TONY Parkes broke the deadlock in what had been a disappoint game up to then when after 50 minutes he gave Blackburn Rovers the lead over bottom dogs Torquay United at Ewood Park.

Both sides wasted easy chances in the first half which was littered withy mistakes, mostly due to bad passing.

The Rovers had move of the play and deserved to go into the lead.

The Rovers kept and unchanged side for the first ever visit of Torquay United which meant that Don Martin kept his place at centre forward in preferance to Barry Endean,

The Rovers attacked the Darwen end.

The first threat came from Torquay with Boulton hitting a perfect pass through to Sandercock who failed to control the ball in front of goal and let it go out of play.

Welsh took Torquay forward again and from his squared pass Stuckey shot wide.

Field wasted a chance. He won a midfield tackle and went through the middle on this own.

Trying to chip the ball of Connaughton's head he didn't hit it hard enough and and the goalkeeper caught the ball easily enough above his head.

Wood had to kick for a corner in a big hurry when Stuckey dropped a dangerous ball into the middle right at Jackson's feel.

Price and Parkes combined well to create a good position for Field but his inside pass, intended for Martin was cut out by Edwards.

A long ball from Wood gave Martin possession and he turned a pass to his left to five Parkes a change, but his shot was wild and high.

Rovers seemed to have a case for a penalty when Martin was pushed out of the way by Edwards but the referee waved play on.

The Rovers managed it at last after 50 minutes.

Field took a right wing corner and Garbett headed the ball on.

Edwards could only head head it out again and it went straight to PARKES who cracked the ball into the net off the foot of the post.

The Rovers had got just the spur they needed and they started to play with a lot more spirit and enterprise.

Four minutes later Martin had the ball in the net but the cheers of the crowd were premature - the whistle had already gone for a foul by McNamee on Connaughton.

Martin chased a long ball and screwed in a shot from the left of the goal which Connaughton took well.

The Rovers had another confident penalty claim refused when Edwards brought Parkes down as he was going through from Bradford's pass.

A brilliant save by Connaughton going down to turn the ball round the post, denied Field a a goal from a sharp right-foot drive after he went through cleverly form Martin's shrewd pass.

Garbett drove wide with a great chance from Parkes' pass while Connaughton made a remarkable save to stop Price's diving header from Garbett's cross

Teams

ROVERS: Jones, Heaton, Wood, Bradford, McNamee, Fazackerley, Garbett, Parkes, Price, Martin, Field.

TORQUAY: Connaughton, Stocks, Boulton, Stocks, Sandercock, Edwards, Hill, Twitchin, Welsh.