EWOOD goal-ace Matt Jansen put the rest of the Premiership on red alert last night with a stunning four-goal salvo as Rovers buried part-timers Abtenau under an avalanche of goals in the Austrian mountains.

After topping the Ewood scoring charts with 24 last season, it took the former England Under 21 international all of 27 minutes to demonstrate he's lost none of his predatory instincts over the summer as Rovers romped to victory with embarrassing ease against a breathtaking backdrop.

And but for a missed penalty and the faintest of touches from Jeff Kenna, the 23-year-old striker could have kicked off his pre-season campaign with a double hat-trick.

Manager Graeme Souness had earlier stated his intention to ease his side back into competitive action after a two-month break and he couldn't have asked for a more gentle re-introduction against an Abtenau side with a leakier defence than Jeffrey Archer.

Rovers raced to a straight sets victory, winning both halves 6-0.

And, amazingly, had they been more ruthless infront of goal, they probably could have doubled their winning margin as a host of other chances went begging.

Souness -- quite rightly -- wasn't getting too carried away afterwards, given the standard of the opposition.

But the canny Scot still saw plenty of things to encourage him before the serious stuff starts in earnest next month.

"The whole trip is all about getting fit. Results aren't important at this stage," said Souness.

"So what you can draw from this is that we're a bit fitter than we were two weeks ago.

"And, hopefully, by the time we return from this trip, we'll be even fitter still.

"As you can see from the scoreline, Abtenau weren't really up to much.

"But we looked somewhere on our way towards getting match fit and I've got to be pleased with that as this stage in our preparations."

I doubt Rovers have ever played in more scenic surroundings than this idyllic corner of Austria.

Famous for winter sports more than its football team, the tiny village of Abtenau boasts some spectacular scenery being surrounded by mountains off which people were paragliding while the game was in progress!

All eyes at ground level were on Jansen, however, who led the hosts a merry dance all night, together with new boy Tugay Kerimoglu who made an equally impressive contribution from the centre of midfield.

Jansen set the tone for the evening as early as the four minute, coaxing a hapless defender into chopping him down in the box after a typically twisting run.

But his execution from the spot failed to match the initial trickery as Abtenau keeper Wolfgang Resch tipped his penalty around the post.

That failed to knock Rovers out of their stride, however, and they took the lead just eight minutes later.

Irish wing-wizard Damien Duff whipped over the first in a series of wicked crosses which Jansen nodded down for Mark Hughes to thump home a crisp volley from 12 yards.

With the industrious Tugay at the hub of everything in the engine room, Rovers took a vice-like grip on proceedings carving the Austrian part-timers' ramshackled defence open at will.

Duff made it 2-0 with a close-range finish on 21 minutes before then turning provider for Jansen to bag his first of the evening with a neat turn and shot six minutes later.

Jansen then demonstrated his aerial ability with a looping header for the fourth on 34 minutes after leaping like a salmon to meet Jeff Kenna's swirling centre.

With Rovers now cruising, Craig Hignett then entered the fray as a first half substitute for Garry Flitcroft after the hard-working skipper suffered a blow to the knee.

And, within minutes of his introduction, he soon signalled his intentions with the cheekiest of chips for number five on 43 minutes. Hignett then ensured Rovers took the first half 6-0 when he finished off another neat move involving the deadly Duff right on the stroke of half-time.

With one eye on the two games remaining on the rest of this tour, Souness took the opportunity to rest a few legs in the second half as he made a total of eight changes.

But there was to be no let up in the incessant pressure as Jansen completed his hat-trick within minutes of the re-start

Number eight came courtesy of a sizzling right foot strike from David Dunn before Kenna got the final touch to yet another one of Jansen's scintillating runs to make it nine.

New boy Gordon Greer then enjoyed a moment to remember, marking his Rovers debut with a cool side-foot finish at the back post to take the tally into double figures.

And there was a further goal apiece for Jansen and Hignett -- who completed his hat-trick.

"It's difficult to read anything into these types of games because the opposition wasn't really up to much," said skipper Garry Flitcroft.

"But it's just a great opportunity to get the legs going again after the summer break."

Match Facts:

Abtenau 0

Blackburn Rovers 12

Rovers' starting line up: (4-4-2) from right to left

Rovers

Filan

Kenna, Berg, Short, Bjornebye

McAteer, Tugay, Flitcroft, Duff

Jansen, Hughes

Subs: Hignett (for Flitcroft, 35), Greer (for Bjornebye), Dunn (for Duff),Taylor (for Berg), Ostenstad (for Hughes) all 45.

Abtenau

From: Resch, Wallinger, Irrnberger, Milic, Steiner, Ptarrhofer, Winkler, Zuger, Eichholzer, Schledt, Quehunberger, Weiss, Lugstein, Reiter, Knoblechner, Neureiter, Spaunberger.

Scorers for Rovers: Hughes, Duff, Jansen (4), Hignett (3), Dunn, Kenna, Greer.