Brave Yorke ends Reebok repeat

DWIGHT Yorke has scored some vital goals during a distinguished career.

Take his effort against Juventus in Turin which kept Manchester United's treble dreams alive in 1999.

Or what about his hat-trick in the 6-1 demolition of Arsenal in February 2001 which went a long way to delivering yet another title for United later that season.

But none of those strikes could have meant more to the man with the widest grin in football than his dramatic last-gasp equaliser in the last few seconds of this pulsating Lancashire derby.

Sam Allardyce's players were already counting their win bonuses as the game entered the 93rd minute.

After Craig Short had rescued a point for Rovers in the closing seconds of the corresponding fixture last season, surely history wasn't about to repeat itself again?

But then Ciccio Grabbi suddenly fashioned a yard of space for himself in the area before delivering a pin-point cross to the far post where Yorke rose majestically to power a header past a stunned Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Rovers' joy was unbridled. Graeme Souness hared down the touchline like a man possessed.

The 2,500 or so visiting fans in a record Reebok crowd of 27,423 exploded into a writhing sea of celebration.

And Yorke sank to his knees on the turf, as if he was offering a prayer up to heaven, before disappearing under a pile of ecstatic team-mates.

It was only later that the true poignancy of the moment fully emerged.

Days earlier, the Rovers striker's world had caved in when he learned that his sister had tragically passed away in the Caribbean following a long battle against illness.

But the 31-year-old courageously blanked out the pain of her death to inspire an amazing comeback when all had looked lost for the visitors.

"I was delighted we got something and I was particularly happy for Dwight," said Souness.

"His sister died earlier in the week so he deserves a special mention.

"He's not been himself as you would expect. He's been doing well this season, though, and he repaid us with that performance."

In terms of sheer drama and excitement, this derby clash had more twists and turns than your average Agathe Christie novel.

A controversial penalty decision, six yellow cards, a sending off, and some calamitous defending made for compelling viewing.

On top of that, Kevin Davies scored against his former club and Matt Jansen bagged his first Premiership goal in 16 months just to add that little extra spice, if there wasn't enough already.

Rovers, so impressive in demolishing Wolves last week, started the day as the Premiership leaders but they looked anything but table-toppers during a woeful first half performance.

In all the time Souness has been in charge, I've never seen the team perform as ineptly as they did in that opening 45 minutes.

It was incredible to believe that this was the same side who had torn the other Wanderers to shreds just seven days earlier.

There was more holes in the Rovers defence than a pair of fish-net stockings in a shambolic opening half hour.

Lucas Neill and Vratislav Gresko both had personal nightmares at the back, the midfield quartet were consistently out-fought and out-thought in the scrap for territorial advantage, and Yorke and Jansen struggled to retain possession up front.

Most worryingly of all, though, Wanderers were first to the ball in virtually every department and the moment you give someone like Youri Djorkaeff, the game's most outstanding performer, the freedom to wreak havoc, you are asking for trouble -- and that's exactly what they got.

It doesn't help, of course, when the referee decides to award a penalty in the second minute which was dubious to say the least.

Jay-Jay Okocha outfoxed Neill on the left, there was minimal contact between the two as they stumbled into the area, but referee Andy D'Urso chose to point to the spot and Wanderers were up and running as Djorkaeff tucked away the game's opening goal.

From then on, Rovers were on the back foot and after Davies had bagged the second, Henrik Pedersen should have put the game beyond reach when left one-on-one with Friedel but the United States international saved his side's bacon.

At half-time, it was impossible to see where a point would come from.

But Rovers, to their great credit, emerged with greater purpose after the interval and deservedly clawed their way back thanks to Jansen's timely strike -- possibly the biggest bonus to come out of the whole afternoon.

Wanderers could have opened the scoring in the opening minute as Djorkaeff's chip sailed just over the bar.

But the visitors' reprieve only lasted a matter of seconds as Neill then clashed with Okocha and Djorkaeff gleefully tucked away the spot-kick.

Djorkaeff went close again with a rasping 20 yarder which flashed inches wide of the far post.

It was only a matter of time before Bolton scored again and they did on 25 minutes.

Neill made a hash of controlling a long clearance and the ball eventually arrived at the feet of Djorkaeff, who threaded a clever pass through for Davies to score emphatically against his former club. Why did he never do that in a Blackburn shirt?

Had Pedersen made it three shortly after, that would have been that.

Rovers, in the meantime, barely mustered a serious attempt at goal in the entire half as they struggled to match Wanderers' desire and intensity.

Their best chance came seconds before the break but David Thompson's header drifted wide of the far post.

Rovers needed a lifeline and Jansen grabbed one when he scored his first Premiership goal since May 2002 in the 50th minute, burying a shot into the corner from a Thompson cross.

After that, Yorke twice went close to an equaliser then Friedel had to perform heroics again to deny 19-year-old defender Nicky Hunt.

Wanderers looked to have the points sewn up when Steven Reid saw red in the closing stages for a late challenge on Bolton's Greek sub Stelios, just 12 minutes after coming off the bench on his debut.

It was reckless but not malicious and other referees might have issued a booking in similar circumstances.

But as the home fans started their celebrations, Yorke had other ideas leaving Djorkaeff and Co feeling a strange sense of dj vu.

Better late than never.