Blackburn in good Stead for the run-in

FA Premiership/ Fulham 3 Blackburn Rovers 4: To describe Blackburn as glad to have won would be like suggesting Brian Lara has not batted badly in Antigua. Rovers' fight to avoid relegation is far from over but they gave themselves a significant fillip by seeing off Fulham in a ding-dong battle finally settled by Jon Stead's low shot.

Blackburn would have kicked themselves had they not taken full points because they were 1-0 and 3-2 up on an absorbing night of poor defending and some good attacking. They will feel it was just that Stead hit the winner because they believe Zat Knight should have been sent off for an early butt on the striker.

The need for Blackburn to take at least a point had been increased by results earlier in the day, and they felt they should have been helped by the showing of a red card to Knight inside a quarter of an hour. Souness and some of his players were adamant the defender headbutted Stead off the ball inside Rovers' half as the pair retreated from a corner.

Souness must have felt hard done by and it will have annoyed him just as much that his team, having taken a 23rd-minute lead on the break, almost immediately allowed Fulham an equaliser and then fell behind before half-time.

Cole's opening for Blackburn was excellently created by Tugay. The Turk struck a fine right-foot pass from near halfway, allowing Cole to control with his chest and hit a fierce shot.

The reply for Fulham came when Sean Davis's free-kick was smacked against the bar by Martin Djetou and hit Brad Friedel before Stead Malbranque headed across goal for John to nod in the decisive header.

Fulham went ahead with almost the final action of the half. From another free-kick, this time by Malbranque, the marking was poor and the ball reached the far post where John steered it in.

Whatever Souness uttered at the interval had the right effect. Almost immediately Blackburn were level when John Douglas volleyed in a long throw that had been flicked on, and shortly after they were in front. A free-kick was tapped to Amoruso, whose shot went through a peeling wall and was pushed in by Edwin van der Sar.

To nobody's surprise a Fulham goal followed. It was a great individual effort by Luis Boa Morte, who ran from inside his own half, exchanged passes with John near halfway and sprinted on to finish.

But there was a further twist when, from Cole's lay-off, Stead sent a low shot beyond Van der Sar from outside the box.

Guardian Service

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Volz, Djetou, Goma, Bocanegra, Sean Davis (Petta 79), Legwinski, Knight, Malbranque (McBride 84), John (Hayles 87), Boa Morte. Subs Not Used: Crossley, Pearce. Goals: John 26, 45, Boa Morte 60.

BLACKBURN ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Amoruso, Short, Gresko, Andresen, Flitcroft, Tugay, Douglas, Cole (Emerton 89), Stead (Gallagher 90). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Reid, Johansson. Goals: Cole 23, Douglas 49, Amoruso 51, Stead 75.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).