FULL TIME: Stoke City 3 Blackburn Rovers 1 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

FULL TIME: Stoke City 3 Blackburn Rovers 1

2:40pm Saturday 26th November 2011 in Blackburn Rovers match reports By Andy Cryer , Blackburn Rovers reporter

Blackburn Rovers looked every inch the Premier League strugglers they are as they crashed to a 3-1 defeat at out of form Stoke City.

A clueless Rovers performance never threatened to trouble Stoke at any stage as their relegation woes deepened. By the time Ruben Rochina struck in the 86th minute, Rovers were already dead and buried after barely putting up a fight against Stoke.

The hosts started quickly as expected and almost took the lead in the opening minutes when Peter Crouch headed wide with goalkeeper Paul Robinson in no man's land.

That was about it though for the next 25 minutes as neither side were able to take control of the game.

The ball spent most of the time in the air with both sides looking as bad as each other and neither goalkeeper being tested.

That changed on 28 minutes though when Stoke took the lead after some abysmal Blackburn Rovers defending.

After Steven Nzonzi had fouled Peter Crouch 30 yards out from goal, Jermaine Pennant's delivery was simply headed in at the near post by Rory Delap, after he lost the stationary Gael Givet.

Scott Dann did have a looping header cleared off the line towards the end of the half and Rochina shot straight at Sorensen but, in truth, there were nothing encouraging for Rovers fans to take from the first 45 minutes of action.

Rovers should have been level on 47 minutes after a moment of individual brilliance from Ruben Rochina.

The Spaniard twisted his way past three Stoke defender and deep into the hosts' box but, after he back heeled the ball across the face of goal, Mauro Formica somehow missed the ball from just yards out.

Stoke should have doubled their lead on 54 as Robert Huth headed wide from yards out after Matthew Etherington's deep cross had picked him out unmarked.

The hosts did make it 2-0 on 58 minutes though as Rovers' stationary midfielders allowed the runners to run off them.

Etherington raced down the left wing, cut the ball back for Jon Walter and his lay off was rifled into the net by Glenn Whelan, via a Scott Dann deflection.

It got worse for a clueless Rovers as Peter Crouch raced on to a speculative clearance from Thomas Sorensen, after Grant Hanley had missed his header, and slotted the ball past Robinson on 72 minutes.

Rochina grabbed a consolation on 86 minutes with a fierce 20-yard strike but it was all far too late.