THE key stats and moments from the game against Boro.

ROVERS:

BRAD FRIEDEL: A virtual bystander all afternoon. Had to make a couple of smart saves but everything he does inspires confidence...7

LUCAS NEILL: Looked fresh after missing the West Ham game through suspension. Strong defensively and tried to get forward whenever possible...7

JAY MCEVELEY: Easily his best performance in a Rovers shirt so far and could have grabbed his first goal as well with a thunderous shot....8

NILS-ERIC JOHANSSON: Looks far more comfortable in the centre than he does on the left, both positionally and in terms of his distribution....7

MARTIN TAYLOR: A commanding display from the giant defender as Boksic and Maccarone barely had a sniff up front....7

GARRY FLITCROFT: Put himself about with typical gusto, especially in the second half when Rovers were on top....7

NEIL DANNS: Given a great chance to shine but struggled to get into the game as the whole team looked below-par in the first half....6

DAVID THOMPSON: Gives everything for the cause whether he's in tip-top form or not....7

TUGAY: Grew stronger as the game wore on, especially once the gaps started to appear in midfield....7

ANDY COLE: Looked sharp as a tack in and around the box and he was only denied a goal by a couple of sharp saves from Schwarzer...8

DWIGHT YORKE: His match-winning strike should do wonders for his confidence going into an important part of the season...7

SUBS: GILLESPIE...(for Danns, 46) 7

TODD...(for McEveley, 75)

OSTENSTAD...(for Yorke, 85)

NOT USED...DUNN, KELLY

OPPOSITION:

SCHWARZER...Prevented a pasting 7

QUEUDRUE...Sweet left-foot 6

PARNABY...Run of the mill 6

SOUTHGATE...Boro's best defender 6

EHIOGU...Only lasted eight minutes.

GREENING...Busy without being effective 6

GEREMI...Faded out of it 6

JOB...Posed no threat 5

WILSON...Bossed out of it 6

BOKSIC...Totally anonymous 5

MACCARONE...Expensive luxury 5

SUBS - VIDMAR...(for Ehiogu, 8) 6

NEMETH...(for Maccarone, 73) 5

WINDASS...(for Job, 79)

NOT USED...WILKSHIRE, CROSSLEY

STATS:

Goal attempts: Rovers 18 Boro 5

Shots on target: Rovers 7 Boro 2

Woodwork: Rovers 1 Boro 0

Offsides: Rovers 3 Boro 1

Corners: Rovers 5 Boro 2

Free kicks -Rovers 13 Boro 7

REFEREE...Mr D Pugh (Merseyside)

Bookings - Rovers: None; Boro: None. Sendings off - None

Ewood Park Att: 23,413

TIME FOR ACTION:

10 Brad Friedel makes an early save to deny Geremi

11 Andy Cole signals his intent with a shot which flashes inches wide

37 Alen Boksic's cross just evades Massimo Maccarone

40 Mark Schwarzer keeps out a shot from Cole

56 Lucas Neill ventures forward from the back but his shot is deflected inches wide

58 It's 1-0 to Rovers as Dwight Yorke pounces on a lucky ricochet to fire past Schwarzer

59 Jay McEveley nearly caps an excellent performance with a thunderous shot which strikes the bar

60 Friedel beats away a shot from Massimo Maccarone at his near post

66 Cole turns brilliantly in the box but Schwarzer then palms aside his curling shot

89 Schwarzer excels again with a smart stop to keep out a thumping free kick from Tugay