WHEN Benni McCarthy's name got linked with a move to Chelsea last summer, there were some who questioned the validity of those stories.

But what would Jose Mourinho give right now to have the red-hot South African, whose goals were instrumental in helping him win the Champions League with Porto in 2004?

As Chelsea continue to stutter in the Premiership, McCarthy is proving himself to be one of the most astute signings of the season.

For the second time in five days, Mark Hughes' new talisman grabbed the winner as Blackburn Rovers secured back-to-back league victories for only the third time this season.

His latest effort, a glancing header' from a Robbie Savage cross, put clear daylight between Rovers and the bottom three, which was the perfect fillip going into the New Year.

McCarthy has now scored 11 goals since he joined Rovers for a bargain £2.5 million in the summer, which, poignantly, is five more than Andriy Shevchenko has plundered for Chelsea, who paid £30 million to lure him to Stamford Bridge!

And if ever there was a day to test his appetite for the Premiership then surely this was it.

Foreigners aren't supposed to like cold, wet days in December but McCarthy took to the monsoon conditions like a duck to water.

A torrential downpour before kick-off turned the normally pristine Ewood Park playing surface into a quagmire, but there were times when Rovers' twinkle-toed striker looked like he could walk on water.

Even a first half assassination attempt by Middlesbrough bruiser Emanuel Pogatetz failed to take the wind out of McCarthy's sails.

After lengthy treatment, the striker picked himself up, dusted himself down, and then set about putting Boro to the sword, which he eventually did in the form of his 75th minute winner.

Afterwards, McCarthy said it was the lung-busting efforts of that human jump lead, Robbie Savage, which inspired him to perform his latest match-winning heroics.

When the going gets tough, unsung heroes like Savage get going, and though he's never the most aesthetic player to watch, his energy levels and honest endeavour invariably rub off on those around him.

"It was a fantastic ball from Robbie for the goal and I was really surprised," said McCarthy mischievously.

"I thought he was unbelievable today.

"On a crappy field, he was at the top of his game, but normally when it's nice conditions and a good pitch, his technique - I don't where it all goes to!

"Seriously, though, in my opinion he's definitely one of the strongest leaders in this team because he just motivates us with his spirit, with his strength, and his willingness to want to play, to run hard and work hard.

"When you feel like you can't give any more, or you're injured and you want to go off, you see Sav at his age and the rate he's going, and it's just amazing.

"He motivates you into thinking to Hell with the pain. If he can do it then I can do it, too, and it's great when you have a player like that in the team."

Savage and McCarthy weren't the only ones who revelled in the freak conditions.

Andre Ooijer and Andy Todd excelled once again at the back, brilliantly snuffing out the threat of Mark Viduka and Aiyegbeni Yakubu on their way to recording a second successive clean sheet.

There was also telling contributions from the two wide-men, David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pedersen, who caused the Boro defence no end of problems by whipping the ball in early from the flanks.

And what about Shabani Nonda, who has suddenly come alive over Christmas?

The Congo international laid the foundations for this victory with a wonderfully executed ninth minute volley that left Mark Schwarzer rooted to the spot.

It was Nonda's third goal in as many games, and his second of the season against Boro, having previously grabbed the winner at the Riverside in September.

As for Boro, well, they look in big trouble because they simply cannot win away from home.

Apart from a 10-minute purple patch in the second half, immediately after Yakubu's equaliser, they rarely looked like recording their first away win in 15 attempts in the Premiership - a statistic which says much about their present predicament.

Standing water made free-flowing football virtually impossible, but Rovers adapted far quicker to the conditions than Boro and they might have taken the lead inside the opening three minutes had Andrew Davies not produced a saving tackle.

McCarthy showed great vision when he cut the ball back for Pedersen, who looked a certain scorer until Davies suddenly appeared from nowhere and threw himself in the line of fire.

Pedersen then turned provider with a raking left-wing cross that just evaded Nonda before flashing across the face of goal.

If that was a warning then Boro failed to heed it because moments later they were undone by an almost identical move.

Lucas Neill's long ball from the left caught the Boro defence completely flatfooted, and Nonda was onto it in a flash, smashing a brilliant first time volley past a startled Schwarzer from eight yards out.

With Rovers looking to get the ball forward early at every opportunity, more pressure led to another shooting chance for McCarthy, but his effort lacked the venom to trouble Schwarzer.

When Boro finally carved out a chance of their own, James Morrison skied his shot horribly into the Blackburn End.

The visitors did improve in the second half and they were handed a lifeline in the 60th minute when Neill needlessly wrestled Pogatetz to the ground in the area, which left the referee Martin Atkinson with no option other than to point to the spot, and Yakubu confidently beat Brad Friedel.

A minute later, Neill and Pogatetz clashed again, this time in the opposite penalty box, but Mr Atkinson correctly dismissed the Aussie's appeal for a spot-kick.

Boro pushed for a winner, and they might have had one had Lee Cattermole's speculative drive been slightly more accurate.

But, suddenly, Rovers found a second wind and they wrapped up the points in the 75th minute.

Savage picked out McCarthy with a cross from the right, and the striker soared above the Boro defence to flick the ball beyond Schwarzer into the far corner.

Nonda and Matt Derbyshire both had chances to make it 3-1 in the last 10 minutes, but by then the damage had been done.

Thanks to Benni, the home fans left Ewood singing in the rain.