afternoon for the Premiership New Boys who must take the result on the chin and move on to next Saturdays game against Charlton.

 Final Score - Blackburn Rovers 5 Wolves 1 

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Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Gresko, Taylor, Amaruso, Flitcroft, Tugay, Jansen, Yorke, Thompson, Emerton. (Subs) Cole 74, Grabbi 80, (Unused) Johansson, Todd,Kelly.

Wolves: Murray, Naylor, Irwin, Butler, Craddock, Silas, Newton, Ince, Cameron, Iversen, Sturridge. (Subs) Blake 60, Luzhny 71, Camara 86, (Unused) Oakes, Rae.

Referee: Jeff Winter
Attendance: 26,270